My daddy darling has been photographing weddings for more than twenty years, so I interviewed him to find out what he suggests for the big day.
First and foremost- show each other you love each other- it shows in the photographs!
I think I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating- make a list of “must-have” photographs and ask someone responsible to help make sure you get them all! Remember- your photographer won’t know everyone and who’s who, so if you want a picture of yourself and your Great Aunty Mabel who flew in from Timbuktu because you haven’t seen her in ten years- make a note of it so someone can make sure that Great Aunty Mabel is close by and ready for a picture!
If at all possible, meet with your photographer a couple of times before the big day, try to get to know him or her a little so that when he arrives on the day you’re not intimidated and self conscious. It also helps the photographer if he knows the couple and their personalities a bit too. If your pro knows you’re a reserved, quiet couple, he’s not going to ask you to do something outrageous in your pictures just for fun! Casual pre-wedding photos are also a fabulous way to get to know your photographer and get used to smiling and posing. The vast majority of photographers who ply their trade at weddings really do know what they’re doing and half the time you probably won’t even know he’s there.
If you’ve spared no expense on your reception venue to have it decorated and so on, try to make sure no-one goes inside before your pro gets there to take some pictures (sherry or nibbly bits outside- with the doors to the venue shut- is usually sufficient to keep your guests occupied)!
If you are having a traditional church wedding, be sure to check with your minister or pastor as to what he will and won’t allow in the church. Have no fear- a photographer will not go mad with the flash during a prayer, but some pastors or ministers don’t like to be photographed during the ceremony at all. If this is the case, speak to your pastor and make arrangements to pose for a few pictures after he has finished. There’s nothing more embarrassing for a photographer than to be “reprimanded” by the man in charge because he’s doing his job!
And last but not least- and very importantly- make sure all the other snap-happy people understand that when it comes to the pictures, they must stand back… at least until your hired professional is done. “Hired Professional” being the key words here people- its costing you money. And while your pro is busy- you will doubtless have several other cameras of all kinds going off as well- make sure everyone is looking at the “right” camera first!
Most likely, your guests will be waiting at a reception venue while you have the formal pictures done, and if the photographer battles to get the shots you want because cousin Ritchie keeps pulling faces at his girlfriend with the phone camera instead of looking at your pro- you’ll just take that much longer getting back to your party!
And finally, relax and have fun! Trust the pro you’re paying- put a little Vaseline on your teeth (yes, it really works) and smile!
I didn’t write this- I found it in the interweb a while ago, but I very definitely like what it says… I’ve seen many of these mistakes with my own eyes- usually when the bride and groom get SO focused on the fact thet its “their day” that they forget they’ve invited a coupla hundred people to share it with them! So here goes…
Every bride wants a fairytale wedding. Therefore, this article is to try and minimize problems that may occur during a wedding reception. Listed below are the more common mistakes made by brides and grooms during their wedding receptions. We will tell you what to do!
1. Don’t leave early. Your guests came from near and far to see you on your wedding day. Not staying the whole time of the reception would be a slap in the face. This will be the only time most of your family and friends will be able to see you as you will be very busy with last minute preparations the days leading up to the wedding.
2. Setup all the tables. Your wedding vendors will need to know where to set-up. Be sure there is a table for the wedding cake, music entertainment, catered food, sign-in near the entrance, gift table, tables and chairs for all your guests to eat and any other tables you may have planned for specialty items.
3. Preplan with your vendors a day or two before the wedding. Be sure all your wedding vendors know exactly what you want. Clarify times and location so you don’t need to worry about them.
4. Don’t arrive late to the reception. It is customary that guests do not start eating until the bride and groom start the food line. Be sure to get as many of your pictures taken BEFORE the wedding. There are many ways to accomplish this. One is to have the entire bride’s family pictures taken. Then, have the bride return to the dressing room. Next, take pictures of the groom and his family as guests can see the groom before the wedding. This way you will not compromise the groom seeing the bride before the wedding. Therefore, all that is left after the ceremony are pictures of the happy couple.
5. Don’t seat the young at heart directly in front of the music entertainment. Older generations are at a wedding typically to socialize with their family and friends. If they cannot hear each other talk, an unhappy situation may occur. So, if by choice, seat the young at heart near the wedding party but away from the entertainer’s speakers.
6. Don’t have one particular type of music. There are many different types of people in the
world. And yes, they include your family and friends. For example, the bride and groom may love country music. It doesn’t mean you have to play country music the whole night. There is a lot of celebration music besides what you like.
7. Start the food line or meal as soon as possible. Guests plan their meal times the day of your wedding around your reception. Guest will not eat a big meal before your wedding because they know they will be eating at your reception. Don’t starve them.
8. Know what it will cost you if the reception goes into overtime. Ask the reception facility exactly how long you have the hall to rent and what time you must be out. Please allow time for cleanup if you are the ones doing it. What is the overtime charge for the facility, music entertainment, photography, etc?
9. Greet and say hello to all your guests. Finally and most importantly, greet all your guests. Make an effort to have a conversation with each and every person. They are there to celebrate your marriage. Give them the common courtesy of thanking them for coming to your wedding.
10. Don’t get drunk and obnoxious. Keep in mind the only time brides and grooms eat during the wedding day rituals are at the wedding reception. There’s not much food in your stomach and alcohol will affect you much faster. Try and eat throughout the day and watch how much you drink. You want your guests to remember how beautiful the bride looked, not how you acted.
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about wedding photography lately and I cannot stress enough just how important it is to spend a bit of money here and hire someone who knows what they’re doing. Unlike a family portrait sitting or graduation pictures or something, you cannot re-shoot your wedding pictures if something goes wrong! And sadly- I have seen what happens when someone gets their cousin or their brother’s buddy to do the pictures because he happens to own what looks like a halfway decent camera. Trust me on this people- a good camera does not equal skill! And wedding photography is something very different to portraiture or good holiday pictures.
My suggestion is that you ask around and visit several photographers, go by word of mouth from friends and colleagues, look at their wedding albums. View as much of the photographers work as possible before you select one- and do this far in advance.
You can also try to negotiate a package with the photographer- most photographers have several to choose from. Be very sure what you want before you go to see him or her. Some photographers do not photograph the reception at all and some are prepared to only be at the event for a certain amount of time, so do not take anything for granted when you sign an agreement.
What you can also do before the time is scout several picture locations (you may need to compensate for possible weather problems like rain) and remember to pick locations that are not too far out of your way since the last thing you want to do is keep everyone waiting at the reception because you have to drive for 40 minutes to get to your chosen park. Something different makes for striking pictures too- so don’t rule out dilapidated or abandoned houses or building sites for example…
And it is essential to make notes of pictures you want of family members or particular groups, and get someone close to you (your maid of honour or the best man maybe) to keep track of them for you. Your list of “must have” photos, apart from the usual ones that photographers do is vital because your photographer will not know who is who. The last thing you want is to collect the pictures after the honeymoon and then realise you do not have a picture of yourself and your maid of honour alone together, or you and your bridesmaids, or the groom and his best man alone together. Or a picture of you and your Great Aunty May who flew out specially and who lives on the other side of the country!
If you’ve splashed out on flowers in the church or décor in the reception venue, you might want to ask the photographer to arrive extra early to photograph the flowers and or décor before everyone arrives.
