Wedding Photography Suggestions

Wedding Photography Suggestions and Tips From Your Bay Area Wedding Photographer

These wedding photography suggestions will help make your wedding day the happiest day of your life! Hagop has been a wedding photographer for over 25 years. Through his experience we have put together these wedding photography suggestions. Most professional vendors you work with know what we have written on this page. You as the bride and groom may not be aware as to what to ask of your vendors. You have put a lot of time and thought into planning you wedding.

Wedding Day Photography Consultation

10 days before the wedding, we ask the bride and groom to come in for a final consultation for their wedding photography. Most of the arrangements for the wedding day have been made by that time. We discuss the details of the timeline for the day. We also ask them to list their family members and wedding party members. This is so that we are aware of who we need to photograph that day. The session usually takes about 45 minutes. At the end of the session the couple feels comfortable knowing what to expect for their wedding day photography. We find this consultation very helpful.

Pre-Wedding Photography

Hair and Make Up

Ask your hairdresser and your make-up artist to finish their work within the time assigned for them.

Flowers

Ask the florist to deliver the flowers for the wedding at all locations at the proper time. Usually at least 30 minutes before the arrival of the wedding photographer is safe. Flowers delivered to the location of the bride’s pre-wedding photography session should include the bouquets for the bride, maid of honor, bridesmaids, flower girl’s basket, corsages for your mother, grandmother, etc., boutonnieres for the father, grandfather, ring bearer, brothers, etc. Wedding flowers that need to be delivered to the location of the groom’s pre-wedding photography session, should include boutonnieres for the groom, best man, ushers, father, grandfather, etc. and corsages for the mother & grandmother should also arrive before the photographer. Ask all family members, and the bridal party to be at the pre-wedding photography locations before the photographer arrives. If you choose to wear a garter, remember to ask the photographer to document it before they leave the pre-wedding photography session.

The Limo

If you’ve hired a limo, document it. When the bride’s limo or car arrives at the ceremony site, make sure the photographer is present before the bride steps out. After the ceremony your wedding photographer can take some photos of the bride and groom and your wedding party with your limo.

Ceremony Photography

Make sure that the photographer is familiar with the rules and customs of the church, temple or ceremony site.

During your wedding ceremony and family formals following the ceremony, it is important that your wedding guests and family members respect your professional wedding photographer and or videographer by not taking any photographs so that they can properly photograph your wedding.

After the ceremony is over and everyone has exited the church, please remember to return for your formal family photographs. It is best if you inform your immediate family and bridal party not to leave the church after the ceremony.

It is also helpful, if you can assign someone (preferably someone who knows all your relatives) to help the photographer in grouping the families. This will save confusion, time and expense.

On Location Photography in Between the Ceremony and Reception

If there is time in between the ceremony and reception, it is fun to arrange a photography session at another location. Some couples decide to have this session for just the bride and groom, others include their wedding party. In either case there are a few things you must consider. If a limo is taking you, the company and driver need to be informed. They should know the location and the driver should be familiar with the best route. They should also be aware of approximately how long the session will take. (Plan this with your wedding photographer.) Anyone you would like in this session should know before the wedding day and their transportation should be arranged. In planning this session remember if the wedding reception has started, your guests will be waiting to congratulate you.

Reception Photography

If you would like photographs with friends before your wedding reception starts, let your photographer know. For your wedding day reception, it is best to inform your photographer in advance of the wedding reception schedule. These details should include time of dinner, the first dance, parents dance, bridal party dance, time of any and all speeches you have scheduled, cutting of the cake, throwing of the bridal bouquet and garter, if there are any changes of clothes and any other special wedding day events that you have planned.

Finally, be sure to inform your photographer of any new events or changes in plans, which you did not discuss the day of your consultation.