Have a stress-free, amazing day with these wedding photography tips:
Make time for wedding portraits
Remember that everything takes so much longer than you think (receiving lines, a bubble exit, family photos, etc.). Photography is a super important piece of your day, so you want to avoid one of the most common wedding photography mistakes: not being prepared for how long photo sessions take! I like 30 minutes for family formals, 30 minutes for quick wedding party photos, and 30 minutes for photos of the two of you. Most couples have an hour in between the ceremony and reception – which isn’t enough time to complete all of those things. Without a first look before the ceremony or a 90-minute cocktail hour, you’ll be stressed and rushed and not get the photos you want!
The wedding day will be longer than you think
Over time, I’ve learned that fitting everything into 6 hours of wedding coverage is challenging without a first look and a carefully organized timeline. While 6 hours may seem like enough, it often isn’t if your day involves multiple locations or if you’re skipping a first look. Consider everything you want captured: getting ready, photos with your bridal party, the ceremony, family formals, couple portraits, and how long you want coverage into the reception. Travel time and unexpected delays can add up quickly, so if you want to ensure no moment is missed, adding extra coverage is always a smart choice and prevents the most common wedding photography mistakes.
You’ll regret not having some detail photos
Another common mistake is not having me capture any detail photos of the hall before guests arrive or any getting ready/getting in your dress photos. Even if you’re not comfortable having me photograph you getting into your actual dress, you should still get photos of your best friend, Mom, or Grandma buttoning or zipping the back of your dress and all of those special moments. Everyone will appreciate them, and you will too when you look back on them years from now, avoiding one of the most common wedding photography mistakes!
Communicate and delegate
Another mistake is not communicating things with your friends and family before the wedding. Let your family know where and when to be ready for family photos. Alert certain members not to leave after the ceremony and run your photo list by everyone beforehand by emailing everyone a copy or mentioning it to them at the rehearsal. Communicate photo times to your wedding party and let them know when they can start drinking. This helps prevent most common wedding photography mistakes.
Sneak away for photos during a different time of day for a variety
Finally, another common mistake is not doing a sunset, nighttime, or sparkler exit to end the night and get a few more unique portraits. Ending the night on photos of the two of you is a great end to your album as well as a finishing touch for the day. Plus, you’ll have photos during a different time of day! It’s a great added bonus, but I never fully bank on only getting portraits at this time in the event of bad weather. Avoiding these adds variety and saves you from the most common wedding photography mistakes.
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