tips for planning your wedding ceremony | elevate your photos

TIPS FOR PLANNING YOUR WEDDING CEREMONY.

tips that will elevate your photos!

 

wedding ceremonies are pure joy. full of happiness. and the photos from your wedding ceremony will always show that, but would you believe me if i told you that there are ways to enhance those photos even more? well i’m here to tell you, IT’S POSSIBLE! and i am so excited to share with you 5 tips for wedding ceremonies, that will elevate your photos during your wedding ceremony!

coming from someone who has been in the industry for over ten years, we’ve experienced all and have seen it all. so these tips for planning your wedding ceremony have been collected over the years to better help our couples have a stress-free wedding ceremony with photos to prove it.

LET’S DIVE RIGHT IN, FRIENDS!

1. the vows have been completed. you’ve exchanged the rings. the anticipation is happening. the officiant is about to say it. here they go … anddddd “you may kiss…” *insert sparks flying, cheers happening, tears flowing* you’ve kissed. you’ve sealed the wedding ceremony. your photographer has captured it, yes, but your officiant is standing right behind you, and is in the photo creeping around your shoulder (not on purpose of course) but they are there.

this tip is simple: ASK YOUR OFFICIANT (before the ceremony of course) TO MOVE TO THE SIDE AFTER THEY TELL YOU TO KISS.

 

2. you’ve designed an amazing backdrop for your ceremony. OR, there is no backdrop, but you’ve always dreamt of getting married right in front of those perfectly symmetrical pillars, or that perfect place between your two favorite trees. whatever it may be, let’s help put you right in the middle of those two objects or backdrop to bring together the composition perfectly for what you planned or envisioned in your mind.

this tip can be done at rehearsal: MARK A SPOT ON THE GROUND WHERE YOU WILL STAND THAT WILL CENTER YOU PERFECTLY WITH YOUR BACKDROP. 

3. okay, i’m sure you’ve heard about this before, but unplugged ceremony. i’m not going to go too in depth with this as it would turn into a book, BUT, if you’re unfamiliar, it’s a wedding ceremony where you ask people to keep their phones away, and allow the photographer to do their job. this allows your guests to be truly in the moment and seeing memories with their eyes on you versus their eyes on the phone. we’ve experienced in the past having trouble photographing the the moment of walking down the isle or photographing anyone walking down the isle. basically these people can be roadblocks to the photos we’re trying to capture for you. so in short .. have an unplugged ceremony and be sure to make note that it’s not just phones, but other people standing  up taking photos on cameras or ipads. yes, ipads. happens more than you know.

this tip should be discussed prior to day of: HAVE AN UNPLUGGED CEREMONY.

BONUS TIP: make a beautiful sign that explains why you’re doing it and put it at the back of your ceremony. also, you can put it on your program.  ALSO tell your officiant to say something. we have found that this is the most effective way to getting your guests to listen.

4. this tip is more for my clients who will be having a specific hairstyle for their wedding day or wearing a veil. if you have a hairstyle or veil that covers the right side of your face, more than likely you’ll barely see your face in your ceremony photos. all of the laughter and smiles won’t be accurately photographed from my angle (which is in the middle of the isle) because your hair and veil will be in the way. now, i’m not telling you what to do with your hair. if you of course don’t mind that look, then disregard what i’m saying! but i will say, there have been some great moments we’ve photographed on wedding days and totally missed the facial expression because the hair was blocking their face. also, i would hate for it to bother you where you’re constantly worried about it.

this tip should be discussed with your hairstylist: BE SURE YOUR HAIRSTYLE WILL ALLOW YOUR FACE TO BE SEEN DURING YOUR CEREMONY.

 

5. this basically comes down to logistics. BUT, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT GETS MISSED OFTEN FROM UNEXPERIENCED OFFICIANTS. okay so you walk up to the front, you see your s/o for the first time, you continue on with the ceremony, BUT WHY IS EVERYONE STILL STANDING? well, because no one directed them to sit down. if not, it gives us a challenge on properly photographing you and capturing all of the moments!

this tip is self explanatory: TELL YOUR OFFICIANT TO TELL EVERYONE TO SIT DOWN AT THE CORRECT TIME.

there you have it! tips for your planning your wedding ceremony, that will elevate your photos!

if you’re curious about learning more from us, and what we have to offer, go ahead and send us an email through our contact page here!

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