Wedding Photography Do's & Dont's

Brides House

Some of the most important photographs are taken at this point in time. If order to assist your photographer in acheiving these goals please read the following;

From personal experience with wedding photography the most common reason for a bride not being ready is the make up artist and or the hair dresser this experience is aslo shared with quite a number of photographers. In order to provide the bride and groom photographs that they will cherish the event (your wedding day) must start off smoothly. At least (a minimum of) 45 minutes needs to be spent with the bride (photographic time) and her bridal party alone without any interruptions from others.

MAKE UP and HAIRSTYLING should be complete, CLOTHING and all ACCESSORIES should be complete. NINETY FIVE - 95% of the time it is the fault of these two individuals. I remember a common belief is that when a bride is late it is the photographers fault- little do people know. BRIDES please infrom your makeup artist that there is more to the wedding than make up and to please have the bride and all of the bridesmaids finished AT LEAST 90 minutes before the wedding.

Another common reason brides are late is to big a bridal party with bridesmaids arriving late then finding that they left some item at home. Also every brides thinks of how adorable it would be to little Joe or Sue standing in their wedding, don't get me wrong now but first they must be able to stand then be able to walk up an aisle without crying in time to the music and without holding up the processional for 15 minutes.

Make up artist + hair dresser........................75% of the time

Bridal Party forgetting things........................ 10% of the time

Flowers, programs etc not being delivered ..5% of the time

Clothes not fitting properly ............................10% of the time

Please understand the circumstances, brides on the average only get married once, they donot understand the innerworkings of a wedding. The photogrtapher plays a crucial element in the weddings. He or she is there from the begining to the end - the only person who remains with you through out the day, not the florist nor the limodriver, cake baker or priest they all preform their services and leave. YOUR one and ONLY true confidant on that day is your photographer and realistically speaking perhaps the only TWO items that you will have from your wedding day is your ring and your photographs, and it is your photographs that is the true treasure becasue it is these that you share with your family and friends.

CHURCH

Brides please use music with an upbeat pace, your wedding starts at 9am. your arrive at the church at 9am. it takes 20 minutes to get organized outside the church, only another 38minutes to march up the aisle. It is now 10am your audience - guest have been seated from 8:30 if not earlier and you have not even reached to the altar as yet. Please read the earlier section about children in weddings.

GARDENS

It is always helpful for expediency to choose locations that are close and convenient and by this I mean if your are getting married at St. Marks in Fox Hill, to ask your guest and immediate family to drive to St. Gregorys Lyford Cay for the picture takeing and then to the Sheraton Grand -Paradise Island for the reception. Driving on this small island takes a considerable amount of time. Please plan accordingly if your church service is planned to finish by 11am. proceed directly to the car donot stop to conduct press conferences with ZNS.

Normally it takes 15 - 30 minutes to enter the limousine, 20 - 40 minutes to reach your destination, 10 minutes to all de-limousine, talk and reach the desired site. At least 35 minutes have passed and the first picture is not even taken as yet and your guest are perhaps already at the reception site thinking of steak, chicken and or fish.

IMPORTANT POINTS

In consultation with your photographer you can choose a spot that has the following attributes

SHADE

EASILY ACESSIBLE

SCENIC - COLOURFUL

NOT TO OPEN (WIND SITUATIONS)

The number one culprit of reception here is the sun, most weddings are between 10am. and Noon which means that by the time the garden photos are taken it is already 12:30 to 2:30pm.which is prime time for the heat. The resulting photographs will display squinted eyes, drained make up ( and where is your make up artist) drenched & stained clothing. It is so much easier to photograph early morning or late evening weddings.

RECEPTION

I love receptions or is it the cake and carrot or cheese cake, my only concern is DJ's & unprofessional Master of ceremonies who drag out a ceremony. Short, nice and sweet is the way it should be in other words well coordinated. Caterers should have the food prepared with adequate staff to serve the beverages as well as the food.

Remember consult your photographer early in the stages of planning your wedding he or she is the true professional for wedding advice, We are not only "picture takers" are some people tend to think. We're with you for the entire day...now isn't that worth our services.