I’ll guide you through the entire process
Firstly, CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement!! I'm so honoured to be a part of your day - thank you for choosing me as your photographer.
Below are a few tips I have found helpful to couples over the years. Some of it may apply to your situation, some of it won't. Have a read and let me know if you have any questions.
Most importantly...
Wedding days always fly past. One minute you’re having breakfast and feeling all the excitement, and then before you know it, it’s all over. The best piece of advice (and most commonly given) is to enjoy yourselves and soak those moments in. Let go of worrying about the little things, and try to have as much fun as you can. Remember to delegate jobs to other people. Your bridal party, family and friends are there to help you, so don’t be afraid to ask!
Some key considerations...
Don’t try and fit in more events than you actually want or need. Stick to what’s important to you and forget about the rest.
Weddings almost always run over schedule, so try to allow more time than you think you need. Allow plenty of buffer time throughout the day, so you don’t feel like you’re constantly running late.
Make sure you have snacks and drinks during location photographs, because by that time you probably won’t have eaten for at least a couple of hours. And no one wants to be hungry on their wedding day! Often venues will arrange this for you, but if you have outside catering or doing it yourself, then have some snacks ready.
Run your timing by your vendors and get advice from them (caterers, hair and makeup, celebrant, photographer, etc). It's SO helpful for us to have as much information as possible.
Remember these suggestions below are just a guide. If there's something completely different you are planning, that's ok! I'm always happy to work with my couples to get the photos they want and help their day run as smoothly as possible. If you have an idea you want to run past me, give me a call! I'm here to help x
Getting Ready
For the 'getting ready' photos, I like to allow 60 minutes. It's up to you whether you would like both of you photographed getting ready, or just one of you. However, obviously I cannot be in two places at the same time. If you are wanting these photos for both of you, then you have two options. You can either allow time in the schedule for me to be with one of you, and then travel to the other. OR, you can have a second shooter. Both options can work, and I’m happy to talk this through with you to give you some ideas.
Please plan to be ready 30-45 minutes before leaving to allow time for final portraits. These are always some of my favourites, when hair and make up is still fresh. You don’t want to be rushed.
I will leave for the ceremony a few minutes ahead of you to capture your arrival at the ceremony location.
If having hair and make up done, it’s best to be in the final stages of this when I arrive. I will get photos of you having the finishing touches done. After you are ready, we will do some portraits and then a few photos of you with your bridal party before heading to the venue.
For the detail shots, it helps to have everything ready for me in one place. Such as; invitations, rings, shoes, perfume/cologne, flowers/buttonholes, jewellery, special items, belts etc. Anything significant that you want captured. If there are any special items you want photographed, please have them ready also. Cutting all the tags off shoes, suits, dresses etc will save time on the day. Have your clothing unpackaged, and hanging ready to be photographed. Double check you know whose suit/dress/shoes belongs to who (you’d be surprised how many get mixed up!) Having them all on matching wooden coat hangers looks great in photos too!
In the room you are getting ready in, try to keep clutter to a minimum, pack things away into bags when they aren’t needed.
If you are wearing a tie, make sure you know how to tie them, and practice before the day. Do this for pinning on a buttonhole as well! If wearing high heels, practice walking in them before the day (if you haven’t already).
First Look and the Ceremony
It’s becoming popular to have your first look with each other and have the portrait sessions before the ceremony. It’s definitely a personal decision, and we can make it work if you choose to do this! Allow 20-30 minutes for a first look, depending on location and allowing for any travel time.
Have a think about if you are ok with friends and family taking photos during the ceremony. Please be aware that flashes from guest’s phones may affect the image quality I can get for you, as well as devices being held up during the ceremony may interfere or block the photos I am trying to take. I can move around your guests to a certain extent, however I cannot be responsible for shots missed due to guest’s phones and cameras. You may want to consider an ‘unplugged’ ceremony, however this is your choice and I will do my best regardless.
When walking down the aisle -please look up and smile! I know you might just be thinking about not tripping and falling, but enjoy the moment and soak it all in!! Phones and wallets out of pockets please -give them to a guest to look after. Photos are better without sunglasses - this might be tough if it's sunny, but you’ll want to see your eyes in the photos. Take some time before the ceremony to allow your eyes to adjust if it’s bright. If you have an arch, try to stand in the centre if you can. If using confetti, get someone to hand it out when you are signing the register as otherwise guests have to hold it for the entire ceremony. Let me know if you are having this too, so I can be in the perfect spot!
Take your time with the first kiss - make it a good one! Not only is it a huge moment for the two of you, it also gives your photographer more time to capture this perfectly!
After the ceremony (and you've had some time to mingle with your guests) we will do a large group photo of everyone first, and then break into the smaller groups from there. I highly recommend not having too many group photos, as this is often when couples find their day runs over schedule. You may also get sick of standing and posing for groups photos very quickly. I will need a friend or family member to help organise the group photos. Someone who can call people over and make sure they are ready when it’s their turn. I suggest having a list available, and while I am photographing one group, have the next group ready and waiting. This will save you a LOT of time. Allow 30 minutes or so for family/group photos.
Make sure you are prepared for wet weather. NZ is unpredictable! I will have clear umbrellas in my car if the weather looks questionable.
Bridal Party Photos
For bridal party photos, you can decide if it's just the two of you, the whole bridal party, or (most commonly) start off with the whole bridal party and then send them back to have photos of just the couple. These can also be done after a first look if you are having one. Allow 60-90 minutes for full bridal party photos, or for just you two, we can do these in 45-60 minutes.
Ask a bridal party member to look out for dress malfunctions like bras poking out, necklaces crooked etc as I work fast and often stand further back and I can't pick up on every single little thing (though I often do) - it's good to have another set of eyes. If wearing heels, consider bringing a pair of comfortable flat shoes you can wear during the photo shoot as we tend to walk around a lot.
Keep in mind that the hour before sunset is known as the golden hour, and it’s the best light for photographing because it makes everything (including you) look awesome! I’d love to sneak outside for 10 minutes at sunset with just the two of you.
The Reception
The best part of the day! The official part is done, you've had your photoshoot and now you can relax with those closest to you. Think about which parts of the reception you really want photos of... You might want the speeches, cake cutting and first dance all included. If at all possible, allow some time to get outside again for a short while during sunset, or for some creative light photos outside the venue.