Wedding Day Photography Prep Guide

1. Prepare for the Unexpected

Be prepared for the unexpected, as everything is possible during a wedding. Don’t worry about incidents and enjoy your day!!! Weddings are very complex events and unexpected events will occur. Here are a few mishaps I have seen fairly often in our wedding travels: the hair/makeup is late or the bride does not like it. The flowers arrive late. Cake is damaged or the wrong cake is delivered . The bridesmaids take longer to get ready. The groomsmen are not ready or under influence after the previous night’s party. The groom drops the bride while dipping her for the first kiss. The best man cannot find the rings or he drops the rings in the church. Babies cry incessantly during the ceremony. The veil is blown away by the wind. Those are only a few of the things that we have experienced on the wedding day.

2. Lighting is Important

Lighting is the most important ingredient in photography. For indoor receptions, the more lighting you have, the better. Uplighting makes a banquet hall look stunning, as you can see below.

3. Uplighting Creates a Stunning Atmosphere

The most beautiful uplighting is purple, blue, orange. The candles on the tables, chandeliers and market lights add to the mood and will make your photos look even better. Please refrain from having green lighting… it just doesn’t look good. For outdoor receptions, please add as much lighting as possible. Strings of lights, candles, lanterns are sources of lighting that create a romantic atmosphere.

4. Share Your Preferences With Your Photographer

For your wedding, in order for your photographer to understand what looks you like, please create a mood board on Pinterest: pin 8 photos you really like from my website and 2 photos (from other websites). This is not a shot list, but a board that will allow your photographer to learn more about you and understand what appeals to you.

5. The Golden Hour

From a photography standpoint, the best time for outdoor ceremonies is 1-2 hours before the sunset. The last hour of that time frame is known as the Golden Hour.

6. Build Time Buffers

Build time buffers… plan for delays… expect delays… 99.99% of the weddings I photographed did not go according to the plan. You want to enjoy the day, not be stressed out on the best day of your life.

7. Pick a Flattering Hairstyle

If you wear your hair down, your face will be covered in many of the candid photos where you are turned away from the camera. The solution? Pull your hair back to the sides.

8. Discuss Your Timeline With the Photographer

Finalize your Timeline/Itinerary as soon as possible and email it to your photographer so that she can give you feedback and tips to reduce your stress on your wedding day.

9. Worst Time to Photograph

The worst time to photograph is between 12pm and 2pm. When you create your itinerary, please keep that in mind. Avoid 12-2pm for the outdoor photo-shoot or outdoor ceremony. The light is very harsh and the boys will boil in their black tuxes if you are getting married in the summer.

10. North Facing Rooms are the Best

For your preparation, if possible, choose a room facing North (if you live in the Northern Hemisphere) so that the light will be very soft/flattering. Photography in general is about lighting, and good lighting is the main ingredient for great photos.

11. Large Rooms Are Better

Pick a large room for your bride’s preparation. The larger the room, the better. First, it will allow the photographers to shoot from various angles. Second, they will use long lenses that have a flattering (slimming) effect.

12. Clean the Room

Clean the preparation room from non-wedding related clutter. This wedding photography tip is common sense, yet in the rush of the wedding day, clutter takes over and distractions photo bomb your photos.

13. Hire the Best Makeup Artist

Hire the best makeup artist you can afford! A good makeup artist will make enhance your natural beauty and you will look amazing in your wedding photos!

14. Robes are Cute

If the bride and bridesmaids wear robes, it will look very cute. Sweatpants or pyjamas will not look that good in your wedding photos.

15. Details Should Be Ready

To save time, please have ready and unpack the rings (wedding bands and engagement ring), shoes, dress, invitations and other items you want photographed.

16. Avoid Tan Lines

Do not tan with tan lines 1 month before the wedding.

17. Teeth Whitening

Some brides whiten their teeth before the wedding.

18. Natural Light is the Best

Ask the venue to show you the bridal room and pick one with natural light.

19. Best Spots for Family Photos

Check with the venue if they have a designated space for group shots (in case it rains).

20 Wedding Coordinators are Key

If you can afford it, please consider hiring a wedding coordinator! They work miracles on the wedding day and are totally worth the investment. If you don’t know one, please ask me and I can refer a good wedding coordinator..

21. Unplugged Weddings

On your wedding day, kindly ask your guests to be considerate and not “jump” in front of the photographers, especially during the ceremony formal/group portraits. Often photographers have to wait for the guests taking photos with their phones or tablets to finish so that they can document the day.

22. Remove the Cellphones From Pockets

Speaking of cell phones, it is a great idea for the boys to leave their phones in a bag. If they keep the cellphones in their pockets, it looks bad in your photos.

23. Bustling Your Dress

Film your dress being bustled at the store…otherwise you will waste plenty of time on your wedding day. If you forgot, YouTube can help. Here is a video showing how to do a French bustle and an under bustle.

24. Keep Cool

Wedding gowns are made using multiple layers of fine fabric, crinoline, etc., so wedding dresses tend to get HOT…remember how cold was in the store when you bought it? Plan to apply some baby powder on your thighs before you put on the dress.

25. Make Your Wedding Unique

The Pinterest photos will make your wedding look like everybody else’s: nowadays inspiration can be found all over the internet and Pinterest is notorious for “inspiration boards.” The only problem is that everybody follows the same boards, so your wedding will look like that of another million brides. Don’t you want someone else to pin your original photos and create a new trend?

26. Walk Slowly to the Altar

During the ceremony, walk slowly down the aisle and do not look down: there are a few reasons for walking slowly down the aisle. First, your photographer will be able to take more photos of you. Second, if you walk slowly, almost to a point where you lose balance, you are forced to walk like a model, almost crossing your legs when you walk, which accentuates the curves of your body. Think fashion runway! The same applies to your bridesmaids.

27. Have a Long First Kiss

Your first kiss should last at least 3 seconds! We saw quite a few first kisses so short that are easily missed by everybody, including the photographers. If the light in the church/temple is dim, even the best cameras have a tendency to “hunt for focus” (it takes them a bit of time to focus), so a quick first kiss can be missed.

28. Look at Each Other

During the ceremony, please look at the love of your life, not at the officiant/priest… your photos will look very weird (only the back of your heads will show)… after all, you are not marrying the officiant :-). It is a normal reaction, as the officiant is often the one running the show.

29. Don’t Surprise Your Photographer

Let your photographer know if you planed any surprises, such as a priest dancing, a plane descending to pick you up right after the ceremony, you hired a band, have invited to your wedding a few super heroes, etc.

30. Church/Temple Rules

Please ask the priest/ officiant about any rules with regards to photography. Please inform your photographer and videographer in advance so they can prepare accordingly. Having the right equipment is key in such situations. Among the most common rules: no flash photography, no movement, and even no photos allowed during the ceremony (yes, that is possible). It is better for you to ask before booking a church, only to find out later that you will not have any photos from the ceremony.

31. Do Not Cover the Ring

Please do not cover the wedding ring/band with your hand or body during the ring exchange.

32. Don’t Rush the Ring Exchange

Please slow down the ring exchange process so the photographer can take a large variety of shots

33. Pay Attention

Pay attention to your better half signing the Certificate of Marriage. Please stay close to each other and if possible pay attention to the process or leave some time at the end to fake sign it :-). That is, if this is a moment you want properly documented.

34. Family Photos and Selfies Time

After the ceremony, plan for 15-20 minutes of family time (congratulations, kisses, greetings, selfies with the bride and groom).

35. Announce Family Photo Session

Please inform your family about the formal wedding photographs (groups) so that they are ready – it will save you time.

36. Family Representatives Needed

Designate one representative from each family to gather the people – that will save you a lot of time.

37 Photo Shoot Locations

It is better to have 1-2 great locations than to drive to 3+ locations… you will spend more time in your limo than taking photos and the videographers will waste a lot of time packing and unpacking.

38. The Bridal Party Can Leave After 30 Minutes

Have the Bridal Party around for about 30 minutes, then allow them to leave. By doing this we achieve a few things: first, you warm up for your photo shoot and will not feel tense on the wedding day. Second, we want the bridal party to enjoy the day and they can leave once they are done. Also, it is difficult for the groom to be romantic when the boys are around and make humorous remarks.

39. First Look

We highly recommend having a first look so you can enjoy each other’s company before the ceremony. It is also a fantastic opportunity to have great pictures. If you intend to have a first look/unveiling, plan it with the photographers in advance.

40. Guests Photographers

Often your friends will jump to photograph your first dance, then quickly post it on instagram. Sadly, they also ruin your photos. You might want to tell the MC or DJ to suggest your guests to be mindful not to be in your photographer’s shots.

40. Ignore Photographers

Please enjoy the day and do not worry about the camera. Your wedding photos will look so much better.

42. First Dance Hugs

First dance: if you are shorter than your fiancée and you hug during the first dance, your photographer will not be able to see or photograph your face. Though some hugging is good!

43. Prepare for Cold Weather

If you are having a winter/fall/spring weddings – please wear warm jackets. Sometimes the girls pick up the dresses during the summer and completely forget how cold it can get.

44. Objects in Pockets

Ideally, the groomsmen would empty their pockets as cellphones and car keys do not look good inside pockets.

45. Directions

Provide your guests accurate driving and parking directions so they can arrive on time for your wedding or the formal photos session.

46. Contacts

Create a list of emergency phone numbers where vendors or guests can call if something intervene. That will save you a lot of time and headaches.

47. Time-Consuming Activities

Top time consuming events on the wedding day (in no particular order): hair needs to be redone, dresses need additional steaming, the boys can not tie the bow ties (you could youtube it beforehand), cake arrive fashionably late, traffic is horrible and delays everybody, finding parking is almost impossible, relatives enjoy a cold one at the bar during the family photo session and can’t be found :-).

48. Parents Dances

Also known as Father Daughter and Mother Son dances, they usually follow the first dance. We often see the dance floor shared by the Father Daughter and Mother Son as opposed to having first the Father and Bride dancing, then another dance for the Mother and Groom. Having two dances makes sense. Your father most probably does not like the same song as your mother-in-law.

You want your guests’ undivided attention on YOU and your father. Then, on your Mother in Law and your husband. Finally, having two dances increases the possibility of me (the photographer) taking more great photos. Finally, if dance is not choreographed, in 99% of the cases someone’s backside will be turned to the camera. It’s Murphy’s Law. Below is a properly done Father Daughter dance. The image received one of the Professional Wedding Photographers of Canada Awards.

49. Chatting During the First Dance

Please enjoy your first dance and ideally, do not talk, but if you have to, keep it fun and flirty. It will look better in photos!!

50. Wedding Shoes

Bonus tip for brides and grooms: especially for summer weddings, please break in your wedding shoes prior to your wedding day. It would be unfortunate if your shoes ruined your Big Day!

51. Trial Makeup and Hair

Have a trial with your makeup artist and hair stylist. We see this over and over: the bride does not like her makeup or hair and wastes precious time on the wedding day, which leaves little time for photos. Do yourself a favor and book a trial makeup and hair session before the wedding to avoid unnecessary stress on the best day of your life.

52. Designer Wedding Dress Hanger

When getting the details shots we will be photographing your wedding dress hanging from somewhere. Be sure to buy a designer hanger with your wedding date or name i.e Mrs. Smith. Remember to make the last name your married name. Anything fun to celebrate your wedding is fine too.