How to actually ENJOY your wedding day AND get good photos
When my grandparents got married more than 60 years ago they had exactly one photo taken to remember the day. This photo is treasured by children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
When I first started photographing weddings 18 years ago, when blogs and pinterest were a new thing, I was struck with how much of the wedding day was consumed with getting photos. I was often handed a 2-3 page list of photos to recreate, dozens of combinations of people to capture while the couple stayed centered in the middle, and strict timelines. It didn’t take me long to realize that not only were my couples disassosiated from the day and their love for eachother, they weren’t getting the photos that they REALLY wanted.
Here are 5 tips to ensure that you and your partner ENJOY your wedding day AND get incredible photos you actually want:
*Have the goal to have how your wedding day FELT like instead of what it LOOKED like.
I promise you that you will have plenty of photos of how everything looked. The dress you so carefully selected, the candlesticks your aunt helped you find at antique stores, the way your father looked in his suit. Instead of worrying about capturing all of that, lean more into the imperfect details that show how it FELT on that day. Mostly this involves capturing the love surrounding you, the warmth of the candles that are dripping because the conversations were so good, or the blur of everyone dancing.
*Trust and let go.
You’ve been in charge of all the details up to this point, this is the time to let go of control, trust the people you’ve set in place, and enjoy how the day unfolds.
*Embrace imperfections
Trust me. The things that don’t quite go as planned usually end up being the stories you tell, the quirks that make your wedding day your own. So if your dad’s tie is crooked all day, the wind blows your veil 8 feet in the air, you dance so much you have to take your shoes off…believe me when I say those are the moments you will look back on in 20 years with a smile on your face. So put away that 5 page shot list you downloaded from pinterest and let your day be imperfectly yours.
*Don’t take all your photos directly after the ceremony.
Long gone are the days of lining up bridesmaids by height, getting lighting perfect, or spending 2 hours photographing everyone while your guests are enjoying the reception without you.
I never spend more than 15 minutes getting all the family photos (that you need to get before your uncle drinks too much wine, or your grandmother has to get to bed). This can be fun and candid and fast! And then I get a few shots of the couple connecting knowing that I have many opportunities to get others throughout the night. Maybe it is sneaking out for 5 minutes to capture the sunset or a tender kiss as you both take a breather from dancing the night away. Knowing there’s not just one chance to get photos opens up so many possibilities.
*Hire a photographer that is on the same page.
Hire a photographer who wants nothing more than for you to enjoy your day. They aren’t photographing for their blog or instagram, they aren’t trying to force their ideas of how the day should go. Hire someone who notices all the details that make the day yours because they are enjoying your day too.
