There are plenty of guides online to help you plan your wedding. You can find everything from checklists for organizing your life to flowers that are in season to goodies that go in the bathroom baskets. But I don’t see a lot of advice on what to ask your wedding photographer. And I don’t mean, “How much do you cost?” or “When do we see the photos?” I mean the nitty-gritty questions that are sure to come up on your wedding day and that you probably never thought to ask. Here are a few questions you may not have known that you COULD ask your wedding photographer, along with what I hope are helpful answers.
How do I handle my divorced parents during family photo time?
Families are complicated. This is never so obvious as when it’s time for the formal family photos at your wedding. Families often expect divorces, deaths, estrangements, and feuds to be left aside at a wedding, but they don’t really disappear, and in fact those underlying tensions can create a lot of stress for everyone involved.
The answer is that you should let your wedding photographer know about any touchy family situations that might make people uncomfortable during the family portraits. That way, we can tactfully and gently manage the family photo time so that no one feels left out, pushed aside, or forgotten. You don’t want to find yourself in the middle of tough family situations on your wedding day.
I work closely with my couples to understand their families, know who everyone is, and make detailed lists of the combinations of formal family photos we’re going to make. You may not realize it now, but your photographer is highly embedded in your family during a wedding, so let us in on all of the inside information. We can help keep things smooth and easy.
Remember, too, that there is no golden rule about which family members to include or exclude from photos. Think about what photos you would actually display in you home and think about family photos you’d like to pass onto your children. Those are the photos to make.
Our celebrant won’t allow flash (or photography, period) during the ceremony – what do we do?
It’s always a good idea to check with your officiate and make sure that photography and/or flash photography are allowed during the ceremony. If not, this is your photographer’s problem to solve – not yours! We can make time for photos after the ceremony, make sure we have equipment for low-light photos, or speak to the celebrant directly to come up with other solutions. Either way, it’s smart to ask and let your photographer know the outcome.
What do “getting ready photos” really mean?
“Getting ready photos” mean different things to different photographers and couples. For me, it doesn’t mean that I photograph every moment of your day from when you wake up until you walk down the aisle. It means just the last 30-40 minutes of “getting ready.” This is less about some magical transformation you will make into a person-about-to-be-married and more about the feelings of that time. This time is ripe with anticipation, nerves, excitement, tears, joy, and nostalgia. I find those last 30 minutes treasured moments worth remembering – not just how it looked, but also how it felt. And I promise that it’s not about photographing anything too personal or embarrassing!
Can I send you my Pinterest page?
I love seeing couples’ Pinterest pages! Yes, please do share them with me! Of course, you have to understand that we can’t recreate what you see on Pinterest – lighting, décor, settings, time of day, season, weather, venue, and people are different at every wedding! Still, seeing what you like on Pinterest helps me get ideas about the kinds of photos you’re looking for. Then I’ll use my own experience, style, and creativity to document your day.
Got other questions? Shoot me a note! I am here to help.