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Some of the smallest things can make the biggest difference to the wedding photos on your once-in-a-lifetime day. Should only take a few minutes to read over this, but the benefit can be appreciated for the rest of your lives.
- When selecting your photographer, make sure you meet them first! It’s a long day, and you’re going to be spending more time with your photographer than anyone else so it’s imperative that you vibe and find a calming, positive energy together. If your photographer is local to the venue, their advice on where to stay, where to shoot, when to shoot can be absolutely invaluable to your wedding photos so try to include them in your planning process. Read my blog on the best Yarra Valley Wedding Venues to see why you should even meet with your photographer before picking your venue to benefit from their insight.
- Bring some nice coat hangers to hang your dresses on while you’re getting ready. It makes the photos of them hanging by the window look so much better being on a beautiful wooden hanger than on a cheap plastic one.
- Try to leave your details along with any invitations or stationary that you want photographed in a clean room or master bedroom. If the photographer doesn’t have to clean it themselves or hunt down the details, that’s more time they can spend taking photos.
- When you and your bridesmaids are walking down the aisle, take it slow, don’t rush. Leave enough room and time for the photographer to get lovely, isolated shots of each person and enough time for you to take it all in. This only happens once! Make the most of it.
- Try to stand in the middle of the aisle during your ceremony. There is often a lot of symmetry in a ceremony with rows of chairs on either side of the aisle, leading up to an arbour. If the couple are standing off centre at the end of it, it can really stand out.
Zonzo Estate Wedding Photography by Rick Liston
- Make sure you have a good long kiss at the end of the ceremony and don’t be afraid to put some passion into it!
- Try to take your family photos straight after the ceremony so everyone doesn’t wander off. It’s best to have a printed list beforehand of which family photos you want and delegate the task of organising them to your loudest, bossiest, guest. The more efficiently this is run, the more time you’ll have together for your location shots.
- The location shoot is your first opportunity to be by yourselves. Congratulations, you’re married! Don’t be afraid to share that natural emotion with your partner rather than trying to ‘pose’ too much. Allow the photographer to capture that private celebration and those raw, unguarded moments of pure love. You can then look back on them and not just know it was real, but feel those same emotions. That’s the power of documentary wedding photos.
- Weddings can be pretty overwhelming days and will probably be the most attention you’ll both have ever received in your lives. Take a few moments to step away from the reception and get some gorgeous wedding photos at sunset and even a night shot under the stars.
- Finally, and this is the most important. It is your day. Yours. Don’t let anyone force their agendas on you or get swept up in having a “photoshoot” and miss your wedding. Have fun! Be yourselves. Enjoy time with your guests. Rock the d-floor. Everyone will feed off your energy and there’s nothing photographers love to shoot more than couples having an awesome time. It will resonate every time you look at those wedding photos for the rest of your lives.
