crafted by photobiz

Helpful Hints

Pick a special place to take your engagement and bridal portraits. I want to capture who you are, and that is best achieved when we photograph where you are most comfortable. Pick a location that is special to you and your partner, or just a place that you like and feel comfortable. Having trouble deciding? I have lots of suggestions, so just ask.

Wear complementary colors to your engagement portrait session. Avoid stripes and plaids; solids photograph much better. Avoid large prints or patterns that detract from your face, and pick something that reflects your personality.

Consider hiring a wedding coordinator. Wedding coordinators allow you to relax and enjoy your wedding day without the worry of all the little details. Sometimes brides delegate decorating and other tasks to bridesmaids or family members. Even if you only hire a coordinator for the day of the wedding, you and your friends will appreciate the help. (see “Vendor” section for a list of talented wedding coordinators)

Drink lots of water the day before your wedding or bridal portrait session. This ensures you are hydrated, but not running to the ladies room during your big day.

Consider wearing your hair up for an outdoor wedding. The weather is unpredictable and can wreak havoc on your do: wind will cause your hair to blow in your face, keeping your spouse and guests from seeing your pretty face, as well as acting as a distraction in your photos and video; humidity will relax the curls making your hair look flat and frizzy.

Eat. With all the wedding day activities, it can be easy to skip a meal or two. Don’t. You’ll feel a lot better if you take a few minutes to grab a sandwich.

Go braless or wear a strapless bra for several hours before your wedding or bridal portrait session. This is especially important for brides and members of the wedding party who are wearing strapless dresses. Bra straps make marks on your body and are distracting.

Expect the bride and bridesmaids to take longer to get ready than planned. Coordinating the hair and make-up for several girls is challenging and often takes longer than anticipated, so schedule a little extra time just in case.

Pack a bridal emergency kit. Your coordinator will have one, but if you choose not to work with a coordinator, pack a kit with strait pins, bobby pins, aspirin, Pepto Bismol, sewing kit, scissors, clear deodorant, tampons, hair spray, water, mints, etc. You never know what you might need.

Do not wear body glitter. Body glitter is fun to wear for special occasions, but it looks like sweat in your photos. Glitter also transfers to the groom’s tuxedo or suit, which they often find unflattering.

Wear clear deodorant. The bride and bridesmaids often get white marks on the groom’s and groomsmen’s suits from hugging and brushing up against them.

Expect for something to go wrong on your wedding day. It likely won’t be anything big, but if you anticipate a glitch you’ll be much more prepared and relaxed to handle it.

Test your perfume before the wedding day. Don’t wear it for the first time on your big day. Be sure to test it in the same conditions that you expect for your wedding day (i.e. in humid outdoor weather if you’re planning an outdoor wedding) and on your skin, rather than on your clothes. Sounds strange, but some brides will choose a special scent for their wedding day, only to break out in a rash from it.

If your fiance and his friends tend to run late, have them arrive at the venue 30 minutes earlier than needed. This allows time for stragglers and gives the florist an opportunity to pin their boutonnieres.

Plan to have photos of the bridal party (bride, groom, bridesmaids, groomsmen, ring bearers, flower girls, ushers) taken two hours before the ceremony begins. This allows you to get all of those photos out of the way so you can quickly take family photos after the ceremony and head to the reception faster. I can shoot the girls and boys separately if the bride and groom choose not to see each other before the ceremony. I will gladly work with you to create a custom pre-ceremony timeline.

Plan some sort of getaway, even if it’s a mock getaway. It’s a nice way to say “goodbye” to your guests and is a great way to finish your wedding album and video.

The most important thing is to relax and enjoy your wedding day. Don’t let the small stressors of the day overshadow the reason for the day.