Every bride wants her wedding photographs to reflect the love she has for her groom and devotion she put forth into planning that day she’s been dreaming of for years. Perhaps ever since she was a little girl. Searching for the perfect match, and I mean bride & photographer, can be a haunting task when there are so many options out there. So many styles and so many professionals. But if there is one thing all brides will agree on is that they want their wedding day photographs to look and feel magazine worthy. No matter how small or intimate or large and expensive, we all want our special day to be captured beautifully. Here are a couple of things I think every bride should consider that will definitely enhance the look and feel of their wedding day regardless of the size and cost of the wedding.
Getting ready details. Make sure to have with you at your getting-ready location all those personal details you would like photographed. Wedding rings ( including the groom’s ), jewelry, shoes, veil, perfume, invitations, and any other piece that will form a part of your wedding day attire. Setting time to photograph the details will serve as a conversation piece years down the road when you are looking back at your wedding day.
💡 Tip: Make sure to have your florist deliver your bouquet and bridesmaids bouquet to you at your getting ready location and not at where the ceremony will take place. This will allow us to photograph your beautiful flowers and come time for your bridal portraits alone and with your bridesmaids we will have them there.
Choose a getting ready location with lots of natural light and an open space. This will ensure that your morning pictures will have that airy feel that will follow along seamlessly with the rest of your wedding day. If possible, set to photograph your bridal portraits and bridesmaids party portraits outdoors. Every single one of my girls always prefers the look of the bright and romantic setting of shooting in natural light versus indoors, why not take the time to coordinate the perfect setting for these.
But what about getting my dress dirty before the ceremony? Stress not my friend. I promise that even the slightest imperfection that were to happen to your dress before the ceremony occurs will never show in your photographs. Enjoy your day!
First Look. In the hispanic community that surrounds me here in Miami it is not common custom to have the bride and groom see each other before the ceremony. For lots of reasons. But the one that I listen to the most is that bride feels as if the groom will loose the sense of excitement or surprise that he were to have if he were to wait until she is walking down the aisle. I honestly am on the fence about whether or not this is for everyone, but I will give you one tiny piece of advice, unless you are willing to allow a two hour break between the end of the ceremony and reception for family formals, bridal party, and bride and groom portraits we are looking at a very tight schedule for photographs of the two most important people that day, YOU and your groom. It’s a give an take, put on a scale, kind of thing to consider prior to the wedding day. First look = loads of pictures of the bride and groom in an ideal location with great lighting. No first look = chances of more anticipation build up with a tighter schedule and less available time for portraits.
Personalize. I can’t stress this one enough. The greatest thing about weddings is how each and everyone should be different. Every bride and groom is unique and so should their wedding be. Even if I were to be shooting a wedding in the same location every weekend I would like to know that they have each given it their personal touch. That they took the time to pick out and personalize every detail that makes up that ceremony and party. Sometimes brides hire a wedding planner to do so but in the case that you are not, think about all the ways you would like that day to be a representation of you as a couple. I tell all my couples when planning their engagement this very thing, anyone can just take pictures in one of our most popular parks, but what about that shoot will give me the YOU factor? In the most recent wedding I photographed, the bride had chosen a dress that reminded her of her mother’s wedding dress. She told me that although it wasn’t the kind of style that other’s would of expected for her to wear, it had a sentimental value to her. Such a simple thing she said to me one day while we were talking about the wedding but enough to make a lasting impression that I am telling you all now.
GOODBYE STRESS. It’s the day of your wedding officially when the clock strikes twelve. At that time you should tuck away all the stress prior to the wedding and set out to have the best time of your life. No matter what happens. Even if it rains. Even if you are late. And even if the groom ripped his pants. Nothing kills the joy of a wedding like having a preoccupied mindset on everything that can go wrong or that already has. This day will be remembered forever and ever and its best to take advantage of enjoying it to the fullest.
My dear friends, 2016 is coming to a quick close and I am so excited about all the changes that 2017 will bring. These next couple of weeks I am wrapping up a few projects and squeezing in some much needed family time after such an eventful year. It still hasn’t completely sunk in that my kids turned two and that in just a couple of years they will be in school. This has also been my comeback year and I will be celebrating it big time come March of next year. Can’t wait to share with you all what’s store!
