There is so much information on the internet about wedding planning and preparation, it can be quite overwhelming for the bride and groom to take it all in. This blog has seven simple key points that will help guide you through the basic preparation for your wedding photography. All the information in this blog is absolutely necessary for the preparation of your special day. You may ask yourself “Shouldn’t my wedding photographer take care of all the planning?”. Yes, most of it will be planned by your photographer, if you find a good professional, but you still need some basic info to get you started. Having extensive experience as a professional wedding photographer, I have found that overloading clients with too much information can make them lose focus and forget the simple but essential elements that make their wedding photography flow smoothly. Getting the basics right the first time will ensure that your photographer will provide you with the best possible results. There is a lot of useful information on blogs and the internet but for now all you really need are the basics to get you started.

Once you find a photographer they will be able to go through all of the detailed planing with you at a later date. I provide an extensive wedding planning guide for my clients and this will possibly be available as a blog at a later date. The guide includes location ideas, logistics, dresses, and much more information. If you are interested you can contact me at: www.aaronphoto.co.nz or click on the link below.

Before you make any decisions on venues and locations, please read all of this before booking your venue. The advice given here will go a long way to getting the best out of your photographer on the day and making your wedding more enjoyable.

You may make a copy of this and keep it on file.

Good luck!

I have broken this content into seven short sections to keep it simple.

1. Book in advance!

2. Venues / Reception

3. Family Shots

4. Main Photo Shoot

5. Timing issues!

6. What qualifies a professional photographer?

7. Budget!

1. Book in advance!  

A good photographer will most likely be booked a year to possibly two years in advance. 

Yes, its true!  Start looking as soon as you can. Trying to book within six months will almost be impossible...  almost.  Many couples book their wedding venue first. This is fine, but how much do you value your precious images from the day. If you use a good professional, they will be the best wedding investment you make. Why choose a pro? Check out the blogs listed at the end of this page to give you a better understanding.

2. Venues / Reception

When choosing a venue it is very important to know any time restrictions the venue might have.  Some venues can limit your photographic time severely.  Before you book make sure the venue can cater for your photographic time requirements. 

Venues like vineyards can be open to the public earlier on your wedding day.  This will limit the times for your main events.  A good venue should provide a flexible and professional service.  If you want your photos taken close to sunset, this is an important thing to consider.  It is very important to check with your photographer before confirming any times.

3. Family Shots

Keep it simple and your group shots short.  It is less complicated if you organize fewer group shots.   Groups of approximately 6 - 10 people are ideal.  You will need to allow for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour. If you are having photographs taken at the reception you can have candid and more intimate shots of your family and friends.  This is better for some individual portraits.  It is vital to find one or two people that know your family and are excellent at organizing.  This will give the photographer time to concentrate on the job. 

Also having someone else take care of things will reduce a lot of stress and will enable you to enjoy yourself.  Provide them with a basic list of both families. It is important to let the person or people you have chosen for this task know how important it is.  This is the most chaotic part of the day and people tend to wander off to socialize, forgetting they have a job to do in a small amount of time.

So you will need to find someone reliable.

Never serve hors d’ouevres or canapes while your family shots are being taken.

Wine and any other drinks are fine.  No-one likes photographs of family with food in their mouths.  Also it makes organizing family members very difficult as everyone wanders off in their own direction looking for food.

4. Main Photo Shoot. / How much time will you need for the shoot?

This is something you will need to discuss with your photographer.

An ideal time for your main photo shoot is approximately 2 hrs.  Any less can be quite stressful for you and the photographer.  The main shoot will include the family shots. So in reality the photos taken away from the family will be about 1 - 1 1/2 hrs.  So you will not be away from your family for that long.  If you have the option to take your main photos before the ceremony or after the reception, that can work well, depending on how traditional you are.  Just remember you need to factor in traveling in a vehicle and on foot.

Having a hot reception lunch and photo shoot after the reception can work well for sunsets and give you more time and flexibility to do something a little different. You could always return to the reception for the dessert and party.  

Photos before the ceremony can also be great as you will have more time to work with. This will make your shoot more relaxing and will give you more creative options. 

There are no rules, it’s your wedding.

It’s a good idea to prepare a hamper for the main shoot.  

It’s very likely you will be very hungry by the time you return from the main shoot.

Food and drinks will make you feel more relaxed and it will give you something to do.

If your venue is supplying you a hamper, make sure all the food is simple and served cold.

Hot hampers can sometimes take a while to get to you. This can put a hold on your photo shoot. Every minute is precious, especially if you are traveling.

5. Timing Issues!

This is what will catch most couples out.

You have just finished your ceremony and leave the church or venue to get ready for your family shots.  You then realize that there are many people wanting to meet and greet you.  You had not factored this extra time in and are now under pressure.

No one wants to feel pressured on their wedding day, but because there are so many things to consider this will most likely be one of the things you haven’t thought about.

The list below is a standard time buffer you need to allow for different events of the day.

You will be surprised how much time you can lose throughout the whole day.

Once you have considered these key timings you will find that your day will be much more relaxing.  This is something you will need to go into great detail with your photographer when you meet.

Time: Getting ready

What ever time you think you need to leave for the ceremony, plan to be ready in your dress 30 minutes before.  Time will go by very quickly while getting ready.

For a bridal party with three bridesmaids, you will need approximately 4 hours +

Time: Ceremony

Allow for a 5 - 15 minute delay for your arrival at the ceremony venue.

Time: Meet and Greet

You will need 15 - 30 minutes for the meet and greet after the service.

Time: Family Shots

Allow for approximately 30 minutes - 1 hour for the the family photos.

If you are having a shot of everyone, that can take up to 15 minutes alone.

Time : Leaving to go on your main shoot

This should be as quick as hopping into a car and leaving.

Sorry, all of your bridal party have become sheep and wandered off!

Allow for about 15 minutes.

Time: Main Shoot

This will depend on how much time you have allocated for your events and if there are any time restrictions with your venue.  Don’t let the venue pressure you, its your day.  If you think the venue cannot adjust the time to your requirements then you might need to consider using a more flexible venue.  Most photo shoots including your family shots will take about 2 hours.  Any less can cause a lot of unnecessary stress.  You want your day to be fun and relaxing. Just remember for a 2 hour shoot, you will probably be away from your family for just over an hour. Not that long really. 

Time : Reception

Not too much to worry about here.

If your venue has a buffet style of dinner then you will have a bit of flexibility with when you can arrive back. If you are being served a la carte, you will need to be back on time.  To the minute, almost.  Most professionals are good with timing and will get you back on time or within a 5 minute window.

6. What qualifies a professional photographer?

This is a difficult question. There are many great internationally recognized wedding photographers.  The problem is that there are many photographers with recognized qualifications that are not at the top of their field.

On the flip-side there are many photographers who do not hold national or international qualifications but produce outstanding work and have very high professional standards.

It is one thing to be talented, but to be talented and have a highly professional approach to their work and business is the difference you need to look for. These attributes can be recognized with a little research when looking for your photographer.  

Don’t be afraid to ask questions like:

“Do you have any personal or professional references that I can contact directly?”

“What are your contract and copyright policies?”

“What facilities do you have for backing up our wedding photos?”

“What professional equipment do you use?”  (google, professional wedding camera equipment before asking that one, so you know what you are talking about)

“How long have you been a photographing weddings?”

“Please can you show me some of your recent work?”

7. Budget!

No one likes this one. If you find a photographer that is prepared to only charge $400.00 USD then it is quite likely they will not have the experience and professional standards that are required to capture your precious memories and deliver you a quality product.  

Prices for wedding photographers will vary considerably depending on their experience and wealth of knowledge. 

Running a business with professional equipment, overheads and staff all add to this. It is wise to invest in a professional.  A good way to work out your wedding photography budget is to check your alcohol costs. If your wedding photography is under that then you might need to re-consider your priorities. Remember your images will last forever.

Thats it, I welcome any feedback and wish you all the best for your wedding day.

Thanks Aaron Goodwin.

Copyright Aaron Goodwin Photography:  Images and content: All rights reserved 2009 - 2010