4 things to tell your wedding photographer
Wedding photographers have certainly a great knowledge of weddings, but there are some things that we won’t know unless you tell us.
The timeline
It might sound obvious, but since people don’t plan weddings for a living they tend to underestimate the importance of this detail: your wedding photographer needs to know when things are going to happen. For us this is important so that we can be at the right place at the right time, and also to plan when to be more alert and when to take a break. But it’s also for you: remember that on your wedding day you will be overwhelmed by all the things happing and having a clear timeline is essential to ensure that the day runs smoothly.
What’s important to you
Communicating your vision to your wedding photographer will ensure that we put our energy on the right goal: let us know if you love candid photos or if you dream of beautiful bridal portraits, if for you the dinner party is more important than the ceremony, or if you really care about family photos. Show us examples. Communication is the key here, and it’s important that photographers know what to emphasise and what not.
Make a list of people
To me this is an absolute must. Imagine looking at your wedding photos in 20 years from now: kids grow up and people get old. Your wedding photographer doesn’t know anyone at the wedding and therefore we are unable to tell who’s very important to you and who isn’t.
It would be very helpful if you could prepare a list of people you absolutely want a photo of.
I learned this the VERY hard way: at my brother’s wedding I was in charge of taking photos and I forgot to take a pic of the couple together with my parents. Ouch.
If there’s any family situation
This includes anybody who needs special attention or simply if there’s any family drama. This tip also comes from my personal experience: during a wedding I asked the bride’s parents to take a photo together, and they hadn’t talked to each other for something like 20 years. Ouch again.
Of course, without any of this information, a good wedding photographer will still be able to nail it. But you’re paying for our time and creativity, why not investing some time to help us be as efficient as possible? Take some time with your photographer to discuss just what you desire.