Welcome to my wedding prep guide

If you’re reading this, it means your wedding day is finally almost here! Maybe you’re starting to wonder what the day will look like and all the little details that go into our time together. This will serve as a huge resource and will also explain my approach to capturing your day and how to get the absolute best photos during your wedding day!

My why

First of all, I want to share my “why” for what I do and why I’m so passionate about capturing your day. My goal is to tell true love stories that inspire others to feel more deeply and hold as timeless bookmarks for generations to come.

My approach

I’m primarily a documentary-style photographer because I believe that authentic moments are so valuable but I also love to interact and inspire real moments based on your love story. In our time together, I’ll be guiding you through prompts but I always encourage you both to be yourselves, be present, and don’t feel like you need to stop anything that’s happening. Some of the best photos are how you interact with your partner after a prompt. The best smiles, loving gazes, or giggles come out when the pressure is off. 

I like to imagine we’re filming a movie of your love story for the day and you have to stay in character! If you ever feel like you’re not doing something right, don’t worry – I’ll always guide you along and help you move into the next scene. 

There are so many little things that go into your day and a lot of times, you aren’t able to rehearse or think things through ahead of time. That’s totally okay and I’m here to help with tips and tricks to get the most out of every moment. 

Getting ready

If we’re capturing getting ready photos, make sure the space you’re in is well-lit and clean. That will make a huge difference when it comes to stress levels as well as the photos! Also, if you have any sentimental items you’d like photographed, I recommend having them gathered together or in a box I can pick up as soon as I get there. These can be rings, jewelry, shoes, invitations, stamps/wax seals, ribbons, flowers, and any other mementos that hold significance to you. If you aren’t sure what to include, you can look for inspo on Pinterest by searching wedding flatlay. 

If you plan to wear a cute robe or have outfits for you and your bridesmaids, we can gather all the gals to get photos together once everyone’s makeup is finished. Even bring a bottle of champagne or a non-alcoholic option if you prefer with some cute glasses. If I have a second photographer, they can be hanging with the guys capturing photos with the groomsmen as well.

Think about anyone you want to have in photos helping you into your dress or doing a big reveal once you’re finally in the dress and ready to go! This can be your bridesmaids, a family member, or anyone else that comes to mind as a good fit. 

Maybe the venue has a beautiful spot for us to take some bridal photos. I highly recommend doing this as it’s the best time to get photos of just you and your hair and makeup freshly done. We’ll have a lookout to make sure the groom doesn’t get a peek too soon! If I have a second photographer or I have time to pop over to the groom’s suite, I can also get some of him then or while I’m setting him up for the first look. 

First look

This is a great way to get some initial portraits of you two together and can calm your nerves a bit to be with your person before you walk down the aisle. I will bring the groom to a set location for the first look and have him stand facing away. I then bring the bride over to the location and they can either walk up and tap his shoulder or have him turn around when you’re standing behind him so he can get a full glimpse of the dress. Feel free to twirl and show off your stunning dress, run into each other’s arms, go in for a hug, or whatever feels natural. Don’t feel like you need to rush this part. Soak it all in and if you wrote any personal vows, feel free to bring them in here if you want. Once you are ready to continue, we’ll take a little bit of time to capture some photos of you both together. 

Ceremony

This is the most candid part of your day as I will be standing a little ways back capturing everything as it naturally unfolds so tips can be helpful in this time to get the best moments that only happen once! I capture both the processional and recessional (everyone walking down the aisle as well as exiting). I recommend reminding all of your guests that they will be on camera during this time! As you’re walking down the aisle, walk slooow. This helps me capture all the angles and any reactions from the groom or guests. 

Once you get to the front, have someone like your maid of honor or another guest you can hand your bouquet to. This way you can hold hands with the groom. Photos of your ceremony will look better if you’re closer together so holding hands ensures you’re both in frame together. 

Once the ceremony starts, I look for all of the unique angles to capture everything from your laughs to tears, from reactions to guests in the crowd, to any unique moments you’ve incorporated into the ceremony. Finally, the ring exchange and the first kiss will be there before you know it! Once again, move slowly. For the ring exchange, hold their hand as you put the ring on and don’t forget to put it on the right finger! Then, for the first kiss, don’t be afraid to kiss slowly (I encourage more than a peck!!). You can even kiss twice if you want. This is the most important moment for many of my couples to have captured so it doesn’t hurt to get multiple angles. A second shooter will be extremely instrumental during this time if you’re still considering adding one to your package.

Lastly, you’ll grab your bouquet and walk down the aisle at a slow pace. Feel free to kiss half-way through or do a dip if you feel comfortable! That’s it, you’re married! 

Formals and Wedding Party

Typically right after the ceremony is when we have the family and guest formals. Everyone is feeling the energy from getting to witness you both tie the knot and we’re all together. This can be either at the ceremony site or at a location nearby where there’s enough room for everyone. Preferably a shaded area for even light and to avoid any squinty eyes from the sun. We’ll work off of a list and basically just run through it quickly. I tell everyone to get as close as possible, have their hands doing something if they can, maybe in their pockets for men or various ideas for women depending on their outfit and the number of people. We can do more posed photos or fun photos or a mixture of both. This tends to be the most traditional part and can feel a little stiff so if you want to mix it up, just let me know and we can brainstorm ideas. I recommend a shorter list if possible and we can capture more candid and group photos at the reception. 

We’ll run through the family photos first, so we can release them to cocktail hour or the reception space. Then we’ll gather all the wedding party and capture some photos of them all together and separately. We can play music during this time to get everyone loosened up. If you have a playlist for this time, feel free to send it! Otherwise I can put one together. 

Couples photos

I love this time with just the two of you because it’s really a peaceful time. You’ve just gotten married, celebrated with some of your dear friends and family, and now you can relax knowing that the rest of the day is a breeze. Take this time to revel in your newlywed glow and be present. I’ll provide you both with prompts to guide you along and capture all the in between moments. Remember, there’s no need to break character in between. Just pretend like this time is like a movie. Move around like it’s all on film, be silly, be sentimental. Whatever your personalities are, don’t be afraid to let them shine! 

Grand entrance, Reception, Speeches, etc.

I’ll sneak away to the reception space a little before you to get my camera and any lighting setup for your entrance. Once you come in, walk sloowwly into the space. Some couples will go straight into their first dance or others will sit at their head table and relax for a bit and get a bite to eat. It’s important to have plenty of natural light if it’s still light out. I love outdoor receptions but do what works best with the space. If you have lighting or string lights, go wild with them. Candles are always a nice romantic touch. 

If you’re doing speeches, it’s so nice to be able to see you when capturing the person giving the speech as well so I can capture any reactions you have. They can stand to the side of wherever you’re sitting. 

If you have a good DJ or playlist it will be helpful for dancing to get everyone on the dance floor. We can always do a big group photo on the dance floor to bring people out of their seats or the sidelines depending on the venue.

From here, it’s totally customizable to you and how you want to celebrate with your people. You may want to do a bouquet toss, garter toss, the shoe game, or something else. Don’t hesitate to plan something fun. Then just enjoy this time together, have fun on the dance floor. 

Once the night is winding down, you can plan an exit. If it’s still light out, you could do bubbles or ribbons, or even dried flowers! If it’s dark, I think sparklers look best. Make sure to get the long-burning sparklers so they don’t burn out before we have a chance to take photos! You can check with your venue or rental on what’s accepted. If we’re capturing your getaway, some fun ways to officially exit is with a classic car or a car that aligns with your vision. 

Conclusion

Whew! I hope that all my guidance helps you a ton and you enjoy planning every bit of it. Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or advice. I’m happy to help! These are all suggestions and if you feel like you have a different vision for your day, I definitely want you to honor that. Be you, enjoy yourselves, and do what’s most comfortable for you. It’s your day and I’m so excited to see it unfold!