A Day in the Life of a Wedding Photographer (Part 2)

Some people like to have 'getting ready' shots taken. This is a good idea for the following reasons:

1. Capturing moments before the ceremony will definitely be natural and I will be able to showcase your pure nerves and excitement through my photography.

2. It is a good way for you and your bridal party to relax and get used to being in front of me and my cameras.

Typically, I tend to arrive around the same time as the hair and make up artists. This way, I can start to take photographs as soon as your preparations start. If this is at the venue, I will also have had another look around the grounds to make sure that nothing has altered since my last visit and take some shots, before coming to you. It is really important that you introduce yourself to the staff at the venue, in particular, the wedding coordinator and find out if there is anything I should be aware of before starting work.

I always remind the bride that if there is anything in particular she would like me to photograph, that isn't on my shot list then to tell me and I can absolutely sort this out without any issues. Capturing the details are really important. The dresses, shoes, jewellery, flowers, perfume, invitations and more commonly, people are having memorial pieces made for their bouquets and anything else which has been picked for your special day and means something to you. Candid shots of you and your wedding party in the moment are priceless.

Atmosphere

The atmosphere in the build up to the wedding is always full of nerves, excitement, anticipation, feeling overwhelmed and even emotional. Any or all of these can be present during the bridal prep, mixed with a dash of champagne or prosecco to take the edge off and you are well on your way to your upcoming nuptials.

This part of the day is always extremely busy with lots going on, so a good tip from me is take a deep breath and enjoy it. I won't just be taking the photographs though, I will find great spots to capture the beauty of your outfits and accessories, help to do up the flower girls shoes, take delivery of the flowers and anything else required if there is no one else around to help. The only thing that would assist me in doing all of this is to try and keep the room tidy. It is so easy for the room to become a vision of boxes and bags and clothes strewn everywhere that it can sometimes be a bit like the Krypton Factor (for those of you who are old enough to remember it!), trying to navigate the room.

First Look & Finishing Touches

Once the hair and makeup is done, the bridal party are in their outfits, one of the the most important moments in the bridal prep stages are to help the bride get into her dress, adorn her shoes and jewellery, spritz on her favourite perfume and attach her veil. I will be there to capture each stage of this so when looking back, you can really remember the emotions you felt at the time.

Then is the time for the first look. This for me is a really crucial part of the day, the moment where the bride's father, mother, brother, uncle, grandfather (it can literally be anyone that has been chosen to walk the bride down the aisle) sees her in all her finery for the first time. This is candid photography in it's rawest form, all the pride and joy etched over their faces and the emotion that it brings along with it. I have shed a tear many a time at this precious moment!

Then it is off to the ceremony to capture some more magical moments.