Top 10 Tips for Beautiful Wedding Photographs
Shared below are my top 10 tips for planning for great wedding pictures including how to weave my favorite details into your story.
1) Your wedding invitations are the first impression of your event. They reflect your style and includes lots of personal details like wedding date, time, and location. I recommend bringing 2 invitations (to photograph the front and back) with an addressed envelope to yourself.
2) Have your engagement ring cleaned so it will be nice and sparkly. You can get your ring cleaned professionally at a jeweler or do it yourself with Jewelry Cleaning Solution.
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3) The wedding dress and groom's suit alone, is a classic picture. Make sure your wardrobe is prepped for a close-up with steaming out the wrinkles (if applicable) and removing all tags. Also, bring a custom hanger in wood or silk. You can have personal details like your wedding date and/or “Mrs. _____” for a personal touch.
4) The average cost of a bridal bouquet can range from $75 up to $300+. To get the most milage from your boquet, ask your florist to deliver your flowers to where you’re getting ready. Keep them in a cool spot and out of the sun. Your flowers should arrive in a vase with water, so also be prepared with a few small hand towels to wipe access water off the stems when removed out of the vases.
For the guys, make sure to designate someone to pin the boutineres on the groom, groomsmen, and other important family members. (This honor can be assigned to someone in the bridal party, a wedding coordinator, or relative).
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5) One of the biggest things that can cause delay in the wedding day, is hair and makeup running over on time. Make sure your hair and makeup artist is aware of how many people they are working with, and if anyone is getting an intricate hairstyle. All of the bridesmaids should be totally ready (hair/makeup done and completely dressed) before the bride is finished getting ready. This makes for better pictures when the bride is getting into her dress.
Pro Tips on Beauty:
- Do a trial run with your makeup artist before your wedding day to make sure you’ll love how you look in your pictures.
- Wear a button up tshirt during your hair and makeup application for an easy wardrobe change.
- Ask for individual lashes if applying false eyelashes.
- Bring some Visine for white eyes!
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6) UNPLUGGED WEDDING: Ask your wedding guests to put down their cell phones and ipads, and be present with you in the moment. Consider an “unplugged wedding” for during the ceremony. You can display signs in your ceremony program, on your welcome table, or ask your wedding officiant to announce this request at the beginning of your ceremony.
7) Avoid the “Shot List.” I absolutely want you to love all of your pictures and I want to get every detail you desire, but there’s nothing more disruptive to documenting the natural flow of your day than pulling out a “shot list” with images you found on Pinterest. What works for me, is knowing what’s important for you to remember. Do you want a lot of details? Lots of pictures of your guests? Extended family pictures? Romantic of Bride and Groom? Let’s keep the day flexible and stress-free.
8) Feed your photographers. Ideally, your photographers should be one of the first vendors to eat at the same time as when you are getting your meal, so we will be ready to continue taking pictures when you are finished eating. Most venues have "vendor meals" similar to what is being served for your wedding guests. It is common for vendors to eat in a back room, away from your guests or even sometimes we sit amongst your guests at a table at the reception.
9) At the end of your wedding ceremony, take your time with your first kiss after saying “I Do.” This is a great time to enjoy the moment and kiss a little longer than normal. This also helps make sure we get some great pictures!
10) Last but not least, enjoy the day you have planned! Your wedding day will be one of the best days of your life. Enjoy your day, every moment, and take it all in. Don’t stress if things don’t go as perfectly as planned. Everything will be awesome and the next chapter of your life is about to begin.
I hope these tips help you with planning for great wedding pictures. If you have comments or would like to discuss your big day, feel free to reach me directly. I love to talk about weddings!
Contact me today for more tips on how to plan a picture-perfect wedding.