Get Ready For The Wedding Day.

Have invitations, vow book and jewelries ready.

You don’t have wedding invitations? No problems. Please have dress, shoes, vow book and jewelries ready for photos. These are perfect addition for getting ready photos.

Ask The guests to avoid cell phone photos during the ceremony/walking down the aisle.

You pay a lot of money for beautiful professional photos and having a ton of cell phones in those pictures degrades its quality. It’s also important that the guests are focusing on the ceremony and the couple. The officiant can politely request this before the ceremony starts. Turning off the phones completely is another helpful thing, so ringtones won’t bother this special moment. There are scenarios where the guest goes in front of the aisle to take videos of the bride and I am behind that guest.

Ask the wedding party to look at the camera when they are walking down the aisle.

I understand that they need to check where they walk but most of the time people from the wedding party feel nervous and they only look at the ground. It makes a huge difference when I have a few clicks where they look at the camera with a beautiful smile.

Ask the wedding party to have some distance from each other and slower walk pace.

This way I have time to photograph all of them. If the couples behind is too closed to the couple in front, it doesn’t give me enough time for good photos.

Please don’t rush the ring exchange and the first kiss.

These are very important moments that need to be photographed and besides that…it’s a special moment and it’s your moment so don’t feel rushed, enjoy it and embrace it. Also it is very important that your body and hands don’t cover the hand where you put the ring.

Ask the officiant/priest to go on the side for the first kiss.

I have several photos that it seems that the officiant is part of that kiss…and it doesn’t look cute.

Hold your partner when you kiss.

When you give the first kiss and the second kiss that I will ask you at the aisle towards the exist of the ceremony, hold your partner or make a dip (please practice before hand in you want to do a dip). I see many couples kissing and their bodies are distant, it doesn’t look good at the photos.

Please stop and kiss one more time when you exit the ceremony.

I will ask you for one more kiss when you exit the ceremony. Feel free to a dip. Practice before you do it.

Inform the wedding party to stay around for photos after the ceremony.

The wedding party has been with you since the start of the day and they need that drink or that snack after standing up for the long ceremony… I understand that…but..It is very important that they stay by your side a little longer for the bridal party photos.

Inform the family and relatives who are in the list of formal photos to stay around for photos after the ceremony.

Who is in the formal list: Immediate family and close relatives.

This is VERY important. We only have as much time for the formal photos and this is the time where people are leaving for a drink, to use the bathroom, to head to the cocktail hour or to go to their car. It is IMPOSSIBLE for me to know who is who in the list and to go around to gather them, especially if they have left the area. Please send them an email or a text and let them know that they are part of the formal photos and they have to stay in the ceremony area after the ceremony is done. Also, have the coordinator or a family member gathering those guests. The longer the gathering and “go to find that guest” takes the longer those formal photos will take. Often couples get frustrated and some of the relatives are left out. 

Your special day is not the time for someone to build their photography portfolio.

No other person other the photographer can take professional/semi pro photos during the wedding. This can degrade the quality of my work and in worst scenarios I can miss important moments such as first kiss, ring exchange ect.

During the reception if an unexpected event happens and you want photos, please send someone to let me know.

When the couple eats, it is also the time I take a break to eat as well. There have been a couple of instances that people start the toasts earlier or something special takes place. It’s a very rare occasion but if it happens please send someone to inform me.

During Speeches/Toasts look at each other here and there.

It’s very beautiful and romantic for the photos when the couple look at each other during the toast. Give a squeeze at the hand or call then so you get synced. I noticed many couples look at their parter but the partner looks elsewhere.

Avoid Tan Lines

Please avoid tan lines from watches, sleeves and swimsuits.

Remove objects from the pockets of the Groom and the Groomsmen.

Wedding days take many months of preparation so make sure you ENJOY your special day to the fullest.

Have Fun, Smile Much and Dance like there is no tomorrow.

Thank You for having me on your special day.