The Bride's Guide to Wedding Photography

CHOOSE THE RIGHT FIT:

It should go without saying that we would love to be the right fit for your wedding photography needs, but we are not nearly privy enough to think we are the only option on the market.

You owe it to that dreamy eight year old girl to choose a photographer who best matches your personality and style. We would love for that to be us, and will always do our best to be multidimensional in our wedding photography approach, but it is a choice you ultimately have to make.

Do your research. Make sure you’re looking into the value and product as opposed to just value or just product. You can have the greatest photographer on the planet and love every pixel of their work, but if you can’t afford them what’s it matter anyway. Choose wisely and don’t overextend yourself. One of the things we pride ourselves in is keeping our photography services at a respectful price. We feel like you ought to have quality work at a price you can afford. 

Choose the right fit but don’t forsake the pocket book.

SCHEDULE ENOUGH TIME FOR PHOTOS:

It’s easy to become so overly engrossed in every detail of the day that you forget to provide the necessary time for photography services.

You must keep in mind that photographs can only be taken if enough time is scheduled. If you have given us 30 minutes to take family photos, and you want to include every member of your extended family, it’s just not likely we can get all those shots in, in that amount of time. If you have a big family and expect photographs with most of them, allot the time, ahead of time. 

A side note about family photography: *please note that time and time again, as we have shot weddings, we run in to the same issue with family photography…if you plan to have your family shots taken at a certain time during the day, make sure the family with whom you want included in those photos are aware when that time is, and where they are needed to be. So much time is wasted on hunting down great "aunt Maude" and "Uncle George" because we had to send someone out to find them to let them know they are needed in family photos. Please let family/friends know ahead of time when and where they are needed to be for pictures. Otherwise precious shooting time will be wasted. (A good time to address this with family/friends is at the rehearsal.) 

When you compile an itinerary for the day, remember to also send one our way. It is incredibly helpful for us to know what is happening through the course of the day and when it’s happening. 

Remember to keep the photographer in the loop when it comes to time scheduling and planning.

PICTURE HOUR

​We have so aptly given the time of day between your wedding and reception the title of: “Picture Hour.” 

This is when we will be most driven and available to get the mass of our posed shots. Shots with Family, Bridal Party and Bride and Groom Alone (if we haven’t had a first look). This is a crucial time in getting the shots you will remember and the best availability to get shots before the “reception blur” begins. I always encourage my couples to give us at least an hour in between ceremony and reception for “picture hour.” I understand that give or take a few minutes is necessary in a lot of cases because of venue restrictions and booking times, but it is important to keep in mind limiting under 45 minutes means you may not be able to get as many of those coveted photos as you might like. 

When you’re making an itinerary, please notch this time out for photography.

THE VOICE OF REASON

It is absolutely necessary that you delegate someone, preferably someone who is familiar with friends, family and guests-- to keep people moving, and in the places they need to be--not only for the order of the day, but to be someone who knows the schedule and is willing to call upon stragglers who are needed, in crucial photography shots.

I promise you... weddings turn people’s brains to mush. I want your guests to enjoy the day, but they need to bear in mind that you have commissioned a service to be completed. And, in order to do so, some cooperation, attention and understanding is necessary to give you the product you have commissioned. Having a “voice of reason” means there is someone who is acting as the shepherd over the sheep. 

Please make sure this person knows his or her responsibility and the vital role they play in making the day come off without a hitch. You will thank me later.

THE DRAM-FREE ZONE

​I love me a helpful mother-in-law, I also love a spirited father-in-law, I do however have issues when that “helpful” MIL becomes a demanding monster in law.

Trust me, it happens.

Mom's and Mom-in-law's often have a hard time relinquishing the decisions to the bride and groom; I have seen it many times. It makes for an awkward and unnatural dynamic that plays sorely into the mood of the day.

I don’t want to step into your family drama, but I do know when it comes to who and what I will honor in how I photograph, that will lie within the confines of what we have talked about with the bride and groom and what they have commissioned for me to do beforehand. I will do my best to honor the wishes of other family and friends, but not at the expense of loosing shots that were/are important to the bride and groom! A meeting prior to the wedding to discuss ideas that other family/friends may have, would be highly recommended as to keep some sort of order when we are busy shooting shots--that have been chosen beforehand. We will always accomplish the desired shots of the bride and groom before we take outside suggestions. (And if I am honest there is usually just enough time to get those shots in).

Sorry "Aunt Maude." A Side Note: another important thing to note and an increasingly common issue with the rise of smart phone snap shots, is guests who stand out in front of the photographer with their smart phones trying to capture pivotal shots. Such shots have already been commissioned to be taken -- consequently they impede the job of the professional photographer. 

You may encourage your guests that the photographer has all your best interests in mind--as far as photography for your wedding day is concerned; and are working to maintain the shots that are of importance to you. 

Ask that if they must whip out the smart phone that they do it discretely and without blocking the professional photographer.

THIS IS YOUR DAY

It seems silly to say, but the truth is, your wedding day is about you and your future spouse. It is a coming together of two people who love and are committing themselves to one another.

And that, that is a thing worth celebrating…and you should. Keep focused on the “why you’re doing this.”

Ask yourself: Does your love for one another require that you have everything for your day perfect? Does your “big day” put you at wits end trying to dot every i and not forget a single detail? Does your “big day” mean you had better honor the wishes of your mother-in-law? Should your “big day” be represented by the most delicious cuisine in town? Should your “big day” be marked by a beautifully decorated hall and linens that are perfectly pressed? Should your “big day” leave a hemorrhaging wallet and no excess funds left to enjoy what comes after the “big day?”  

Your “BIG DAY” should be kept in prospective. In light of what the “big day” represents it is just that…A DAY. A day meant for your love to be witnessed as a commitment before God and those whom you chose to include.

Let your DAY be a start to a new LIFE together.

A wise person once said: “Be more concerned about the marriage and less concerned about the wedding.”

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The day will pass, and trust me, it will pass quickly. Celebrate your love for each other and celebrate it well…but in the end, remember why the DAY has come to be and keep your heart and mind focused on that.

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The rest are just details...

-Sarah | Bride's Guide 2021 | a Publication of: Sarah Yoak Photography 2021