My Approach to a Wedding Day
So you’ve been working your way through your wedding planning checklist and you’ve come to the vendor section. Congratulations, you’ve now unlocked the WTF level of wedding planning… selecting your photographer.
This can feel like a daunting task when you begin your search for a wedding photographer. Since you’ll likely be spending most of your day with me, it’s a good idea to get a feeling for how I approach a wedding.
Getting Ready
Prep.
On a typical wedding day I budget between 1.5 to 2 hours for wedding prep. This tends to be a good amount of time for me to get photos of the details, the candid chaos, the laughter and of course the finishing touches before the big moment. For the most part I’m hands-off and shooting things as they happen.
Groom.
I like to start with the guys since they tend to get ready quite fast, without a lot of time spent with things like hair and makeup. That doesn’t mean they are without their own delays… oftentimes there are a few who struggle to tie their tie. I generally recommend a half hour for guys prep, possibly an hour if we have room in the timeline.
Bride.
There’s a lot more going on with the girls, so I like to photograph the girls prep last allowing the hair and makeup teams more time to work their magic. I like to arrive with enough time to shoot my bride’s details before capturing those final finishing touches of hair and makeup. For time budgeting, 1 to 1.5 hours is a good amount of time to cover this.
First Look
Just the two of you.
While a First Look (or Reveal) isn’t for everyone, they are quite popular with my past couples. This is an emotional, private moment between just the two of you and I treat it as such. I’ll choose a nice location with the best lighting and after that, I put on my long lens and shoot the moment from a distance.
First look with your parents.
They’ve been with you since the very beginning. While it’s not always possible, setting aside just a few moments to arrange a first look with your parents is a nice, special thank you to them. I can help set the scene in a nice, well lit location before letting it unfold unscripted.
The Ceremony
This is what everyone has been waiting for - this is it! I arrive to the ceremony location about 30 minutes before showtime. This gives me time to shoot the ceremony details as well as guests arriving and mingling.
As you make your way down the aisle I’m set up at the front, opposite your partner to catch each of your reactions while also keeping an eye on your VIPs in the front row.
For the remainder of the ceremony I put on my long lens and shoot from the perimeter to make sure your guests can share in your moment without me getting in the way.
Group Photos
Family.
I recommend doing your photos right after the ceremony for one key reason, everyone is readily available! Once the ceremony ends I shoot candid for a few minutes while your family congratulate and shower you with love. Then I’ll take you and your close family off to do your family portraits - this is the best time before anyone has a chance to run off to the bar! I’ll take the lead here and arrange everyone for these photos.
Wedding Party.
It’s time to have some fun with your closest friends in your wedding party. I’ll once again take the lead and we’ll take photos of the entire group as well as breaking up into several other groupings. Finally, I like to end with a photo of you with each member of your wedding party - at least the ones on your side of the group. Time for these shots depends on the size of the group.
Couples Session
Think of this as your ‘you time’ where I’ll take you and your partner off for photos of just the two of you. It’s a slower-paced, relaxed time where we’ll get some amazing wedding photos of just the two of you - ideal for hanging on your wall and building your wedding album around. My approach here is to keep things light and fun while highlighting you and the venue/location you’ve chosen.
The Party
Dinner.
This is the part of the day where ‘reading the room’ is the goal. For the most part, I put my camera down and eat along with everyone else. Nobody wants me taking their photo while they’re eating! That said, if there’s a gap in the festivities, I like going around to each table and getting photos of your guests between courses.
First Dance.
It’s a special moment for both you and your partner. My approach here is again to be non-intrusive aside from perhaps my lighting (if needed). The approach is the same if you’re doing your parent dances.
Party time.
I’m hands-off during the party however, I love to get into the action - that’s where the good stuff is! I find guests enjoy having me join in the fun - where appropriate of course. By the time that part of the day rolls around, everyone is ready to let loose and I’m here for it.
And that’s my wedding day approach…
If this feels like it’s what you’re looking for, reach out to me below and see if I have your day available.