Before the Wedding

• Arrange for your florist to deliver your flowers before your pre-ceremony wedding photography.  Have your bouquet and as many flowers as possible delivered to your home where you are getting ready so that they are with you for your preparation pictures.
• If either of you wear glasses, then borrow a lens-less set of similar frames from your optometrist for your nicer pictures.  This is important because glare from your glasses can not be completely removed during retouching.
• Prepare a list of all the formal group shots you would like and ask a friend or relative to help with gathering up people for the next shot so that waiting- around time is minimized.
• Avoiding shine is critical if you want to look like a model in your pictures.  Use mineral powder makeup and have someone keep it handy throughout the day for touch-ups. 
  
• A bit of glitter might work in the hair, but skin glitter will reflect the light from the flash – don’t do it.
• Make sure you allow time for your hair and nails to dry before dressing if you have them done on your wedding day.
• Men should shave about an hour before we start doing pictures to avoid redness or five o’clock shadow.
• If you hire a limo, don’t let its schedule cut in to your photography time.

 
During and Immediately Following the Wedding

• Be aware that aisle runners often get pulled out of position and left that way all during the ceremony.  Large straight pins work better to keep a runner in place than the self adhesive tape that comes on the runner.  Have someone at the rear of the church pull and straighten the runner after you make your entrance.
• Greeting lines form by accident.  If you and your fiancée pause after exiting the ceremony everyone will naturally start lining up to see you.  If you want this then it is fine, but you should plan for it when scheduling your pictures.  Our advice is to consider that everyone genuinely wants to see you, but nobody really likes standing in line.  It is often seen as a win-win if someone announces that you will be roaming to greet everyone at the reception instead.
• For the fun shots of the bridal party between the wedding and reception, consider including meaningful props such as your dog, a classic car, a motorcycle, etc., and plan accordingly.
• Bring dark sunglasses for some of the fun outdoor shots.  Wedding party sunglasses (if any) will look best if they match those of the bride and groom..
• Bubbles?  Bird seed?  Rice?  We like bubbles, which look great in photos.  Rice or bird seed can hurt and look bad when stuck in hair or someone’s ear!
• Meals for the photographer?  Sooner or later everyone needs to eat.  The first skipped meal is usually lunch and it is normal for the photographer to bring snacks of their own to eat on the fly.  If your wedding shoot also extends through dinner then it is customary to provide dinner.  The same applies for other professionals such as DJ, the band, etc.


Tips for Unexpected Circumstances

• Take a few little emergency items with you, such as straight pins, bobby pins, safety pins, scissors, panty hose, and something for a headache.  And of course make sure you pack the makeup bag, including hair brush and hair spray. Don't forget to pack face powder for touch ups throughout the day, especially in hot weather.

• Does rain mean you need to take all your pictures indoors?  Absolutely not!  You may want to move a good portion indoors, but we can do some great shots of you, your husband, and even your attendants dancing and partying in the rain under umbrellas.  If the weather is threatening then have someone buy a bunch of umbrellas.  Several black umbrellas with a white umbrella for just the bride & groom will look great.  Having every umbrella a different solid color also looks great.  Avoid any patterns.

• What about snow?  You picked the season, embrace it!  Buy a bit of fake fur for all your bride’s maids and head outdoors.  Even if we only stay there for 2-3 minutes at a time, you will get some very special pictures.