“The only way to catch an uncatchable woman is to offer her a wedding ring.”
Here are the top five things I learned when photographing my first wedding:
1) ALWAYS go to the wedding location, prior to the wedding, at the same time of day that the wedding is to be held.
This is imperative to getting great shots! My first wedding was an outdoor wedding in Alaska of all places. I had no idea of what to expect, so I wanted to be overly prepared. I went to the venue at 10am the day I got to Alaska just to check things out and took a few test shots. The bride had not decided whether she wanted the wedding outside or inside, so I just took both. Fast forward a few days to the rehearsal…the rehearsal was in the afternoon, not in the morning like the real ceremony was going to be. She decided that she wanted the ceremony outside, but the lighting was HORRIBLE. (See sample shot) Luckily, I had already been to the venue at 10am which was the time of the wedding (yes, that was totally luck!), and I knew the light was OK in the morning. I was able to tell her that a morning wedding would be fine outside, and we ended up getting some great shots.
2) ALWAYS attend the rehearsal for the ceremony.
This is very important so that you don’t miss those important shots. In my opinion, it’s just a few minutes that will give you a wealth of information. You can find the best places to stand, you can see if you are going to have adequate lighting, and you can get an idea of the schedule so that you are in the right places for the entrance, exit and kiss.
3) Make a shot list of the family pictures to be taken after the ceremony.
It’s best to sit with the bride and groom prior to the ceremony to make the shot list. Write down EVERY shot they want to get…mom and bride, mom, dad, bride…bride and her favorite cousin…etc…there is nothing worse than realizing, after it’s all over, that you didn’t get the shot of the groom with his dad and 100 year-old grandfather! When it is all written down, you can keep control of the chaos and keep things moving. Remember, you are in control!
4) Wear comfortable shoes!
You will be on your feet for a long time, and you never know where you’ll need to climb…be ready!
5) Don’t forget the detail shots.
Think of creative ways to get shots of the food, rings, shoes, etc…these are the pictures that will document the whole experience of the wedding. They will also be very important when you are putting together the wedding book!
