Define Your Personal Style:

When booking a photographer, be sure to communicate the style of photography that you want. If you only want traditional pictures, make sure your photographer knows that. If you want photojournalistic pictures, make sure your photographer knows how to capture those candid moments. Communication with your photographer about the style of pictures you want is key!!

I always encourage my brides to collect samples of photos that they love - and photos that they don't like... when I see these images, it gives me a clear idea of their style!

Tears and Tissues

Tissues are a mess so instead try this: Place a cotton handkerchief in the grooms' pocket, the bride has no where to put one. This way if she tears up the groom can take out the hankie offer it to her or dab the tears himself. It will be a beautiful moment for everyone. You may need to practice this so he doesn't ruin her makeup. And who knows, plenty of grooms tear up too. This is more elegant than the back of his hand

Photos Before the Ceremony

We tell many of our brides to rethink the only-one-hour-between-ceremony-and-reception-for-pictures rule. Here's how that standard timeline really works (imagine you're the bride): The ceremony begins a little late, because a bridesmaid couldn't find her shoes. You're totally flustered, but it's time to walk down the aisle. You eagerly await that "First Glance" of your groom. Except the you're coming down a long aisle, or from down the beach, or the back of the room. The guests stand, and all you groom sees is the top of a veil moving toward him. He may get choked up, but by the time the you reach him, he's masked his emotions again.

The ceremony ends and it takes 15 minutes for the guests to file out of their seats. That 1 hour is cut down to 45 minutes. You and the bridal party will also need about 15 minutes to get to the reception site and get settled. 45 minutes is now only 30. In that half hour, we can do all the "must have" pictures -- family, bridal party, lined up side by side. But that's all. Then you're whisked away to the reception, where family and friends tell you how great you look, and there's a first dance, and a cake cutting, and dinner, and dancing... Everyone has a great time, but there's a problem. On the most romantic day of your life, you haven't had the chance to say more than 3 words to your new hubby! The night ends, and you go home, totally exhausted.

Now let's rewrite that script. You plan for your bridal party to be completely dressed and ready an hour and a half before the ceremony. No last minute rush. You and your groom have arranged a pre-ceremony reveal. You leave all your bridesmaids behind for a special rendezvous. Outside, in a courtyard, or perhaps on the beach, your groom nervously waits for you. His back is turned.

You silently walk up behind him and tap him on the shoulder.

He turns and sees you for the first time, close enough to touch, his eyes full of love. He can see every little detail up close. You giggle, he looks down at his shoes, you hug, you kiss. You two are alone in the world for this special moment.

When the butterflies in your stomach subside, you have a chance to talk. You tell him how you could hardly sleep last night; he tells you that he couldn't find his socks and is wearing a mismatched pair. After you've reconnected, your photographers (who've secretly been photographing all along) take the time for some romantic photos that you wouldn't have had time for after the ceremony.

Now, there's still an hour until the ceremony, so we bring the bridal party and the family out for the must-haves. It's all out of the way. A half hour before the ceremony, you and your groom go back inside and sip champagne in a private room and chat until it's time to walk down the aisle.

During that cocktail hour? Let's wander around and take those fun pictures with the bridal party that you always wanted!

Wedding Photography Tips for Brides

Brides want their marriage ceremony to be perfect. Part of making this memorable occasion nothing short of spectacular is to involve the right people behind the scenes. Everything from the cake, to the music, to the photographs need to be spot-on. However, when it comes to pictures, wedding photography tips for brides can help assure the bride-to-be that she will look absolutely stunning.

The first thing for a lady to do is take the time to know her photographer. Making the extra effort to meet with the man or woman photographing the event will allow both the subject and the photographer to gain a feel of what to expect from each other. Sending an assistant to do this is usually not recommended. The bride will want to discuss options such as black and white pictures, an assistant will not always know what the bride truly wants.

Photographer’s who have been in the business for many years are very good at knowing what poses compliment different body types. More often than not a series of pictures of the bride, and in some cases the wedding party, are taken before the actual ceremony. This allows more than enough time for posing for the camera.

Photographer’s are artists. While they do not paint with a brush or make clay sculptures, they bring together contrasting colors coupled with light and emotions. Pictures can be bold and sharp or dreamy and subdued. Brides are encouraged to relay any ideas ahead of time as far as poses or backgrounds are concerned. Backgrounds make a huge difference in the outcome of a photograph. Studio shots and outdoor shots should both be discussed.

The absolute most important thing is attitude. Emotions show in photographs. The bride is encouraged to ignore the fact there is even a photographer present. She should do her best to calm her mind and simply let her own personality shine through. There is no need to always look into the camera, it is the photographer’s job to capture a variety of angles.

Facial expressions become fake if they are held for too long. Photographer’s know this. The goal is to capture the emotion in an instant. This is one reason why numerous pictures are taken. When all elements are right, no other picture can surpass the bride’s.

Paying attention to detail makes a big difference. Well-manicured fingernails are a must. Chipped polish and jagged edges are obvious in pictures. This is not what a bride will want to see in her pictures. Hair and make-up needs to be finished off just right. Runny eyeliner and mascara should not be worn as most brides do shed a tear or two on her big day.

There are many wedding photography tips for brides available. Personal friends, relatives, and wedding planners can share their ideas. Gaining input from other photographers and art directors are excellent methods for creating age-defying portraits.

Color is our friend...

It is surprising the number of brides I encounter who are either afraid of, or resistant to, using color in their weddings. Like many aspects of wedding planning, choosing a color palette can seem overwhelming at first. Often I hear brides say “We are just going to stick with natural tones,” but in most cases what they are really saying is, “I am scared to commit to a color palette, so I’m just not having one.” This just makes me sad. Color is a wedding’s best friend. If you are capable of making the huge decision to spend the rest of your life with this guy, you are capable of committing to a color palette. Here are some things to remember when trying to get over that scary COLOR hurdle:

“Color palette” does not have to be synonymous with “matchy-matchy”.

I have heard this on several occasions: “I’m not really into the whole ‘matchy-matchy’ look.” OK cool. You don’t have to be. Utilizing a color palette in your wedding decor doesn’t mean that every single detail of your wedding day down to your toenail polish has to coordinate. Think about it like you would think about your wardrobe. You may not be the kind of girl who matches her bag and her shoes every day, but you still try to put together some sort of cohesive look. The same can apply to your wedding. Like Stacey on What Not To Wear says, “It doesn’t have to ‘match’ is has to ‘go.’ If you are afraid of the matchy-matchy syndrome, maybe you pick 6 colors instead of just 2 or 3 so that there are plenty of options at each turn and you end up with cohesion but not matchy-matchy.

Flowers come in colors, not in transparent.

It’s likely that flowers are going to play a fairly significant role in your decor, so give your florist something to work with. I’m no botanical expert, but if you go to him/her and say “We are just using shades of taupes and grays” you are kind of limiting what they can do for you. While all-white flowers can be stunning, adding color can really give your wedding a huge “wow” factor. In most cases a smaller arrangement of brightly colored flowers will add the same amount of drama as a larger arrangement of white/ neutral flowers. And even without being an expert on the cost of flowers, generally speaking I can tell you that buying less flowers is cheaper than buying more flowers

Using a color palette is a FREE way to personalize your event.

Everyone wants their wedding to be special and personal to them. If your friends and family know that you love a certain color, they will be delighted to see that color at your wedding. But even if you use a palette of colors you have never even thought about before in your life, if you use it throughout the event from invitations down to decor details and favors, you will have personalized your wedding.

Color can transform a space.

Especially if you have an indoor venue, you are not working with a completely blank canvas when designing your wedding. You may have wall colors, carpets, etc. to contend with. By having a color palette for your wedding decor, you are essentially saying to your guests “Things in this color palette are part of our wedding.” This can be a good thing if there are permanent design elements in the space that you don’t necessarily love. Your guests eyes will be drawn to the things that are part of your wedding, and away from the things you cannot control. If your wedding is being held in a space where your guests have been many times before, like your childhood church or a popular ballroom, utilizing a color palette will help transform it so that it looks completely unlike the way they have seen it in the past.

If you’re not creative, you don’t have to come up with the color palette yourself.

Your vendors can help. Believe me when I tell you that your wedding planner, florist, and even stationery designer would all be delighted to give you ideas about color. But even just leafing through one of your favorite clothing or home decor catalogs can give you ideas. And of course the online resources are endless.

It’s ok if your fiance doesn’t want to give input on this.

I have spent many an hour of my life in invitation consultations where the bride keeps asking her fiance “Which color do you like best?” and he responds “Whatever you like best, honey.” And repeat. Finally I jump in and say “If (insert fiance’s name here) felt strongly about this I think he would give you his opinion. Maybe you should take the reins on this one.” The hard truth is that unless you insist that every aspect of the wedding must be Pepto pink, dudes really just aren’t that interested in color schemes. Does this mean that they don’t care about you or the wedding? No. It just means that this is not something he feels strongly about, so if you pick something that makes you happy then he will be happy too. Let him give input on things he has an opinion about, like what band to hire or what brand of bourbon to serve.

The bottom line is DON’T BE AFRAID OF COLOR. Unlike your fiance, you are not marrying the color palette for better or for worse. You are just dating it throughout the course of your wedding planning process. If you decide after the wedding to break up with it and move on to a different palette, then on harm, no foul. It served is purpose and nobody got hurt

Remembering Your Wedding Day

It goes without saying that remembering your wedding day for the rest of your lives is very important. Undoubtedly one of the best ways to do this is by having some great pictures to look back on. Photography is one of the most essential aspects of any wedding, and it's vital that you get it right. Photos can do so much more than just document the event, they can capture atmosphere and emotions of the wedding day, and while you will probably always remember what you felt like on your wedding day, it's great to be able to recall the occasion from a third person's viewpoint.

You'll want to make sure that getting the right photographs is a priority, and keep it mind from the onset of planning. Perhaps the first stage of planning comes when selecting your venue. You will want to make sure that the venues you are having your ceremony and reception at allow for photographers to be present. It may sound silly, but believe it or not some venues have restrictions on photography. While the vast majority of wedding venues allow photographers, it's always sensible to check, especially if you are getting married somewhere unusual.

Keep in mind that more and more photographers are taking wedding pictures as a source of additional income. It is important that you can make a determination between which photographers know what they are doing, and which ones are simply trying to make a bit of extra money on the side.

Another early planning consideration is the style of wedding photography you want. Traditional style photography involves you and your guests posing for pictures, often in a variety of different locations. While some people who are trying to keep their costs down will simply opt for pictures in one location only, a variety of shots against different backgrounds are recommended. You may find that traditional style photography can be very time consuming, and may not capture the atmosphere of the wedding, and even though these can make for great pictures, they may not be exactly what you are looking for.

If this is the case, a photojournalistic style may be the best option for you. Photojournalism is often associated with b&w wedding photography, and involves the photographer taking pictures at their own discretion; you will not be posing for anything, instead shots will be taken as the events unfold. For this reason you may find that photojournalism is often better at capturing the true atmosphere of the occasion than traditional photography. But while the photojournalist has free license to shoot whenever he or she wants to, you may end up getting some pictures taken when you are not ready. With a good photojournalist this is usually not a problem.

When hiring somebody to take photojournalistic pictures you will probably end up paying more in the end. There are two reasons for this. First off, they will probably take more photos, moving around, capturing the wedding when they see fit. Also, these photographers usually stick around much longer, if they are charging an hourly rate, the cost will climb.

For most people, combining both styles of photography is the best way to go. It will allow you to get traditional photos that you pose for, as well as some that capture the atmosphere of the events as they unravel. Why not try to work a deal with a photographer for both services at a price you can afford?

If you are on a tight budget you may want to consider hiring a professional to take traditional style photos, but then having guests help you out with the other pictures. Chances are if you ask around, you should be able to find somebody that can take pictures during the reception. They may not be of the highest quality, but you will get the pictures that you want without having to pay a professional rate. This is an option that more and more people on a budget are exercising.

Finally, make sure that you know if you are getting black and white or color photos. There are advantages to both, but you will probably want to make sure that you get some of each. B&W wedding photography photos are often more emotional, but at the same time you may want to have some color photos because they will allow you to capture how the wedding and the people actually looked. This is something that you can talk over with your photographer. They may be able to do a bit of both so that you cover everything.

Wedding photography is important. Choose a photographer you are comfortable with and start planning early on to help ensure you have a visual record of your day to look back on for a lifetime.

.:.: Choose Your Style :.:.

Get your hands on as many wedding pictures as you possibly can. Look online, in bridal magazines or on mantles and desktops -- wherever wedding pictures may be. Sneak a peek at your best friend's album (something tells us you won't have to twist her arm). The point is, familiarize yourself with all the photo styles out there: formal portraits, candid photojournalism, black-and-white, color and sepia prints. Try to identify the styles that intrigue you, and that you'd like to see in your own wedding album. You'll want your photographer to excel in the style you love best.