How to get the most from your wedding photography
Here’s a little myth I’ll bust for you. Great shots don’t just happen. The art of being an awesome wedding photographer has a lot to do with the extensive planning they put into learning your wedding photography timeline inside out. The best wedding photographers will carefully think through how how best to capture each aspect of your wedding. This massively frees them up creatively because it reduces the amount of planning on the fly! And the end result is documentary style wedding photography that looks so natural because your wedding photographer will seem to ‘magically’ be in the right place at the right time! Here’s my little guide on how you can make the most of your wedding photographer. Here’s are 7 tips on how you can help your photographer get the best shots from your wedding without interrupting your day!
Bridesmaids keep it tidy 😉
Want to have gorgeous looking bridal shots as you are getting ready? Of course you do! Make sure your maid of honour organises a quick whip around the room to put away anything unsightly before you get your dress on. No-one wants to see a picture of your pyjamas and make-up distracting people from focusing on your ‘wowness’ (yeah, there’s always room for a made-up word). Even if you just sweep all your randoms under the bed, as long as it’s out of sight, it’s out of shot. Take a look at the before and after in this setting here and you’ll get what I mean. If I’m your photographer for the day, I’ll politely ask the bridesmaids to have a 2 min tidy just before your dress goes on if it slips their mind. Part of my job is to get shots that you’ll love to look back on of you in the dress that you’ve spend forever dreaming of (link back to how to choosing wedding dress).
Put your dress on early
It happens so often that the bride dons her dress right at the last minute, like 5 min before heading to the ceremony… Brides your wedding timeline doesn’t have to be this pressured! Give you self time to relax a little and settle into your dress before heading out the door. How about having your dress on and being ready to roll 30 min before sailing towards the Groom? This will make you feel so much more chilled and you can enjoy all the ‘ooohs’ and ‘ahhhs’, laughs, tears and hugs from your closest friends and family while your photographer captures these moments in a relaxed way. Keep in mind that these are some of the most emotional and fun times of the day, so you don’t want to cut it short. This time is often a highlight for brides when looking back and it will tell a side of your wedding story that the Groom for obvious reasons won’t have seen before! (Plus, getting ready early will also give your photographer more time to capture shots of your guests arriving for the ceremony if they can get there a little ahead of you. So definitely put your dress on early id you want to make the most of your wedding photographer). If you are still looking to find the perfect wedding dress for you check out my top 5 tips on choosing the right dress for you.
Keep group shots to a minimum
You’ll have mostly likely booked a wedding photographer like me because you’re the kind of couple that loves standing around waiting for things to happen… OK, group shots aren’t the most inspiring part of wedding photography but they are mega important to get right so they shouldn’t be rushed. I recommend having no more than 6-8 groups so that they can be completed in about 20 min (for my suggested list click here) so that you can get back to the party. To help you with this and this one’s for you Grooms- make sure your Best man is absolutely on it with the ushers. They need to be responsible for rounding up the all the guests for each shot to keep things running smoothly. Don’t expect your photographer to know what Auntie sally looks like and where she is. It’s a good idea to brief everyone that’s expected to be involved in a group shot so they will know where and when they will take place so that they don’t wander off too far. If you’re not careful, delays here can limit your coverage by squeezing your wedding photography timings.
Reception Details
You’ve spent so much time pouring all your creativity into styling and DIY-ing your venue to look amazing (if I wasn’t careful that last sentence would read dying)! Before you seat your guests, give your photographer time (about 20 min) where they can capture your complete set up when its going to look its best. You just can’t take clean pictures of table centre pieces for example if your guests are gathered around the tables. I don’t major on taking magazine-looking detailed shots, my couples care more about the people than props, but it’s still important to document all your personal touches in the way that they deserve.
Couples portraits
It might feel like your day is hurtling by at lightening speed. So don’t be surprised if you feel a little overwhelmed and need some space just the two of you. I’ve been there myself so I know what it’s like! Plan some downtime into your wedding photography schedule. Plan to break away for 20 min or so to recharge after the ceremony. It’s great to capture some natural-looking shots of the two of you just having a quiet moment (AKA couples’ portraits or just plain fab photos of you having a laugh).
Make the most of Golden hour
I flipping love golden hour! I reckon you do too but without even realising it. Probably, most of the photos that you’ll have seen in wedding blogs etc. and gone ‘oh, I like it!’, were taken at this time of day! The light is completely ‘Goldilocks’ for us photographers. It’s what we would describe as being ‘soft’- it doesn’t create any harsh shadows and it has a warmth to it that you won’t find earlier in the day. Make sure you build some flexibility into your wedding photography timeline to get out there and make the most of the best light of the day. The timing of golden hour varies throughout the year so check with me what the window will be for your wedding date so we can make a plan. There’s nothing I love more than capturing fun-loving and relaxed photos of my couples that are painted with gorgeous light!
Pack that dance floor!!
Dance floors that are empty make me die a little bit on the inside. If you are planning on having a first dance, when you’ve busted your last move, start reeling guests onto the dance floor. It’s a great way to pack that dance floor. After all, who’s going to say to you ‘nah, I’m not dancing with you, I love you and everything but you’re asking the impossible!’ When the dance floor is rocking and everyone is letting loose- there’s SO much fun to be captured! And it’s a great way to remember how your party finished.
Now you know make the most of your wedding photographer 🙂 If you’d like some tips for making your wedding photography timeline here
it out. 
