YOUR WEDDING GUIDE
tips, tricks and advice for you and your beautiful day!
Hi! I’m so happy we can be here together! I have endless excitement and gratitude for the fact that I get to witness and document your love on what is sure to be the best day of your life.
This is such an wonderful, joyful chapter of your lives, but I know that planning a wedding can get overwhelming at times; there are so many small and large details to consider, and there are countless sources both online and offline that will provide you with enough information to make your head spin. It’s amazing to have instant access to so much help and expertise, but on the flip side I realize that this wealth of information can make it tricky to know which way to turn and which direction to move in.
SO. First and foremost:
This is about you and your story.
My parents had a cute little DIY wedding. They were just kids, and they were (and are!) so in love. They picked up their cake from Safeway on the way to the reception, my mom made her own wedding dress, and my grandfather (an amazing artist and photographer) documented it all on film. And you should just see how their happiness makes them glow in those wedding pictures. The truth is, the lavishness of your wedding does not define your happiness as a couple. Your day can be whatever you want it to be. It’s so easy to get caught up in the “shoulds” and external expectations when shaping your wedding day, but at its core, your day is about the connection and love you share. That’s it! That’s where the beauty really lies. So go ahead and order that gorgeous 5-tier custom cake or head to Sobeys and grab a few buckets of cream puffs. Both are great! The point is that you need to do what resonates with you and your values.
And I’ll be there to capture it all, cheering you on all the way along!
My purpose in creating this guide is not to rigidly dictate what you should and shouldn’t do; instead, I’m here to answer some frequently asked questions with the intention of helping you keep your big day as stress-free as possible. More than anything, as you read through this page, I want you to remember: every wedding is different. Your wedding is special and unique to you. These tips and tricks are not a one-size-fits-all approach, but rather an averaging of the observations and experiences I’ve had over the years.
We’re in this together!
How much time do we need for photos between the ceremony and the reception?
As a general rule, I suggest allotting 45 minutes for formal family photos (I try to keep family photos short and sweet because I know that very few people like to stand around waiting to have their photo taken, but it can still take a bit of time to gather everyone!), 30 minutes for wedding party photos, and 45 minutes for the couple to step away, take a few deep breaths, and have their couple photos taken.
Some couples prefer to split this up (i.e. formal family photos before the ceremony, with wedding party and couple photos after the ceremony), but the most common choice is to take care of all three components between the ceremony and the reception. In this case, I recommend an average of two hours for photos. It doesn’t always mean that the full two hours is completely taken up by photos; but, in my experience, it is a significantly better experience for all involved if there’s a little bit of wiggle room. It’s easier to catch relaxed, authentic images if you don’t feel like we’re rushing from one thing to the next.
Photo locations can influence these times. If you want to keep things simple and take care of all photos in the same location, you only need to consider the shooting/gathering time. But let’s say you want to do family/wedding party photos in one place and then travel to a new spot for couple photos: you’ll want to factor in travel time in addition to shooting time.
Ultimately, I can work with whatever time frame feels best to you of course! My top priorities are centred around getting the photos you want and capturing the relationships between you and your loved ones while also keeping things as stress-free as possible!
What time of day is best for photos?
I’ll start by saying that we can definitely make the most out of any lighting situation, but in an ideal world, the two hours before sunset are best because they provide the softest, most flattering light!
However, we also have your reception and dinner to consider of course! Sunset is around 7:30 in late September/early October, so when factoring in a reasonable reception start time as well as photos, your best bet is late afternoon/early evening for photos. We can always sneak you newlyweds out of the reception for a few minutes around sunset if that’s something you’re interested in (that’s when we get that beautiful golden light!).
If photos are scheduled for earlier in the day, we can create softer, more flattering light by finding locations that diffuse the light and produce shaded areas.
And now for a fun little visual presentation of some of the factors that can affect our light: namely, time of day, location, and weather:
GOLDEN HOUR (1-2 hours before sunset)
BLUE HOUR (after sunset)
LATE AFTERNOON SUNSHINE
LATE AFTERNOON CLOUDS
MID-DAY SUNSHINE
MID-DAY CLOUDS
Where should we seat you, the photographer, during the dinner/reception?
The short answer: I’m easy! I’m truly happy with whatever feels best for you, but if you’re hoping for solid candid images, put me in the middle of the action!
The longer answer: If you’d prefer that I sit in a separate room for my dinner, that’s totally fine! I recognize that there’s not always enough space to seat your vendors in the same room as the guests for their meal. Those little candid moments between family, friends, guests and the couple will be much easier to miss if I’m not in the room. From experience, no matter how hard I try, it can be extremely difficult to hear and see cues for those little moments if I’m running back and forth between rooms. My preference is to be seated at a table with the guests in semi-close proximity to the head table, or wherever the couple is sitting. That way, I can witness the small moments as they unfold and produce a more thorough documentation of this part of the day.
My fiancé and I are getting ready in different locations during the morning of our wedding day. Can you still photograph both of us during the getting-ready process?
Yes I can!
We will need to chat about my arrival and departure times for both locations, and we will need to be strategic about the timing of certain moments so that I don’t miss anything important for either of you. For instance, I can show up to photograph the bride getting her hair and makeup done and I’ll also capture some detail shots of the flowers and dress; then I’ll leave to photograph the groom putting his suit on and hanging out with his friends for a bit (perhaps the bridesmaids are having their hair and makeup done at this point), and then hop back over to the bride’s location to photograph the moments in which she puts on her dress and wows her bridesmaids!
However, if you are more than a 20-minute drive from each other, it may be better to consider adding a second photographer to my team, even if you only feel like you need them for the getting-ready portion of the day.
Can we request a list of certain pictures to be taken?
You can! I’m all for organization and clear communication of expectations.
There are three parts to this answer.
I always ask if there are specific details or moments that are extremely important to you- things that I otherwise wouldn’t necessarily know about. For example, let’s say that you’re wearing a grandmother’s ring as part of your wedding jewelry collection. To me, it might just look like a pretty ring (and I would photograph it anyways of course!), but to you it is one of your most treasured possessions and it holds so much personal meaning. I want to make sure I catch that. So tell me all about it- no detail is too big or too small! I want to know what’s important to you because your happiness is important to me. It’s easier to capture the true essence of something or someone when I know the stories behind that item or that person.
For every wedding I photograph, the one thing I will request is a list of specific groupings for family photos. For example….
- Bride and bride’s mother
- Bride and immediate family
- Bride and groom with parents
- Groom and cousin _______
- Groom and immediate family
- etc.
Without this list, there’s a chance I might accidentally miss a shot you wanted of just you and a close aunt, who I wouldn’t have otherwise known about! The list really helps us with efficiency and ensures that I don’t miss anyone. Trust me: it may not seem like a big deal leading up to the wedding day, but when you’re surrounded by your entire extended family and they’re all asking you what you want and making their own requests, it’s very difficult to stay organized and stress-free without a list.Don’t worry too much. I’ve got you covered. I am here for you and my whole purpose is to thoroughly document your day in all its beauty and glory. It’s all about communication and trust; tell me all your hopes and dreams and wishes, and then just focus on your love and let yourself get swept away by the knowledge that you get to spend the rest of your life with your soulmate!
Any more questions for me at this point? Send me an email!