As you probably noticed in your social media feeds, many couples get engaged over the holidays. Having photographed a lot of weddings over the years, Dave and I have seen some amazing things done at these weddings, and we have seen some things that didn’t quite work out as planned. We thought we’d take a moment to share a few of these observations with those of you who will be planning weddings this coming year. These tips are not just about making the photos as good as can be, but also about having your day go as smoothly as possible.
Engagement Shoot
Many couples have never taken part in a professional photo shoot prior to their wedding day. If at all possible, try and book a wedding photography package that includes an engagement shoot. This session will give you an idea of what to expect on your big day.
Another advantage of an engagement session is location. Not having the time constraints that you will on your wedding day allows you to consider locations that you probably can’t get to on the big day.
Centerpieces
We have seen some beautiful centerpieces in our time shooting weddings. Pinterest has provided couples with some really amazing ideas that are great DIY projects. One thing to keep in mind is the height of the centerpiece. When your guests are sitting at their tables, it is challenging to speak with the people across the table if there is a giant obstruction in the way.
Shaving
Grooms should shave the day/night before the wedding, especially if they are prone to razor burn. Having that extra time will give your skin time to recover from the sting of the blade so you don’t look like you have sunburn on your chin. This advice goes for the ladies as well. Legs and underarms can benefit from a cooldown period.
Family Photos Location
Once the ceremony is complete, most couples want to have photos taken with their Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents, siblings etc. Some couples try and come up with a special location for these photos and that might require travel time. If there is a place that is very significant for you then this is perfectly acceptable, however, ultimately the background for these photos is not very visible in these photos so traveling to another location might not be as ideal as you’d think. We try and find a location around where the ceremony is held that will be a nice backdrop. A bonus tip is to prepare a list of the people/combinations you would like to include in the family photo portion (we have a document we provide to couples that helps them figure this out).
Food During the Day
Eating during the day is obviously important, but it’s not as easy as you’d think. Once the Wedding Party is off for the formal photo portion of the day there isn’t always a chance for eating. A good idea is to pack some snacks and drinks in a cooler for your Wedding Party.
A better option we’ve discovered is to plan a stop at a pub between the ceremony and the reception. This gives everyone a time to eat, drink, and be merry while providing us photographers with a great opportunity to capture photos of you and those closest to you having fun together.
"First-Aid" Kit
Have the Best Man or Maid of Honour pack a little selection of items that might be a day-saver. Some items that are quite small but can be quite powerful are:
- Band-aids
- Tylenol/Advil
- Sewing kit
- Travel size hairspray
- Tide Pen
Clinking of the glasses
There was a time when wedding guests really went overboard with the clinking. This started a whole movement of couples/emcees coming up with elaborate steps someone had to take in order to see the couple kiss. The good news is that the weddings we've been to in the last few years where clinking is allowed have been quite reasonable. One wedding set it up with the crowd that clinking was acceptable, but if it got out of hand they had a backup plan.
We hope you find these tips helpful when planning your big day. If you would like to meet up with us to discuss how we might fit into your wedding day plans, you can leave us a comment below. Check out some of our wedding photography at dbphotographics.ca/galleries/weddings.
Happy new year!
brad & dave