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How about a trash the dress photo shoot?

This is your chance to let your hair down, quit worrying about staying clean and pristine, and capture some really fun photographs of you in your special dress.  The stress of the wedding and the need to get to the reception is gone, allowing you to enjoy yourself while creating some very relaxed images in unusual places.

Just how far you go in trashing your dress is up to you.  Getting wet, running through fields, lounging on rocks, making sandcastles.  In many cases, the dress is not really trashed, and a good dry-clean will restore it to as good as new.

To allow more time for capturing candid shots, you need to limit the number of posed group shots. This is particularly true immediately after the wedding ceremony, as the time you spend extracting yourself from the well-wishing and photo-hungry crowd will eat into the time many of you have allocated for your bridal and wedding party portraits.  Make sure you have a plan for how you will extract yourself quickly so that you can keep to your schedule.  You may want to discuss how best to skip the receiving line with your officiant.

There will, of course, be some group shots that you do want – and these should be identified on the shot list that you give to your wedding photographer.  Even if your ceremony and reception are held in the same place, consider taking these important group shots in a location that is away from the guests, and having only those involved in the photos present.   This will make everyone in the photo much more comfortable (they won’t feel as though they are on stage performing for a crowd), and will eliminate distractions so you can be guaranteed that everyone is looking in the right direction at the right time (nothing worse than having 10 people looking in the right direction and one not).

By doing this, you will cut down on the time required to take the group photographs that you really want and allow more time for the photographer to capture everyone else in candid moments.

However, one of the most important things you can do is relax, take your time, and savour the special moments.  It is only if you give yourself time to be in the moment and enjoy the moment that you will remember your wedding day clearly.

An added advantage is that by taking your time, you will allow your photographer to capture candid photos of not only what is happening, but also the emotions of all the people involved in those moments.  For example, if you run, your wedding photographer may be able to capture a couple of shots of you and whoever is giving you away walking down the aisle.  If you walk, your photographer can also capture a close-up of your emotion, a close-up of the emotion of your chaperon and a wide angle of your guests watching as you walk down the aisle.

Moments to take as slowly as possible:

• walking to the ceremony and down the aisle
• exchanging rings and sharing the first kiss.  Make sure you at least turn towards each other.  Even better, turn towards your guests and let everyone share these special moments with you.  (You may need to discuss this with your officiant beforehand).
• leaving the ceremony with the person you just married
• entering at the reception
• cutting the cake
• removing the garter
• leaving the reception

Taking things slowly will also make for happier guests, as they will be have more time to look at you and follow what is happening.

So move slowly, don’t be afraid to stop completely, and don’t look down!

For many, it is the moment they first lay eyes on the person they are about to marry.

The problem is that this generally occurs as the bride appears at the start of the ceremony.  Given the ceremony schedule, this means that there is no time for the bride and groom to connect emotionally, really talk to each other and savour the moment.  Before you know it, you are saying your vows, kissing, walking back down the aisle into a sea of well-wishers, being whisked off for a photo shoot and then off to the reception.  You often don’t get to spend a quiet moment alone until well into the evening!

An alternative is to arrange for your moment of  “first sight” or “first look” to occur several hours before the ceremony.  This allows you to enjoy a quiet moment together before becoming caught up in the whirlwind of the event.  Your wedding photographer will still capture this special moment from a discrete distance, and bridal portraits / formal photos can be taken straight after, allowing everyone to head off to the wedding reception with the guests.

• It is the perfect opportunity for you as a couple to get to know and build trust with your wedding photographer.  This will help everyone feel more comfortable on the wedding day, allowing for more relaxed and natural photos.
• It introduces the groom (in particular) to being in front of the camera
• It allows you to see how your wedding photographer works and their personality when directing and photographing people.
• You can brainstorm or test out ideas you think you would like to incorporate into your wedding shots.
• You can use an image from the engagement shoot for a save-the-date card or the wedding invite.

The better you know your photographer and the more experience you have in front of the camera before your wedding, the more fun you are going to have on the big day.   This is what will be reflected in your photos.

• Most important — make sure that the person you are marrying understands the importance you are placing on the photography and agrees to a specific amount of time for the photographs.  You will feel pressured to rush the photo shot if they lose focus and want to leave 10 minutes after the photographs have started.  To avoid time pressure (the desire to get to the reception as quickly as possible), think about scheduling a “first look” or “first sight” moment, or a 3-hour break between the ceremony and the reception.
• Communicate the decisions you have made as a couple to the rest of the wedding party.  Where, how long, and what will be required of them. Again communicate about the photography so that they understand that it is important to you.
• Arrange for a family member to help the photographer by rounding up the relevant people at the appropriate time during the wedding day.

Another opportunity for communication is to invite your wedding photographer to your wedding rehearsal.  This will allow the photographer to meet the wedding party and pass along important information about the photography on the day.

Important things to communicate to your photographer:

• Theme.  Many weddings have a theme, whether it be a colour theme or something a little more elaborate (e.g. a Broadway theme).  Make sure you explain the theme to your photographer and why you have chosen it (what is its significance).
• Style. Show your photographer examples of images that you love.  You may have found these on the internet or in wedding magazines, but they will give your photographer a good idea of the style you would like to go for with the wedding photography.
• Venues.  Is there a particular reason you have chosen the venues/locations you have?  Do they hold some special significance to you?  If so, explain the significance and the emotions associated with it to your photographer.
• Shot list. Make a list of all the “must have” shots and give to your photographer.  For group shots, remember that your photographer will not know most of the people at the wedding, so arrange for a family member to help the photographer by rounding up the relevant people at the appropriate time during the wedding day.
• Time allocated for photography. Make sure that as a couple, you have discussed and agreed to a certain amount of time for photographs.  You need to let your photographer know the amount of time you have agreed upon so that they know exactly how much time they have to create the images.
• Your own photography ideas. If you have specific ideas for shots you would like to have, let your photographer know!
• Your interests. Discuss your own individual interests with your photographer.  e.g. Do you play in a band?  Is that where you met your partner?  The photographer may be able to incorporate elements of this into your wedding photography.
• Tricky situations. If special circumstances exist between any of the guests, let your photographer know so that they may avoid uncomfortable situations.

Another opportunity for communication is to invite your wedding photographer to your wedding rehearsal.  This will allow the photographer to meet the wedding party and officiant, familiarise themselves with the venue(s) and pass along important information to others who will be involved in the photos on the day.

Scheduling the reception to start immediately after the ceremony

In this scenario, the guests head off to the reception straight from the ceremony.  On the other hand, the bride, groom and often the wedding party head in a different direction to have photographs taken.  Depending on the wedding party, this photo shoot can last at least an hour or two – that’s a lot of time for guests to be milling around a reception venue waiting for the most important people of the day to appear!

There are several solutions to this problem:

• Schedule the reception to start at least 2 hours (or however long you thing the photos will take) after the ceremony finishes.  Depending on the location, your guests can wander the gardens or grab a coffee before heading to the reception.  This also reduces the pressure on the bride, groom and wedding party during the photo shoot, as they are not constantly thinking about how quickly they can get to the reception.
• Arrange a “first sight” or “first look” moment (the moment where the bride and groom see each other for the first time) before the ceremony.   Although in this case that moment will not occur during the ceremony, their reaction will be genuine and you can choose a stunning backdrop for the occasion.  Having the bride and groom see each other before the ceremony also allows for the formal wedding portaits and wedding party photos to also be taken early, allowing the bridal party to accompany the guests to the reception.
• Arrange to take as many of the wedding party photos as possible before the ceremony.  Even if the bride and groom do not wish to see each other before the ceremony, there are plenty of group photos that can be taken that otherwise would take up valuable time between the ceremony and the reception:
  • bride and bridesmaids
  • bride and various combinations of her family
  • groom and groomsmen
  • groom and various combinations of his family

Scheduling the important parts of the reception for the beginning

Guests with young children or older guests may not be able to stay for the entire reception.  It is therefore better to schedule the speeches, cake cutting, first dance and bouquet toss earlier rather than later during the party.   Why not consider doing these things first up – right after you arrive.  Your entrance will already have attracted everyone’s attention and everyone will be there to enjoy these special moments.

An added advantage of arranging your reception in this manner is it may save you money on your wedding photography package!  Many photographers offer a slightly cheaper package to cover just the first hour of the reception (rather than the whole thing).

Arrange a specific location from which the speeches will be delivered

If there is no obvious place from which to make speeches (e.g. a podium or a bridal table), many people will automatically stand very close to a wall.   Before your wedding day, identify a specific location in the reception venue from where the speeches will be delivered.  Make sure it is located several steps away from any wall, and that the closest background (most likely a wall) does not have any distracting elements on it (e.g. a picture).  The other important thing is to communicate where the speeches should be held with your Master of Ceremonies (or whoever will be announcing the speeches) so that they know where to stand and direct people.   You will make your wedding photographer’s job much easier and your photos will almost always look better if you make these simple arrangements.

• If you are arranging for your bridal portraits to be taken at an inside venue (could be a good idea if it is going to be either roasting or freezing outside), keep in mind that the more natural light, the better. I have more photography-related tips for inside venues in another post.
• If you plan to have your bridal portraits taken at an outside location, remember that the weather is fickle, the light changes from season to season and it is important to have shade.  I have more photography-related tips for outside locations in another post.
• If the location you have chosen has strong sentimental value to you, make sure you explain this to your photographer.
• If you are scheduling your bridal portraits for between the ceremony and the reception, is it a good idea to choose a location that is between the two.  This saves on travel time and allows you to arrive at the reception more quickly.