Capturing Everlasting Moments: How to Get the Best Photography and Videography on Your Wedding Day
Your wedding day is a celebration of love, joy, and beautiful memories that will be cherished for a lifetime. To preserve these precious moments, having stunning photographs is essential. Whether you’re hiring both a photographer & videographer, or just one or the other; there are steps you can take to ensure that you get the best end product possible of your special day. In this blog post, we will share valuable tips and insights to help you capture breathtaking images that tell the story of your wedding day.
Plan Ahead:
a. Hire a Professional Photographer: Invest in a skilled and experienced wedding photographer who understands your vision and style. Research their portfolio, read reviews, and meet with them beforehand to discuss your expectations and desired shots. Make sure you find out who will actually be shooting on the day.
b. Decide your aesthetic: Find inspiration of weddings you think particularly resonate to you and steal some ideas from them! Like editorial weddings? Black + white and classic styling will tie everything in well. Like more of a rustic vibe? Rust orange or similar colours will tie into that aesthetic better. It’s best to be consistent and stick to one theme than getting carried away! At the end of the day - your photographer can only shoot what is in front of them so this is what your wedding will look like!
2. Timing is Everything:
a. Golden Hour Magic: Take advantage of the "golden hour" light – utilising the time when the lighting is soft and warm, is perfect for couple photos. Sometimes this can mean sacrificing some time during dinner to sneak off but it is always worth it! Speak to your photographer about the best time of doing this based on the time of the year.
b. Consider the Ceremony Time: Plan your ceremony time with photography in mind. The further away from midday you have your ceremony will yield the best results - this is because the midday sun is at it’s highest during the middle of the day causing harsh shadows to fall on everything. Obviously the entire day can’t be about amazing photos and do what works best for the day as a whole - but we find 3-4pm works well as a ceremony time.
3. Prepare Yourself:
a. Getting Ready: Choose a location with plenty of natural light and clutter-free space for getting ready. Keep the area organized to ensure that your photographer can capture beautiful detail shots of your attire, accessories, and pre-wedding preparations. Once again, your photographer can only shoot what is in front of them!
b. Posing and Body Language: Relax and be yourself. Your photographers main job on the day is to make you feel at ease in front of the camera - so they will make sure everything feels natural for you. Don’t worry about trying to pose - your photographer will guide you if they need you to do something.
c. Beauty and Grooming: Invest in professional hair and makeup services to look your best on your wedding day. Discuss your desired look with your stylist, ensuring that it complements your chosen wedding theme and style.
4. Embrace the Details:
a. Decor and Details: Pay attention to the small details that make your wedding unique. This will ‘fill in’ the space well and tie everything in together.
b. Wedding Rings and Accessories: Provide your photographer with your wedding rings, invitation, and other significant accessories. These items can be creatively incorporated into detail shots, adding depth and storytelling to your photo collection.
c. Group Portraits: Family and group portraits are an essential part of wedding photography. Your photographer will help you plan a specific time and plan for these shots. They may ask you to employ the help of your MC on the day to round up your guests. Provide your photographer with a list of the desired group combinations to streamline the process - this can be made closer to the wedding day.
5. Be Present and Enjoy the Moment:
a. Disconnect from Technology: Encourage your guests to be fully present and avoid using smartphones or cameras during key moments of the ceremony and reception. This allows your professional photographer to capture uninterrupted shots without distractions. The expertise of a professional photographer with top of the line equipment will look a lot better than your Uncle’s iPhone!
b. Express Your Emotions: Your wedding day will be filled with joy, laughter, and happy tears. Don't hold back! Express your emotions freely, allowing your photographer to capture these. It is the one day in your life you get to do this so let it all out! It only makes the photography & videography better!
Hiring the right people on your wedding day makes this process as smooth as possible and you won’t have to worry about the photo/video side as they will make sure you are doing all the right things anyway! We find most venues will also advise very well during timeline planning if this is a service you get.
Ultimately, your wedding day is YOURS and you should make it exactly how you dreamed it to be. The photographer is there to capture all the incredible moments to come with it - not to create moments that didn’t happen.