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your wedding photography experience
What to Expect
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thank you
Once again - congratulations! I'm so excited for you, and beyond honored that you chose me to be your wedding photographer. While I'm dedicated to providing beautiful imagery that will remain timeless, your experience before, during, and long after your wedding day is my priority. You should be able to enjoy your day knowing you are being taken care of by a seasoned professional. It's not lost on me that these images are heirlooms - the beginning of a legacy - and I'm truly honored to be a part of that.
Planning a wedding is stressful enough, so my goal is to have this one aspect of the planning process be fun and simple. My hope is that this guide can help you along the way and answer some of the most common questions about what happens next. Feel free to refer back to this at any time! With 15 years of wedding photography experience and 300+ weddings, I've seen it all. As always, if you have questions at anytime during your planning process, just email and ask.
Before your wedding
One of my favorite ways to celebrate your amazing love before the big day is an engagement session. There is a whirlwind of planning and busyness leading up to the day, but this session gives you a chance to slow down for a bit and focus on what led you here: the two of you.
You will receive a an in-depth planning guide from me on how to prepare for your engagement session, as well as styling and location guidance, as we plan your session, but a few things to note from the beginning:
1.) If you plan on using your images for Save-The-Dates, you'll want to schedule it at least 8 months in advance. If not, at least 2 months in advance to ensure you get on my calendar and get your images back in time for the wedding.
2.) When considering a timeframe, try to avoid seasons where the weather is too harsh. Weather that is too cold causes red noses and stiff bodies, and weather that is too hot causes sweaty faces and melting makeup. Unless it's done intentionally (ie snow session...in which case 30 min max is best), it's best to avoid all together.
3.) Considering choosing a location that is special to you as s couple.
For more in-depth info and tips for your engagement session, request your engagement session prep guide early and I'll email it over.
the engagement session
Planning your wedding is hard enough without having to worry how the big day itself will be scheduled! With years of experience in this department, I can help to make your wedding day run smoothly.
About a month and a half before the wedding, I will send you a questionnaire that can be filled out online, and from the info provided, I'll work with your wedding planner to create your custom timeline (Don't have a planner? While I highly encourage one because they can make your day go so smoothly, if you don't have one, I'll put together your timeline for you). After that, we can chat on the phone or meet up for coffee so that we can go over everything in detail.
This is really helpful, not only for yourself, but for your wedding party as well as your other vendors.
If you have a wedding planner, timeline planning is typically in their wheelhouse. I love to coordinate with the planner throughout the planning process, so let me know who you've got, and I'll be in touch with them!
day-of timeline planning
wedding planner?
Where you get ready can make or break your getting ready images! I'm comfortable in any lighting situation, however, certain spaces can be better than others in regards to the look and overall feel of your images. A few things to keep in mind when considering where you'll get ready:
1.) Lighting. Be sure to choose a space that has plenty of natural light.
2.) Space. Consider the size of your bridal party and the need to have plenty of space to move around and relax as you get ready. You'll also need plenty of space to get dressed, so a clean space is always best.
3.) Decor. Whatever is in the background will show up in your images. Also consider a space that has light/neutral colored walls (the color of the walls will reflect onto your skin in images, so green/yellow walls means green/yellow skin!).
your getting ready space
When planning your ceremony time, and deciding whether or not you want to do a first look, you'll want to consider the time the sun sets on your wedding day.
For example, if you don't want to see each other before the wedding and you've planned a 7:00pm ceremony, but the sun sets at 7:30pm, we'll have no natural light in which to do pictures after the ceremony! Sometimes, the time of the ceremony can't be negotiated, so in these types of situations, you may want to consider doing a first look.
The sunset can't be avoided, so pay close attention to when the sun is set to go down, and plan accordingly. If you ever have any questions about lighting, feel free to reach out and ask!
sunset time
I want to begin this tip by saying that I don't care either way! I will help you plan your timeline around however you feel your day will be the most special. The only time I really try to make a couple think about their decision is if we may be fighting for sunlight if they don’t choose a first look. Having said that, people always ask for the pros of each, so I'm here to give it to you straight.
First look pros: First looks are the only intimate way to see each other for the first time that day. It’s just the two of you, and my camera and me. That means you don’t have 200 of your closest friends and family staring back at you and you can make the moment what you want. It gives you a chance to laugh, cry, and speak to each other, something you typically can’t do during the ceremony.
First look or no first look?
No First Look Pros: On the flip side of doing a first look, going the traditional route is 100% okay. No one ever said you have to do your wedding a certain way just because it’s the 21st century and it seems like everyone else is doing it. They aren’t! Only about 60% of my couples choose to do a first look. That means another 40% do it traditionally and wait to see each other during the ceremony.
There’s something so pivotal about the crowd getting to their feet, everyone’s anticipation rising, and the doors opening. I get cold chills every single dang time. I’ve also seen some pretty amazing reactions from couple’s this way, too.
First look or no first look? (cont.)
With the invention of Pinterest came every girl's dream wedding board. I LOVE browsing a couples Pinterest board to see what draws your eye, what inspires you, and if you've already executed some of your ideas from there!
In regards to photography, however, Pinterest is an amazing tool for inspiration, but if you’ve seen a photo or pose on there a billion times, it’s probably not a good idea to try and replicate it. We want to show your love, not someone else’s version of it.
