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February 21, 2017

4 WEDDING DAY EXPECTATIONS EXPLAINED

One of the most important things I think about when helping my clients prep for their wedding day is expectations. One of my goals in setting expectations is having clear communication and educating my clients in all aspects of the wedding day, from start to finish. I never want my clients to be surprised by anything that I do on wedding day or have concerns when the wedding day approaches or draws to a close. Communicating everything upfront saves everyone from stress, confusion, and disappointment.

A few areas where expectations should be set.

  1. Group Photos. I have a basic set-up for how I photograph family formals (I’ve mentioned it before in this blog post, HERE). Basically I start with either the bride or groom’s immediate family and save larger group photos until later depending on the time given. BRIDE TIP: Create your formals list ahead of time so I can have a list ahead of time and help you plan the right amount of time for those photos to take place! You may also want to ask your parents or groom’s parents if there are any special family groups they want.SaraWahSun-123_WEB

2. Portrait Time. Things to consider – Are you doing a First Look? If yes, you’ll have a lot more time to take those photos than rushing before the reception. If no, what time is the ceremony? What time is sunset? Consider how much time you have before the reception starts to fit in other bridal party and family formals. Wedding expectations about portraits time are one of the most important areas that I like to educate my clients on. It takes TIME for all sets of portraits and making sure you have enough time for everything helps us plan a realistic timeline for bridal party, family, and bride & groom portraits. At most – I’ll take as much time as I can get! What I suggest planning for is 30 minutes for each set of pictures. Ideally, I’ll take bride and groom portraits twice throughout the day – first look & sunset portraits! BRIDE TIP: Remember to check sunset times to make sure your extended portrait hour isn’t happening after dark! Daylight savings time can really screw things up if you forget to check 😉

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3. Ceremony. This doesn’t apply to outdoor ceremonies as much, but, typically in churches, there can be strict rules about where photographers are allowed to stand. I’ve been in churches where I’m only allowed to shoot from the balcony or from the back of the church – which makes it hard to get some of the shots that you might want be expecting me to take! BRIDE TIP: Ask your officiant if there are any rules for photographers during the ceremony!VolantWedding-427

leuck-wedding-517_web4. Light & Style.  When you hire your wedding photographer – you’ve probably fell in love with their style. I, myself, shoot pretty true to life with bright happy colors and also gorgeous golden hour shots – mostly in natural light settings. The only time I use flash is during receptions! If you were the type of person who wanted dark, contrast-y nighttime photos, you probably wouldn’t want to hire me. BRIDE TIP: Research different photographers and decide which style you like. Hire a photographer who presents images in the style you are seeking!
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Let me know if this post helped you or if you have any questions! Tell me in the comments below

View more Client Education posts, HERE!xoxo bd