Wedding Tips from a Photographer

After 10+ years shooting weddings, I’ve learned a lot about the flow of the day and things that can make or break a wedding. It’s such an important day, and your photographs will be cherished memories, so you want to make sure you plan for them! Here is a list of many tips I have learned through the years for all my future brides as they prepare for their big days.

The most important tip: don’t worry about doing “what’s expected.” Do what you want! This is your day. Your wedding should reflect a bride and groom’s personality, not their parents’ or some handbook’s etiquette guidelines!
Ask your photographer for help planning your timeline. Experienced photographers have done this many times before, and they know best how much time is needed for the photos they will be taking.
If it fits into your budget, ask your photographer for a second shooter. I always recommend this—it allows for the photographers to tag-team the photos of the girls and guys prior to the ceremony, photograph more angles of the ceremony and reception, and you usually end up with more photos!
The timing of your ceremony is important to ensure that you get the portraits that you want! If you want outdoor portraits before the sun sets, keep that in mind…if your ceremony is planned to last about 30 minutes, you will need to start it approximately an hour and a half before sunset so that after the ceremony, you can fit in all the family portraits before sneaking away for a few newlywed photos before the sun sets. It’s super easy to find out the sunset time on your big day: just Google “sunset on (date) in (location).”
Visit your ceremony venue at the time that you plan on holding your ceremony, especially if it is outdoors, to make sure the lighting is what you want, and adjust accordingly. You don’t want the sun directly in front of your ceremony space, because then your guests will be staring into the sun, and your photographer could have a difficult time getting portraits with the harsh lighting and sun flare.
Before your wedding day, break in your shoes! Or better yet, wear comfortable ones! The last thing you need to worry about are aching or blistered feet. Most people won’t even see your feet if you’re wearing a long dress!
Make sure someone (your mom, a bridesmaid, your coordinator) knows how to bustle your dress correctly. I learned this from personal experience—my dress was bustled loosely and I tripped all over it during our meticulously choreographed first dance!
This idea can be rather expensive, but I have seen it done several times lately: have a separate dress for your reception, one that is more comfortable and that you can move around in, especially if you’re planning on dancing the night away!
Order wooden bouquets for you and your bridesmaids! They can look incredibly realistic, are lightweight, don’t drip water down your dresses, and make wonderful keepsakes for years to come.
Put all of the details you want photographed (rings, jewelry, garter, invitation, program, something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue) into the shoebox with your wedding shoes. That way the photographer can grab it and photograph those details as soon as they arrive. It’s also a great idea to ask your florist to leave a few trimmings from your flower arrangements to use as details in these photographs!
Bring an emergency kit with the following items: bobby pins, safety pins, sewing kit, tissue, feminine products, double-sided tape, scissors, lotion, and chapstick.
First Looks are a great way to get more portraits done before the ceremony so that you don’t feel rushed to do them afterward! It also eases a bit of tension and gives the bride and groom a quiet moment together before the hustle and bustle of the day begins. If you don’t want to see each other before you walk down the aisle, you can always do a first touch instead! Stand in a doorway and hold hands, or stand back-to-back for a few quiet moments.
Give the groom and his guys times that are actually 15 minutes before you want them to be there. I have worked with a few very punctual grooms, but most guys are notorious for running late!
Hold that first kiss! 1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi, 3 Mississippi…It’s a big moment, and if you just do a quick peck, your photographer may not be able to capture it!
Be sure to plan for at least an hour between your ceremony and reception entrance to make sure you have plenty of time for family portraits, wedding party portraits, and a few of you with your groom before you bustle your dress and shove cake into each other’s faces! During that “cocktail” hour, provide your guests with light hors d’oeuvres and drinks, music, and games so they’re not just standing around and waiting.
Prior to the day of your wedding, make a list of all the specific photo groupings you want, with names, to make sure you don’t accidentally leave out any family members or important friends, and send it to your photographer and coordinator. Here’s a sample list:
-Whole Family (Bride + Groom)
-Bride's Extended Family
-Bride's Immediate Family
-Bride & Groom + Bride's Parents
-Bride & Groom + Bride's Siblings
-Groom's Extended Family
-Groom's Immediate Family
-Bride & Groom + Groom's Parents
-Bride & Groom + Groom's Siblings
Then, plan to ask the people who are staying for these photos to stay in the ceremony space after the rest of the guests are dismissed. Last, have the coordinator (or a bossy aunt or bridesmaid who knows a lot of the family) help read off the list so that the photographer can focus on getting the shots taken as quickly as possible.
Plan a false exit if you think many of your guests might disappear before your reception ends. That way you have enough people to hold sparklers, blow bubbles, throw confetti, and cheer (and you’ll have better photos!). Then you can go back into your reception and enjoy yourselves!
Make sure you designate someone to pack up all of your things before you leave. You may not visit the bridal suite once you leave for your ceremony, and you don’t want to have to go back and pack up all your belongings before you head off to your honeymoon with your groom!
If you are going to do a sparkler exit, get the long sparklers, and light them from the middle of the line. Guests can then help light each others’ down the lines in both directions. It’s much faster, and they will still be burning when you begin your walk!
During your exit, walk slowly and stop, dip, and kiss. It makes for a superb photo!
At some point, something will probably not go according to plan... don’t panic. Let your coordinator, photographer, and bridesmaids solve your problems!
Remember to BREATHE, RELAX, and ENJOY your day! You’ve spend months planning for this day, and I assure you, it will be over in a flash! Take moments throughout the day to just look around at the friends and family who are there to celebrate your union and take mental pictures.