Picture Perfect

Wedding photography, possibly the single most important aspect of your wedding. I am not a picture girl. I have a host of random pictures on my iphone that I have taken randomly, and rarely for special occasions, and I don’t even know where my digital camera is. When I was planning my wedding, photography ranked low on my list. I suppose my indifference stems from hours of looking at the same posed pictures, and thinking ‘who actually cares about these other than the couple and the family?’  the answer is likely no one. BUT you MUST have pictures, if for nothing else than posterity.

                All that said, rank yourself on the picture spectrum. Are you a 2 or 3 like me, just wanting a few pics to show the grandkids one day? Or are you a 9 and uber excited for tons of high quality pictures and video to plaster all over your home and share with everyone? The good news is, no matter where you rank, you can likely find a handful of photographers in your area that will work with customized packages. Not all will, though, so make sure you ask for rates up front before you go any further.

                Now, once you work out a package with your vendor, you need to give them specifics about your wedding. They need to know where to shoot, and when, and if there are particular shots that you want. If you want lots of your grandparents, tell them. If you want lots of you posed with your wedding party, tell them. If you want all candid photos of your reception, TELL THEM! They will also need to schedule when to take pictures right before or after your ceremony, and everyone in your wedding party needs to be ready to go. It is your wedding, but it is an event with a timeframe, and when things go according to schedule, everyone is happy. Remember, your wedding photographer is one of the most important players in your wedding. They often end up being responsible for the flow of events.  My photographer was a pro at this, you can check her stuff out here www.fulltiltphotography.com.

                The last thing you want to take into consideration when deciding on a photographer is their style. We went for the oh-so-popular Old Hollywood feel to our wedding. So it was important to me to have some photos that looked like old movie stills. No, not the kind you can take with your Hipstamatic app on your Iphone, the kind only a really good photographer can take. Also, you need to let your photographer know the mood. DO you want playful pics? Or romantic pics? Because they will need to capture those kinds of moments to optimize your package for you.

                I will also say for a gal that is not into pics, I also had engagement photos and bridal portraits. I was lucky to have a very patient and talented photographer friend take these for me, and I am so glad she did. You can check out her stuff at www.trishfinfer.com.  She did my bridals, and I have to say, it was so much fun and I have that lovely portrait to pass down to my children one day.  Because it is not really about taking pictures to show your friends at happy hour or during your lunch break, it is about capturing memories.