How to avoid stress around your wedding photos
5 tips from a photographer
Your wedding day is one of the most anticipated days of your life, and trust me I get how stressful it can be- I’ve been there!
You spend months planning on Pinterest and Instagram. The build up is exciting and overwhelming all at once! One thing that you should never have to stress about on your day is your wedding photos – it’s one of your biggest investments on your wedding day. The flowers will wilt, the cake gets eaten, but the memories in your photographs last a lifetime!
Here are some tips to help you avoid stress and ensure that your wedding photos are perfect.
- Choose a Photographer who understands you
Searching for a wedding photographer in Northern Ireland can be overwhelming. It’s so important to chose a photographer that you can connect with, who understands your vision for the day and who you are as a couple. Look for a photographer with a portfolio that reflects your desired feel for the day. Do your research! Don’t just pick someone because they are cheap, or a friend of a friend. Your photographer is probably the person you will spend the most time with on your wedding day, so having a good relationship with them is vital. I like to meet my couples before hand to ensure we are a good fit.
Having this relationship means you can communicate your expectations and preferences, and trust them that they will capture all the moments that are important to you.
- Create a Shot List
I always arrange a pre-wedding consultation to go over plans for the big day with my couples. This is normally a few weeks before the wedding, and during this time we would put together a timeline of the day, and chat about what is most important to them. As I would consider myself a documentary wedding photographer in Northern Ireland, my approach to your wedding day is very relaxed and I don’t go off a set ‘shot list’ as such, but instead act as a fly on the wall, capturing all the candid moment as they unfold.
When I talk about creating a shot list, this is more for group shots, and couples making me aware of key people and moments they might want captured, and anything above and beyond the normal detail shots like flowers, favours etc.
Having a chat like this with your photographer will ensure that they don’t miss any essential shots, and you won’t have to worry about forgetting anything on your big day.
- Schedule Enough Time
It might seem pretty obvious, but it’s something couples often forget when creating a timeline for their day.
Have you taken into account how long your ceremony will be? How long it takes to get to your venue? How long you will have daylight for? It’s important to take all these factors into consideration when planning when to get your professional photos done.
Your photographer can help to advise on how to run the day so you can maximise the time for your photos. I like to keep the group shots quick and efficient, so advise that you tell your guests who need to be in them, where and when they will be happening. This way, they have no excuse if they disappear to the bar or to check into their rooms!
It’s also super helpful to have a person from the bridal party help the photographer by pointing out key people who need to be in photos, and help round them up.
You can read my blog post on how to create a wedding day timeline here.
- Have a Backup Plan
Weddings in Northern Ireland means that the weather can be extremely changeable! It’s important to have a backup plan in case of bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Talk to your venue coordinator and photographer about a backup location or plan for indoor shots if it rains. Make sure you communicate clearly your expectations for these. Is there somewhere indoors with enough room for group photos? If it’s dark, are you ok with flash photography being used?
Weather isn’t always the issue- sometimes things just don’t run on time or according to plan. Prepare yourself to be flexible incase of any mishaps, and embrace it!
- Enjoy the Moment
The most important piece of advice – soak in every minute and focus on the fact that the most important thing is that you are finally marrying the love of your life. Once you hire a photographer that you can fully trust to capture everything as you want it, all you have left to do is enjoy every minute of your day!
I encourage you to try and make a point at some stage of the day – whether it’s a quiet moment in the morning or dancing the night away in the evening – to sit back and take it all in. For me, this was during the signing of the register! I sat back, listened to the beautiful string quartet play my favourite song, and watched all my guests enjoying the music. I still get so happy every time I think about that moment!
I hope you find this helpful when planning your wedding! With the help of an experienced wedding photographer, you can capture beautiful memories, totally stress free, that will last a lifetime.
