Brooke Danielle Photography is a Virginia based wedding photographer.
brooke@brookedaniellephotography.com
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It’s not everyday that I post a blog with educational material, but this is something that I would like to be doing more of. To start off, I wanted to give all future Brides out there some insight into some of the top 10 things Brides can do to get the most out of their wedding photos. After all, the photography is the one thing that you will carry on with you from your wedding for the rest of your life…not to mention, a photographer is probably one of the things you invested the most money into. To ensure that you get the images that you desire, be sure to check out this top 10 list!
1) Hire a Photographer Whom You Can Trust
Personally, I always encourage an initial consultation in person or over the phone before I have my client book my services. Trust & communication is so important between the photographer & the client. Brides, you want to make sure you establish a relationship & are able to “click” with your photographer (no pun intended). You need to make sure that you are on the same page, & that communication is open. It is so much more than hiring a photographer to take & deliver “pretty pictures” for you. It needs to be all about the experience/customer service that the photographer delivers. If you meet with your photographer & find that your personalities don’t mix well together, or find that your photographer is one to not respond to your phone calls or emails, then you should probably find a different photographer to work with. The wedding photographer that you hire is going to be the one person you spend the most time with on your wedding day, so you better like them 😉 Being able to relate & connect with your wedding photographer will also make you feel more relaxed & at ease….which will definitely show in your images!
2) Do An Engagement Session
I firmly believe that this is so incredibly important! So important that I offer complimentary engagement sessions to all of my Brides & Grooms. Often I will have a couple who already had their engagement session done by someone else before they booked me, & sometimes other couples just don’t want to hassle with it. My advice to those couples? Do it anyway! First off, it’s FREE. Second, it’s more about getting comfortable with your photographer in front of the camera before your big day. An engagement session also gives your photographer the chance to get to know you better, see what makes you click as a couple, & allows them to discover which poses work best for you. Just think of it as a rehearsal before the final show 😉 Not to mention, it’s a great opportunity to have photos for Save the Date cards or on display at your wedding venue on your wedding day. Lastly, it’s fun!
3) Have A 2nd Shooter
For me, this is a must. In my wedding collections, I don’t even give the Bride an option to not have a 2nd shooter. Why? I’ll be honest that part of the reason is that it takes the stress off of me. Having a 2nd shooter allows me to be able to focus on just the Bride without having to stress about being in 2 different places at one time (which as a result, is great for the Bride!). By having a 2nd shooter you are also guaranteed more coverage/images, a variety of different angles, & more stunning Bride & Groom portraits! I will admit that some of my favorite Bride & Groom portraits have been from my 2nd shooters, bc they seem to get the most beautiful angles & most natural looking images. Another reason to have a 2nd shooter? Plain & simple- they’re the lead photographer’s 2nd set of eyes. If your lead photographer is busy capturing something on one side of the room, your 2nd shooter is there to not miss the action that’s taking place on the opposite side of the room. More coverage, more variety, different angles, guaranteed shots.
4) Start Your Wedding Day Earlier Than You Think
Alright, are you ready for this? The Bridesmaids are all having their hair done & it’s taking longer than expected. The Makeup artist is late. The Maid of Honor forgot her shoes at the house. The Best Man forgot the rings. The MOB is missing & needs to be present before the Bride can put her dress on. The bride’s corset has to be redone (and we all know how long that takes). The groomsmen show up late. Ok, we get the idea- lol. No matter how prepared you think you are, reality happens. I have seen every single one of these scenarios take place to the point where I almost expect it. No wedding day will ever go perfectly smooth, & that’s ok! As long as you prepare for it. Bride’s need to make a point to start much earlier than they think they need to. Having that little extra cushion of time will ensure that everyone is ready on time so that the photographer can have ample time to capture those desired photos. It also relieves any stress that comes with feeling rushed, & also allows you some down time to relax before you walk down the aisle to say “I Do.”
5) Have the Bridal Suite Cleared As Much As Possible
This is one thing that is tricky to do, especially if you have a large Bridal party. Often times there are bags, food, curling irons, & hair spray bottles scattered throughout the room making it nearly impossible to see the floor, lol. Because of the fact that often times it is hard to keep the room “picked up”, I normally ask my Brides in our meeting if they can keep the window area clear of clutter. The window area is where you will most likely do your beautiful bridal portraits. No need to have turquoise Aqua Net bottles in the background of your bridal portraits. It’s just not pretty 😉
6) Have A Makeup ArtistOn your wedding day, you want to make sure you look your absolute best. I’m sure there are some Bride’s who do a wonderful job with make up application, however you will be amazed with the results if you hire a professional make up artist! It may not be a bad idea to do a trial run with your make up artist before the big day. This will make sure that you like the results, & will also make sure that you don’t have any allergic reactions to the products/cosmetics that they use. Just a tip, schedule your trial run before your engagement session! This way you can see what your make up will look like in professional photographs. Then you can decide if you want a different look, or if you want your make up applied a little bit heavier.
7) Have A First Look
Often times that time frame between the ceremony & reception can be a bit crammed & a bit stressful. This is when the family, bridal party, & Bride & Groom portraits are all supposed to take place. Usually it’s the family portraits that can take the longest, often times making it crunch time when it comes to your Bride & Groom portraits. If your style doesn’t consist of being traditional, then the first look might be the right option for you. A first look would take place before the ceremony, & you would have more control over the amount of time you would have for your portraits. This would ensure that you would get the variety of portraits desired, while not feeling rushed to get back to the reception.
8) Schedule Your Timeline To Have the Best Lighting For Portraits
Everyone desires to have their portraits taken during that “Golden Light” time frame window. Photographers desire it too 😉 In order to have the best lighting for your images & for your them to have that warm golden light, you will need to have your portraits taken about an hour before sunset. Try to plan your timeline around when that time frame would be. If you find that impossible due to time frame constrictions with your venue, then try planning to have your portraits taken sometime during your reception. Maybe while your guests are eating? This way you can slip out real quick for your portraits & not have to worry about missing out on anything.
9) Be Prepared For the Unexpected. Be Flexible.
Let’s face it, every Bride wants that beautiful sunny day. Reality is, mother nature can be really cruel sometimes- lol. It reminds me of a wedding I captured last Fall where a hurricane hit. However, even the hurricane did not affect the Bride’s attitude. She knew the weather was out of her hands, & she decided to make the best of her special day. My advice to you? Whatever weather comes your way (as long as it’s safe of course) EMBRACE it. If it’s raining, get out in the rain & get some cute umbrella shots! If it’s snowing? Go out in the snow & get that romantic kiss shot with the snow falling all around you. Be flexible, & know that you can trust your photographer to get some amazing images even in the not so ideal weather situations. Sometimes the best shots are those that are taken in those moments. You will be surprised with the results if you choose to embrace it & use it. I promise!
10) Hire an Engaging DJ
This one may come as a shock to some people, but it’s true! I realize that sometimes you are going to have an ultra conservative crowd regardless, but if you have an energetic/engaging DJ you are going to have better reception photos. Usually after the first hour of dancing I guarantee that most of your photos of your guests are going to all look the same. There may not be anything very interesting about them that would scream, “Wow, that was an awesome party.” If you can hire a DJ that can get people moving, get people to interact & have a good time….then you’re more apt to have a hoppin’ & entertaining crowd. Therefore giving you more entertaining photos 😉
I hope this post has helped give you some insight! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me! Still in need of a wedding photographer? Shoot me a message! I would love to capture your special day! Thank you for your interest.
-Brooke
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I’d love to hear about your love and story and celebrate with you on your big day as your biggest cheerleader!