Congratulations on your engagement!  You are about to experience the busiest and most straining yet exciting months in your life as you are starting to organise the many aspects of your wedding:  flowers, venues, dresses, hairdresser, entertainment, cars... and, let us not forget, your photographer.

Although you have a pretty clear understanding of the photography you want on the day, you will soon realise that each photographer has its own conception of what that photography should be, naturally based on specialisation, experience, skills and aptitude.  The main thing you have to understand is that there are not two photographers the same and, therefore, photography and results will vary greatly from one photographer to the next.  You will find similar terminology meaning in fact two different things and different terminology representing very similar style.  As if this was not bad enough, you will also be offered a staggering choice of coverage hours, locations, styles, albums, designs, additional products, qualities... and if you do find your way through all of it, you will be faced with a dazzling range of prices.  But don't worry, it is not as bad as it sounds.

What you should do to start with is to decide what style of photography you like.  You will see that there are many terms used but in fact there are really only three main forms of photography with a lot of variations in each.  These are reportage, traditional and contemporary.

Reportage is the style that will interfere the least with your schedule.  The photographer will capture your wedding from a "distance" and most of the time you might not even realise that they are working hard in the background.  The results are very natural and the photography will quite accurately follow the events of the day.  However, this type of photography always requires a certain level of post-production as the photographs are taken quickly to capture the action and the technical aspects tend to be left for later.  It is quite a normal process which does not reflect on the photographer's ability but you will have to check that this is included in the costs.

Traditional photography is totally posed, although these days, in order to be less obstrusive, a lot of photographers tend to relax the traditional rules of posing.  What you have to understand with this style is that it takes time and that the bigger the group, the more time it takes to gather all the guests and pose them.  It means that you, the bride and groom, have to wait between photographs as everyone is grouped or rearranged as requested.  If this is the style you want, make sure that your guests are aware of this in order to have their cooperation on the day.  There are occasionally a few "touch-ups" involved - closed eyes, people being distracted, etc - and again you want to make sure this is part of the service.

The final style is Contemporary which is a posed form of photography for the Bride and Groom only.  It is influenced by magazines and fashion and, therefore, it requires an artistical approach where everything has to be as perfect as possible from the setting to the pose to the lighting to the clothing to the expression.    As you guessed correctly, this requires time to be set aside in your schedule specifically for these photographs.  Additionally, a large amount of post-production work is required to polish the final look, usually referred to as the glamourised look or the airbrush technique.  By nature, this style is always used in conjunction with the other two styles and usually not on its own.

What you really want to decide is how much time you want to allocate to the photographer on your wedding day, knowing that this will take time away from the celebrations.  No time at all, then reportage is perfect.  Up to 30 minutes for some photographs of the two of you, then choose a mix of reportage with some traditional or contemporary photographs.  If you must have every combination of family groups in your album, then traditional will be on the agenda and you will need to plan your time carefully between your ceremony and the wedding breakfast to allow enough time for your photographer to satisfy your list of must-have shots.  If you want an album of contemporary photographs only, then you will need to allocate even more time.

Once you have decided which style will be used to capture your wedding for posterity, then you will need to research photographers.  Look for photographers locally, also close to your venue and in between the two locations.  You have plenty of options from Wedding Fayres to a number of index websites and, of course, the yellow pages and recommendations from venues, service providers and from friends and family.  Keep an open mind at this stage because what you want is choice in your chosen style. 

Check their website, their photography, their albums.   Photographers will distinguish themselves by their photographic styles, their skills in digital manipulation and artistry and what is included in their package.  Don't think budget yet.  Prices can be a strong deterrent and can potentially lead you to the wrong service and the sour consequences.  Consider prices only as a good indicator of what you actually get, a benchmark for:

• Level and quality of services,
• Quality and choice of products,
• Flexibility and availability of bespoke products,
  
• Quality and amount of equipment,
• Back up equipment, just in case,
• Extent of the photographer's skills and experience,
• Level of aptitude in design skills, digital manipulation and artistry... just to name a few.

Keep in mind that it is  not just someone who can take photographs that you need, because that's what "Uncle Bob" or "Aunty Sally" can do for free or for a  minimum fee, but also someone who can present them beautifully to you, remove distractions, open eyes, make your skin perfect if it isn't on the day, hide your tiredness if you did not sleep too well, treat you like a model and glamourise your looks, remove an unsightly fold on your perfect dress, change a background...  or even create a new photograph using elements from two or more shots.  There are limits, of course, to how much can be done but the point is that it can almost always be done, although not all photographers will have the skills to do it and for those who can, not all will be able to do it expertly.

Shorten your list and make an appointment to meet the photographers.  What you are looking for, besides the photography, is someone professional yet friendly with whom you feel comfortable.  You want to find out whether your personalities work together, how flexible they are and whether they offer value for money.  Do take your time to compare them and decide who you want to hire, bearing in mind that established photographers can be booked months if not years in advance. 

As soon as you have chosen your photographer, meet them again because now is the time to consider your budget, discuss the options and find a suitable package for you.  Yet, bear in mind that although it is natural to want to save money, the photography is not where you want to save it if you care about the results.  One of modern trends to cut costs is to get the copyright free photographs instead of an album and to create your album yourself or ask someone to do it, but it is a mistake.  Professional photographers are also professional designers.  They work with the final results in mind and each photograph will be taken with consideration to its particular role in your album.  If you ask someone else to compile an album for you, not only will you miss on the quality of the material but you will also miss on the quality of the design and likely on the final finish and life span of your photographs, especially if the photographs are provided straight from the camera, unedited.  So, if you care about your photography, save on flowers, save on the cake, save on anything else but remember that your photographs are to last you a lifetime and that they will be seen by many people.  Treat them as an investment and consider it better to spend a little more on what you want than save a little and live to regret it.

1. Choose the style you like.
2. Research photographers in that style.  Consider:
• Service level,
• Product choice,
• Post-production skills,
• Flexibility.
3. Meet the short-listed photographers.
   
• Are they professional?
  
• Are you comfortable around them?
• How flexible can they be?
• Do they offer value for money?
  
4. Choose the right one, discuss budget with them and book as soon as possible.

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It might sound strange to you but from now on, you and your photographer are a team with your photography as the common goal.  Therefore, it is important that you should:

• Talk to your photographer about anything specific you might have in mind and see how they are planning on delivering it. 
• Discuss suggestions you may have had from your venue in terms of backdrops for your photography. If it is the first time they work at your venue, then they should offer to go and check the suggestions for suitability from a photographic perspective.
• Seek advice on "tricks of the trade" to help you stand at your best on your wedding day.
• Advise them of anything that they should consider on the day, such as walking, seeing or hearing impairments that they should take into account.
• If you have any concerns, especially about yourselves on photographs, or simply feel camera shy, then talk to your photographer about it.  If you have not organised one yet, plan to have an Engagement Photo Shoot before the wedding, it will help you get accustomed to the camera and photographer and help you relax on the day.
  
• Make sure that you inform your photographer of any changes that might affect him, such as a change of location, time or date.
• Make sure that you listen and follow the advice that your photographer gives you.  Understand that your ideas and suggestions might not always work or be possible and you must trust their advice before and during the wedding day and act on it.

• Suggested locations will be available on your wedding day, especially at the venue where some areas will be reserved exclusively for the other guests or might be shut for repairs.
  
• Outdoor locations have some natural shade in case of strong sun-light: trees, shelters, etc.  and that they have some covered areas too in case of rain, snow or gales: conservatory, summerhouse, shelter, etc.
• If the venue does not provide any of the above, make sure there is something adequate nearby.
• You enquire about any restrictions applying to your photography, especially  during the ceremony and that you take this into account when you are booking your wedding. 
  

• Consider the time of year at your location as light will fade faster and earlier depending on the seasons.
• Compensate for the loss of one hour which occurs when we move to winter time.
• Take into account the geography of your wedding location as light will disappear a lot earlier and more quickly in mountainous areas than in plains.
• Consider the possibility that the weather might be dull on the day resulting in light levels disappearing sooner and faster and, in some cases, in the loss of opportunities.
• Allocate time for all your guests to travel and park from the ceremony to the venue.  If the travel takes 20 minutes, include more time in direct relation to the number of guests and transport available.
  
• Allow a realistic amount of time for your photographer to meet all of your requirements for the styles required.
• Include time for you to be alone with your guests while the photographer can move on to the dining room settings, the cake or satisfy guests requests.
• Make sure you allocate someone familiar with your guests to gather them in a timely manner for the photographs.
• Set aside 20-30 minutes alone with the photographer for some personal photographs.
• If you suspect that schedule will be tight, then you could consider moving the time of your ceremony just to make sure or you might decide to have all your photographs taken inside or be happy to sacrifice some of your photography.

Remember that you and your photographer are now working together as a team and, therefore, to avoid disappointment communication is key to success.  Talk about:

• Your ideas,
• The suggestions you received,
• Anything that might impact on his work on the day,
• Any changes to the plans,
  
• Locations,
• Timings,
• And do get an Engagement Photo Shoot!
• But also listen to him, his advice and act upon it.
  

Please, let us know how helpful these guidelines were for you by sending your comments using our Contact Form.  We do care...

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Here are a few guidelines will help you look your best on your wedding day. 

Poses

How you put your feet, your head, your hands... can make all the difference to your posture.  Our eyes do not perceive it as we move all the time but on a still photograph, it becomes more obvious.  By following a few simple "tricks of the trade",  you can help your photographer capture beautiful images quickly, leaving you more time to enjoy your guests.  You will also ensure that your album has a consistent look. 

During the engagement photo shoot, Lightscape Creations provide you and your partner with the necessary training and practice.  Together as a team...

Accessories

One of the secrets to beautiful photographs lies in simplicity: simple backgrounds, simple clothing, simple accessories.  Make sure that all accessories from veil to jewelry are ornated yet simple and complement each other.

Make-up

• Too much quickly becomes a distraction on photographs.  Unless, of course, this is the desired effect, then better keep it simple, natural.  Brides are normally recommended to adopt a more glamourous approach to their everyday look unless the dress calls for a stronger style.
  
• Have a trial before hand for many obvious reasons:
• Ensure that you are happy with the look,
• Check whether you might be allergic to any of the make-up, although, if concerned, you can ask to use your own brands.
• Verify the amount of time you'll need in your schedule.
  
• You will be nervous and excited that morning, so get someone to do it for you: a bridesmaid, a friend, a family member or a professional.  The obvious advantage of the latter is that they will know how to enhance your natural features and still maintain a very natural look.
• Make sure you use a waterproof make-up, especially the mascara and a long-lasting lipstick.  If it does not rain, you will go through some very emotional moments which may disturb your make-up.  I can assure you that the last thing you want to do on your wedding day is to run to the ladies room every five minutes.
• In terms of lipsticks and blushers...
• Light pinks tend to disappear on photographs.  Choose a shade sustained with some red.
• Dark red lipsticks and heavy blushers turn darker and more obvious in black and white photography, resulting in a very unnatural effect.
• Orange and red tones will make your teeth look brownish in colour photography while pinky-browns will whiten your teeth.

Hands

Treat yourself and your future husband to a professional manicure.  Your hands will appear close up in many photographs (cake cutting, registry signing, rings...) and nails will have to look their best. 

Hair Removal

If you intend to have any hair removed on legs, armpits, eyebrows. etc then make sure you get it done a couple of days before the wedding.  Hair removal tend to leave some swelling and/or redness which may take a couple of days to disappear.

Diet

I know that you are already thinking of loosing weight to fit into that beautiful dress you saw in the magazine...  But be careful in your diet because it can greatly affect your skin, making it look tired, loose and dull.  It will also affect the way you feel which will show in your eyes.

Here are a few general guidelines to help you on your way but if in doubt, seek expert advice from a dietician and follow it.

• Give yourself plenty of time and be realistic about what you can achieve.
  
• Eat well, do not starve yourself.
• Eat a varied and balanced diet with food containing vitamin E for the skin.
• Always eat fruit on an empty stomach if you are prone to bloating.
• Drink plenty of water - it's good for stress as well as the skin.
• Eat lettuce and yogurts, it's good for digestion.

Stress

The next few months will be very testing yet you may not realise it as you will be busy organising everything and very excited about it too.  As soon as you start feeling stressed, then you should do something about it but it is best to prevent it altogether.  Some simple and natural prevention are:

• Stretch-based exercises.  As movements are slow by nature, you are less likely to harm yourself, you will tone your body and you will have improved relaxation and suppleness.
• Gentle walking for 40 minutes every day. 
• Good organisation by:
  
• Writing lists down,
  
• Putting realistic target dates to achieve each items,
• Delegating tasks to the bridesmaids, bestman, family members and friends.  They will be more than happy to help.

Check our Health Care section on our Wedding Service Suppliers Review and Links page for advisers and suppliers.

Please, let us know how helpful these guidelines were for you by sending your comments using our Contact Form.  We do care...

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If you are looking for some ideas, here is what we suggest:

Umbrellas

White is best, especially if your dress is white.  It diffuses the light, hence removing dark shadows on your face and gown and the colour won't "stain" your face and your dress.

Clear is good too, although they tend to be shiny if flash needs to be used.

If you cannot get either of them, then try and match a dominant colour in the scheme of the bridesmaids, flowers, kilt... and match your party's umbrella to one colour which can look stunning on the photographs.

Confettis

These are not always allowed but you can easily substitute them for:

• Dried or fresh flower petals,
  
• Autumn leaves,
  
• Rice, although by experience I can say that it tends to be painful and gets everywhere: hair, clothing...
• Colour handkerchieves,
• Balloons filled with gas, however they should not be released as they eventually burst and birds can chock easily on the pieces,
  
• Doves,
• Soap bubbles...

Flowers

Have you thought about using paper, plastic or material flowers to decorate your wedding and your party.  Quality is so goog these days that you would not believe that they are fake.  It has also the advantage of lasting for a very long time and will provide another keepsake of your wedding.

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