Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!
Firstly thank you so much for involving me/us in your exciting plans! I can't wait to get started!
With the big day just around the corner, I’ve put together this handy guide to share some key tips I’ve learned over the years. I often get asked questions about the wedding day which includes anything from hotel rooms, to what type of confetti to buy and if you should have an unplugged cermony. The answer is always that this is all completely up to yourselves but you may find some useful information here that may help you decide.
Remember, this guide is just a set of suggestions—you’re welcome to follow as much or as little of it as you’d like.
Helping You to Plan Your Wedding Timeline
Creating a comprehensive timeline is essential and something I will be all over! I will be in touch well before your wedding date with your questionnaire which will help me plan your timeline. We will then go through this together on a call a week or two before the big day.
Any key bits of information that we need to know about for your photography and wedding videography go into this document and it all helps me to build the perfect plan for us to capture your day and all the magical little moments.
Wedding Preparations and Your Photos and Videos
You’ve probably seen those perfect photos of brides and bridesmaids getting ready in bright, tidy rooms with no clutter in sight. In reality, these images are often carefully staged, whereas the buzz and excitement of a wedding morning are far more typical.
If possible, choose a room or location with plenty of natural light. Consider the colour of the walls, floors, and overall décor, and make sure there’s enough space for everyone and everything.
To keep the setting wedding photo and video ready, it’s helpful to have someone take charge of arranging the room. This ensures that your photos are free from stray water bottles, half-eaten snacks, or other distractions.
If I bring a second photographer, they’ll usually capture the Groom’s preparations. The same tips apply to that space too!
The Wedding In between Bits (candid)
Captured on Photo and Video
I will always be looking for those gorgeous moments - Enjoy yourself and I will be very very happily snapping away.
The Ceremony
Capturing beautiful ceremony photos is all about finding the right balance—getting the best angles without being intrusive or distracting. With my experience, I’ll ensure we strike this balance perfectly for your big day.
One simple tip for amazing ceremony photos: look at each other, hold hands and smile and try to relax and enjoy.
Lighting for lovely wedding photos and videos
Good lighting makes all the difference in photography. If your ceremony venue has large windows and lots of natural light, it will create stunning photos. Minimizing electric lighting can enhance this further. For venues with less natural light, candles and fairy lights can add a warm, magical touch.
The Weather
Blue skies and sunshine always make for beautiful photos, but don’t underestimate the power of moody clouds—they can create a dramatic and spectacular backdrop, perfectly complementing you and your guests in all your stunning wedding attire!
If it happens to rain on the day, there’s no need to worry. We can adjust the schedule to take advantage of any dry spells, or I can suggest alternative ideas if you’d prefer to stick to the original timings. We’ll discuss these options in detail during our wedding catch-up.
Confetti
There are a few things to consider when choosing your confetti. Firstly some venues/locations have restrictions on certain types of confetti due to cleanup or environmental concerns, in which case you may need to use petals, or no-cleanup options (like bubbles) are often the easiest.
Light, fluttery options like petals or paper confetti (the biodegradable ones are great) work well for capturing stunning pictures. You can also match these with your colour themes for your day.
Confetti canons also add to the volume of confetti resulting in memorable confetti photographs. Up to eight canons have been used on some of the weddings I've shot and resulted in spectacular photos and videos. Confetti canons also work well in the evening for the first dance too.
The main point to remember with confetti is that you can never have enough! Make sure everyone has at least a full handfull and go for big baskets of confetti if possible.
Couple Photographs
If there are specific spots around your venue that you’d like to include in your photos, please let me know. I’ll have already scouted the venue to find the best locations and timings for your couple photographs, but I’m always keen to incorporate your ideas. Just let me know, and we’ll make it happen!
I will also make sure that we plan the right times for your photos for the best use of light in the best locations.
Group Photographs and Films
You can let me know your list of group shots in your questionnaire. Most couples like to have some more traditional photographs like this with their families.
If you have certain photographs that are extra important, for example your wedding party photographs; we can find a quite time for these too.
Sparklers, Confetti Canons and Glow Sticks
Yes to all these - I love them all! They can create stunning effects in your photos, but they do require careful planning.
For sparklers, opt for the longer, slow-burning ones and have plenty of lighters on hand so guests can help light them. I helps to get bridesmaids to groomsmen to light every 4-5 in a line then guests can light of this one in a small group. Also, keep several buckets of sand or water nearby for safe disposal.
Supplier Recomendations
If you need recommendations, feel free to ask! I have photographed hundreds of weddings and have a good network of suppliers that I've worked with before and so please give me a shout if you ned any help with this.
Finally....
If there is anything that I haven't covered please get in touch and lets chat!
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