Best wedding day tips to help your photographer/videographer give you better service
There are a lot of things to think about when you are planning your special wedding day. Who to invite? Which dress you should say yes to? Who will you hire as your photographer? Who will you hire as your videographer? The questions go on and on. The bride and groom get so busy during that time, they don’t have time to think about what can be done to help with capturing those precious and once-in-a-lifetime memories.
Being experienced as a wedding photographer and videographer for the past 8 years located on Long Island New York, I’ve learned a lot can happen very fast. So fast that if I’m not prepared and alert, I will miss it and can never get them back for my bride and groom. There are several things that can be done to make the day go a lot smoother for both myself and my bride and groom. Today we will go over 5 things that need to happen before your wedding day.
1. Educate your bride and groom
Why educate them? 99% of your bride and groom are not photographers or videographers. They don’t know what it takes to make these pictures and videos happen. It’s ok to be open to your couples and help them understand the process of doing what you do. The more they understand, the easier the day will be. Let them know what you need from them. For example, what you need for the bridal and groom details, how you will pose them, the difference between a traditional day and a first look day, the purpose of a shots list and why it is important, why have a timeline, plus many more.
2. Timeline Timeline Timeline
Yes, a timeline is one of the best things you can have during the day. If you have a wedding planner, they will usually work with the bride and groom to write a timeline for the day and you won’t have much to worry about. How do I know whether the couple will have one? This comes down to communication with either the couple or the wedding coordinator. There are a number of reasons to have a timeline. It helps with managing your time, it lets me as a photographer and videographer know where and when things are happening, etc. I will write a different blog on this topic to show and explain the top reasons to have one. If you don’t have a planner or your planner doesn’t provide one, my timeline is there and ready to be used on the wedding day.
3. Having all the details (bride & groom) ready
While you are communicating with your bride and groom, it would be ideal to express that to them. It’s best to ask what kind of details will they have i.e. jewelry, watch, perfume, cuff-links, rings, shoes, etc. It is very important to let them know to have everything in one place, that way they are ready for the photographer or videographer.
4. Having a shots list
What is a shots list, and why is it important? A shots list is the list of names that you want me, as your photographer, to be sure that I take a picture of your and that special person. It could be some of your family members or a very special and important friend that will be at your wedding. It is important because there is no worse feeling than receiving your gallery and realizing you didn’t take a picture with that person. There is no worse feeling for me as your photographer to hear that my couples missed a picture of you and that special person. I can never forget how, in the early stages of my wedding photography career, I missed a portrait of a bride and her mother, just the 2 of them alone. It only happened that one time a couple of years ago but the learning experience is why I will always ask for one
5. A really nice/special hanger
As was mentioned in my last post, when taking a picture with the dry cleaner hanger isn’t doing the dress justice. A really nice or special hanger doesn’t make the dress, it only accentuates the already beautiful dress. The options are either for the bride to bring a nicer hanger or for me to bring one on the wedding day. The best way to know if your bride is planning on having one is by communicating with the bride.
See how a beautiful hanger can accentuate the even more beautiful dress in the video below.
These 5 tips can help with having a smoother photo and video experience during your wedding day. These tips are not the only things that can be done for a better experience, but they will definitely help.
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