Wedding Planning Tips From a Photographer
When it comes to planning a wedding there are so many details to take into consideration. I’m helping my brother plan his wedding right now -and oh man- it feels like there are a million things on the to do list! On your wedding day it’s going to be a whirlwind of happiness so you may not notice each and every detail in the moment.. but you’ll definitely think about them later when you look through your photos. So if you’re looking for a quick and essential list of things you should definitely consider when planning your wedding – check out these suggestions below! My wedding planning tips are sure to keep you right on track!
Getting Ready Location
Man. This is the thing people really forget about. And I get it. I mean you’re thinking of a million other things, and you just say “I’ll get ready wherever I already am” or “Whatever comes with the Venue”. Sometimes those are the perfect answers and sometimes not. When you think about where you plan to get ready there are a couple of key details to consider. Number One: You want it to be big enough to fit your whole wedding party. Nothing is worse than trying to fit 5 bridesmaids and the moms, and flower girls into a teeny tiny hotel room. Number Two: You want natural lighting! Some hotels are great, and some are well… not. I once photographed for two hours in a 200 square foot room with no windows. It was rough! Did we get good photos? YES! (because I’m a pro -duh!) BUT could we have gotten waaayyy better photos, YES! So my recommendation -splurge (just a little) on a nice suite or a pretty AirBnB to get ready in, you’ll definitely appreciate it later.
Ceremony Backdrop
Here is what you do. Go to the exact spot where you’ll say your vows to each other. Stand there together and make a friend or someone else at the Venue take a picture on your phone. Then look at it! Is there anything super distracting right behind you? You’ll end up with around 100 photos of you guys standing right there, so the last thing you want is to have a weird piece of architecture, art, super ugly wall, crazy sculpture, annoying railing or anything else; distracting from the two of you. (and yes -I’ve had this happen. Imagine a weird wall of faces sculpture right behind your two faces… it was memorable to say the least)
Have an Unplugged Wedding
I highly encourage all of my couples to encourage all of their friends and family to leave their cell phones in their pockets during the ceremony. Just last summer I photographer a beautiful, amazing, jaw dropping ceremony that was kind of ruined by the amount of cell phones in the wedding aisle. People would half stand up in front of me to get a shot on their cell…. I promise you -my shots will be better -and I’m not going to miss anything. That’s why you hired me! So tell your friends and family to be emotionally present for the ceremony and leave their cameras in their pockets. No need for Uncle Bob Photographers..
Wedding Planning tips for Posed Family Portraits
Do you want them? Yes! Do you need a posed portrait with every last member of your living family? No.. So with that in mind, try to keep your list of group shots to less than 20. You’re going to love the candid ones more anyways, and that 20 will cover all the heirloom fireplace portraits that your Mom and Grandma will ever want. To make this even easier, when you make up your list, be sure to use each person’s name! That way, when I’m calling out for the next shot, I can yell “I need James, Jessica and Kevin over here!!” And then James, Jessica and Kevin will actually listen!
Bride & Groom Portraits
I absolutely guarantee that these will turn out to be your favorite photos. Don’t cut your time here! If you’re ok with seeing each other before the ceremony schedule 10-15 minutes for a First Look. If not -try a first look where you don’t actually see each other but can hold hands, say a prayer, or just tell the other one how much you love them. After posed portraits make sure you schedule at least half an hour for photos of just the two of you. 45 minutes is always better -but if you don’t have it, a half hour will do. If you end up having a bit of a gap in the schedule later -use that for photos again! My mantra is the more the better!
Sunset Portraits
With portrait time in mind -be sure not to skip this one! Look up the sunset time for your wedding day and set aside about 15-20 minutes to go outside again and snuggle up to the setting sun. These photos are almost always some of the best! And don’t worry if you’re a little late to the sunset, blue hour photos are magical! Plus, I will personally promise that your guests will definitely not notice you guys skipping out for a few during the reception. They’ll all be so busy dancing, laughing and drinking away the night that they won’t even realize that you’ve gone! (btw- feel free to bring your cocktail with you! #sunsetsandchampagne)
Wedding Planning tips for Reception Lighting
How you choose to use lighting during your reception will have a huge impact on your what your photos end up looking like. Think about ambiance when you make these choices! My favorite detail: cafe lights and/or lots of candles have the prettiest dreamy effect in your reception space. If I could make any choice on behalf of my clients -this would be it! What’s my least favorite thing? Purple, blue or pink up lighting, it makes all your guest look like crazy monsters! Instead choose a warm gold or yellow color. This will wash the room in a beautiful golden sunset palette. Everyone looks beautiful with a touch of gold to them!
Last but Not Least…
Be flexible! No wedding turns out exactly the way you plan it, and the most important part of the whole day is that you’ve gotten married and that you’re having fun! So just roll with anything that happens and stay positive! Take these wedding planning tips with you and start on your planning journey!
