1. Make it worthwhile – while photographers may seem to be expensive and your second cousin is willing to do it for free, hiring a qualified photographer with a good portfolio is well worth the money spent. Disappointing photographs can be devastating to a couple after months of planning their once-in-a-lifetime wedding day.
2. Try, try and try again – schedule a practice session with your photographer well ahead of your wedding day so that the two of you can get to know one another and feel comfortable working together. This will also help the photographer to learn about the types of poses and positions that best suit you and your partner.
3. On trial – try to schedule your pre-wedding photo practice at the same time as your hair and make-up trials so that the photographer can adjust his or her lighting and contrasts. This will prevent the appearance of dark rings, greasy-looking roots or white foundation that may result unexpectedly as a result of poor planning.
4. Strike a pose – page through a fashion magazine and take note of how a model poses for a picture. Try to emulate it and you will notice that it is probably much less than comfortable. These poses are chosen because they accentuate her strengths and minimise her weaknesses. The following hints usually help to make anyone look more photogenic:
1. Lift your head so that your chin does not appear to form a roll under your face
2. Push the centre of your tongue onto the roof of your mouth to tighten the area of your neck under your chin (practice in front of a mirror first)
3. Raise your eyebrows slightly to avoid a potential scowl (but do not look surprised)
4. By moving your arms away from your body (e.g. putting one or both hands on your hips), you make your waist and body appear smaller, and your bust larger
5. Suck your stomach in at all times to avoid your dress creasing or bulging in any way
6. Stand on the heel of one foot to give your body a sexy, more curvaceous look
5. Props proposal – try to bring some elements of your wedding day into your photo shoot to create a harmony between the event and the formal capturing thereof. These could include flowers, name cards, the invitation, a sample of the cake, and so on.
6. What’s your background? – use your backdrop as a complimentary feature to your wedding and photo shoot, rather than as an added attraction (or distraction). Be adventurous and encourage your photographer to do the same so that your photographs come out looking as unique and beautiful as you did on the day. Experiment with colours, textures, angles and post-production effects.
7. Light up your life – ensure that the photographer gets the opportunity to visit the venue of your formal photo shoot at the same time of day that he or she will be working there. This will allow them to gauge their equipment needs and to work out where the best places for certain pictures will be. Keep out of fluorescent lighting as this can have a very harsh effect.

• One Opportunity – you have only one chance to capture these memories. Do not feel obligated to use a friend or relative of whose abilities you are not convinced. This will only leave you disappointed at the end result and, possibly, resenting the person that took your photographs for you.
• Professional Equipment – a professional photographer brings along his or her own equipment. Such equipment is expensive, but is designed for just such occasions. This means that your photographs will not be ruined by bad lighting or wobbly hands. Rather, the equipment will ensure that the photographer makes the most out of your venues and backdrops. If anything breaks, the photographer will likely have a back-up or replacement, not negotiating on the quality of your shots.
• Knowledge of Fashions and Trends – good wedding photographers should have some knowledge of the modern trends in photography in general and bridal photography in particular. This means that you will get trendy, yet tasteful, pictures that stand out from the more traditional style of wedding pics. While chic, wedding photographs should never be over the top, as fashions change and you do not want to be left with a bizarre collection of pictures that may have been more appropriate in the fashion catalogues of yesteryear. A professional photographer will be able to discern the fine line and cater to your needs and desires accordingly.
• Unique Styles- whilst flexible, many photographers favour certain styles, in which they excel. Whether it is vintage, classic or post-modern, this style will add a new dimension to your collection, setting them apart significantly from unqualified photographers.
• Post-production Techniques – after years of experience, most photographers have perfected the art of removing red eyes, evening out skin tone and softening harsh lighting, whether on their camera or during post-production. This yields a more flattering and higher-quality set of shots. They can also include colouration and shading effects and more.
• Packages – included in the fee for hiring a professional photographer is usually a few added extras, such as a collated wedding album, a disc with your pictures on or an area on the photographer’s website in which all of your pictures appear. This is handy and provides more value for your money.
• Legal Protection – professional photographers need to protect themselves with formal contracts and conditions of service. These, in turn, protect you as the client from unexpected surprises, provided that you read carefully through the contract and are happy with it.
• References – professional photographers should have a portfolio of wedding photographs that they have taken as well as a list of contactable references. This will give you some idea of the quality of his or her work and will grant you peace of mind when agreeing to hire a particular photographer.

Some examples of how to use the rooms of a house effectively include:

Kitchen
The kitchen is the heart of many homes. It holds promises of family gatherings, romantic dinners and experiments with new flavours and recipes.  There are also many negative clichés around the role of a new wife and her being bound to the kitchen. So, photographs that take a humorous approach to such traditional pessimisms introduce fun and humour to the event. Some great ideas are to have the bride allowing her groom to sample one of her creations as she lovingly feeds him off a wooden mixing spoon, or to place him at a sink full of dishes while she lazily sits at the kitchen table reading a newspaper or finishing her crossword.

Bathroom
The bathroom of many homes represents a luxurious retreat for the busy housewife. Play on this image by filling the tub with rose petals, bubbles or candles and placing your bride and/or groom on its rim, as they playfully trail their fingers through the water. Alternatively, place them in front of the ‘His and Hers’ basins as he shaves his face and she brushes her teeth.

Dining Room
Couples seldom use their dining room unless they have guests to entertain. So, this room has an air of fun as it evokes memories of family occasions and hours spent laughing with friends over a meal. A fully set table with crystal glasses, china plates and umpteen sets of cutlery is a classic backdrop against which the bridal couple can ‘enjoy’ their first meal together over candlelight. Alternatively, create some passion as the bride sits on the table while the groom ‘savours’ some tender neck kisses or simply embraces her.

Workshop / Garage
Using this area is particularly effective if the groom is keen on DIY or working on vehicles as it will bring his passion into the picture. Some ideas include him lying under a vintage car while she hands him a giant wrench, her knocking nails into the wall as he sits against the wall enjoying his coffee or the two of them carrying a large, finished ‘product’ out of the workshop proudly.

These are just some examples of how a house can be transformed into the ideal set for a fantastic wedding photo shoot. Speak to your photographer long in advance about how you envision your photographs coming out and the message you would like to convey (romance, humour, fun, passion, etc…) and take a trip to the house to get a good feel of the outlay and photo opportunities. Such preparation will ensure that you use each room and opportunity to its full potential.

Displaying personal photographs at your wedding reception engages your guests and, if they are included in some of the shots, involves them in a very personal way. These photographs can bring back happy memories, evoke a few chuckles, and share some of your more intimate moments as a couple with those closest to both of you. Bridal couples wanting to display photographs at their wedding have a few different options.

Digital Frames
Upload your favourite couple pictures as well as a wide selection of your closest friends and family members, most of which will likely be at the wedding. Include old photographs that have been scanned in as well as new pictures. Place several of these digital frames, which are widely available in most major outlets, throughout the venue and have the photographs run on a ‘slideshow’ so that they change automatically. For an even greater variety of pictures, ask guests to bring a memory card of their own selection of photographs. These can be uploaded (assign someone to do this) at the reception and included in the slideshow. Being digital and, usually, tasteful in design, these work well for a modern wedding.

Cork Board
Include a request on your invitations that each guest brings a picture that will be meaningful to you and them. Place a large corkboard and plenty of thumbtacks at the entrance to your reception venue, and ask that guests each pin their photo to the board. Once everyone has arrived, you will have a collage of pictures of friends, family and yourselves. This is sure to keep guests occupied as they scan these photographs eagerly.

Projector
Load pictures into a slideshow on a laptop and screen these on a large white screen or even a white wall. As these loop, guests can point out old faces, laugh at photo bloopers, etc… It also adds a definite sense of nostalgia to the entire look and feel of the wedding and the reception venue.

Share the Wedding Experience
Ask each of the married couples coming to your wedding to bring one or more of their own wedding photographs to be displayed at the reception. This option is far easier for couples that have lots of married friends and family members, so that most of the guests feel involved in this way. Guests from different age groups will bring very different wedding photographs – black & white, 1980’s style, modern weddings, and so on. This creates a wonderful spectacle for others (who may even have attended those weddings).

Garland / Bunting Display
Paste some of your favourite photographs to cardboard or paper flowers and string these blooms together into a garland or bunting. The card can be the colour of your wedding, or can consist of various colours for a more vibrant effect. Hang this above the entrance, over the DJ or across a fireplace. If you would prefer to include guest photographs in this display, ask guests to provide some pictures to you well ahead of time.

By including such memories of those that are dearest to you or pictures of you and your new partner at various stages of your relationship, the wedding reception is given an even more special ambience of love, romance and nostalgia.

Photo Credit: Craft Stylish

The photographs of your wedding day are there to remind you of your love and union with your partner, but also to bring back memories of the friends and family that supported you on that day and shared in celebrating your marriage. In fact, “action photos” of the reception – guests dancing, chatting and generally having a good time – are usually the photographs that become the most special years down the line. After these important people have moved away, grown older or changed somehow, your wedding photographs of them become all the more meaningful. There are several ways to ensure that, as far as possible, each guest features in at least one photograph.

The first important point is to remember that not everybody feels comfortable in front of the camera. The wishes of these ones to decline a photograph should be respected so that they can enjoy your event without feeling like “wet blankets”. Apart from their personal desires, there are few things worse than a picture of someone that would rather be anywhere else and that feels (and looks) awkward.

Designate a specific photo area and get the Master of Ceremonies to indicate where it is and that you would like each of the guests to visit it. This can be done in a fun way, perhaps even emulating a real photo booth, where they can visit the curtained-off cubicle alone or in groups and do whatever crazy poses inspire them. Alternatively, it can be a more formal area with a neutral background and a dedicated photographer taking pictures of couples or groups of friends. By asking guests to take the initiative to get to the photo area, the bridal couples allows them to do it if and when they feel comfortable posing for the camera. If they are really averse to having their photo taken, there should be no pressure on them to do so.

As a couple, you may decide that you would rather have a picture of yourselves with various groups of guests. This could be done table-by-table, or in alphabetical order (i.e. all guests with a surname starting with the letters A to L). This makes it slightly easier for shy guests as they are just one of a group and it is a great gift for the people in that group to receive this photograph with the bridal couple. It needs to be done in an orderly way, preferably coordinated by the Master of Ceremonies. One group photo of the bridal couple with all the guests is always a good option, but it should be remembered that individual faces and outfits are not very clear in such large shots (even if it is a relatively small wedding, a photo of 50 people is not going to be very clear).

It is also wonderful to reminisce on the fun and happiness of the day. This is reflected in the way that the guests enjoyed themselves, so ask your photographer to move around the dance floor and amongst the tables and capture your friends and family as they enjoy themselves. After the wedding, have a look at the pictures your guests took of one another and get reprints of the ones that you love, so that you do not miss out on some of the best moments of the occasion.

Just as your guests will spend the day taking pictures of the two of you, it is advisable to ensure that you, in turn, have pictures of them. This will give your wedding an added touch of value and will remind you of the love and support you had on your day.

Photo Credit: Tiffany Aicklen

Wild animals represent nature and the earth. Therefore, they can be used in a very intimate wedding shoot where the bride and groom are, either partly or completely, nude to create a sense of the untouched. These animals can be real for a dramatic effect or toy animals for a more humorous effect. For example, a topless bride may cradle a puppy across her chest so that her shoulders are exposed, but the puppy hides her bare breasts.

Horses are elegant and have always held an identity of high esteem amongst the upper societies. Using horses in your wedding photographs adds class to any picture. The bride, groom or couple can walk amongst these gorgeous beasts, ride them, sit on them or admire them from a distance. This option is even better if one or both the bride and groom have a history with horses. For a more dynamic picture, the bride should gallop on a powerful horse with her wedding dress pulled above her knees and her veil blowing in the wind.

For couples with a tendency towards the mystical or dramatic, use a snake or a stunning bird of prey as the live ‘prop’ in your photographs. A bride with dark eyes, black nail polish and a long boa constrictor draped over her shoulders promises a mysterious beauty that is both intriguing and a little unnerving. Visit a sanctuary for vultures, hawks or eagles and get assistance from the trained personnel to capture striking pictures of you interacting with these magnificent avian species.

Elephant back safaris are very popular amongst tourists, particularly in South Africa and India. The elephant represents all things majestic, beautiful, intriguing and intuitive about the animal kingdom. They guarantee that your photos will exude an undeniable sense of beauty. Ride through the countryside on one of these gentle giants, feed them, play with them or walk across the landscape with them.

Visit the local zoo in your wedding attire and have fun as the photographer takes candid photographs of the two of you as you play with monkeys, feed Llamas out of your hands or get splashed by playful seals. The key is to relax, be imaginative and innovative. This works especially well if one or both of you works with animals as a secular career.

Using your pets in the photographs is not as easy and impressive as wildlife. Your overweight Cocker Spaniel may be beautiful to you, but may not be the ideal complement to your wedding dress and the look and feel of the day. The key here is to reflect the character of your dog, cat, bird or mouse in the pictures. Embrace the fact that it is old, fat or blind. Perform an everyday task with it so that it is comfortable and can express its character freely. For example, sit on an elegant couch and just allow your cat to make itself comfortable as you and your partner pose.

Your wedding photographs provide memories of this big day and reawaken the warmth and passion between you. For this reason, it is very important that they are in good taste and reminiscent of the ambience and romance of the day.

Photo Credit: Real Simple Photography

Engagement photographs may not be a top priority to couples that are busy with the excitement and stress of planning their big wedding day. They may seem futile, or may just be an interruption to the already busy time that precedes any marriage. But, there are several advantages to having a formal engagement photo shoot.

First of all, the engagement pictures allow much more flexibility and sense of fun than some brides and grooms would like in their wedding pictures. The couple can laugh, play and express the nature of their relationship in fun and silly ways.

These pictures are also a way of capturing the start of a very important journey together. They mark the beginning of your official union and your agreement to spend the rest of your lives together, sharing everything that is most important to you. This photo shoot thus allows you to establish the importance of this event, rather than simply letting it go by as a formality that needed to be completed in order to have a wedding. After months of planning and some intense pre-wedding nerves, these pictures, so full of love and romance, are great to look at and reminisce over.

Another important reason for the engagement photo shoot is to allow the bride- and groom-to-be to get to know their wedding photographer and vice versa. Of course, using the same photographer as for your wedding is optimal, but not always possible. If you do manage to schedule both shoots with the same person, it allows you as a couple to communicate with him or her, to relax in front of the camera and to establish an understanding of what looks good and what does not. This results in more natural photographs, both for the wedding and for the engagement.

By scheduling the engagement photos to be taken as soon as possible after the event, the couple and the photographer have time to examine the result and play around with poses, angles and post-production techniques. This guarantees that your wedding photos will be everything that you want them to be.

To make your engagement pictures as meaningful to you as possible, feel free to play around in front of the camera, interacting with one another intimately and in a genuine way. Encourage your photographer to be as adventurous and relaxed as they feel appropriate. A great way to ensure that your pictures are personal and unique is to have them taken in a place that holds some significance to the two of you and your relationship. This could be the first place you kissed, where you met one another, your favourite place to be together or the place that the formal proposal took place. Ask your photographer to take pictures when you are not expecting it so that the result is natural photos that reflect the nature of your relationship.

The pictures taken on your engagement photo shoot can be used for the wedding as part of the invitations, or as reminders for guests to save the date. Your favourite picture can also accompany your engagement announcement in your local newspaper for a more personal approach.

The following tips will help you as a couple to create the best engagement pictures:

• Relax and have a genuine laugh while taking these pictures
• Make sure that you, your partner and the photographer are all aware of one another’s expectations and preferences
• Use different backdrops, settings and poses to create a unique set of pictures
• These pictures are all about love and romance so be sure to be affectionate with one another
• Dress in solid colours that complement one another and avoid lots of patterns, jewellery and other distractions

Photo Credit: Neil Cuninghame

Here are a few suggestions of effects, from minor to dramatic, that bridal couples and photographers may consider useful:

• Insert a white frame around part of the picture (e.g. the bride and groom’s faces or the rings) and leave the focal point in colour, while the area outside of the frame is in black and white or sepia
• Intensify the contrasts for a modern, striking photograph
• Place an image of the bride and groom on top of the wedding cake, in a champagne flute, sitting in the clouds, etc… This shot needs forethought and preparation as the couple will be required to be in a particular pose for the final effect to be accomplished successfully
• Position the bride and groom in a way that creates the effect of her calling him or casting a spell on him with her hand outstretched. Insert stars, sparkles or flames emitting from her hand to create a spell-like effect and have him react (by being drawn to her, or under the spell of love)
• Position the bride and groom in the foreground and background and play around with the perception of where they are. By putting him in front and her far at the back, it looks like she is much smaller, for instance. Likewise, by doing the same with him, she can pretend to be holding him in the palm of her hand
• Use one great shot of the bride, groom or both of them together and insert different backgrounds to create different scenes (such as fairytale fantasy, a children’s play land, romantic night sky or deserted island)
• Add sweet captions, poetic quotes or romantic comments to the photographs
• A very popular trend at the moment is to highlight only one part of the picture in colour, while the rest is in black and white. The colour can be applied to elements such as the bride’s eyes or the groom’s tie or socks
• Use an element from the wedding and write a message on it for the guests’ “Thank You” cards. For example, write a message out of the confetti she used, or use the signage that was at the reception to carry a personalised note for each guest
• Take a photograph as champagne is poured into a larger glass than a flute. Using design programmes, combine the splash of champagne in the glass with an image of a rose to make it look like the champagne has formed the bloom with its liquid
• Choose a group photograph and have only the bride or bridal couple in colour while the bridesmaids, maid of honour, best man and groomsmen are all in black and white

Photo Credit: Sean ‘o Leary

You may be very fortunate and be able to visit your intended destination well ahead of the actual wedding to get an idea of where you would like your photographs taken. An even less likely option is that your photographer may be able to accompany you so that he or she can get a good idea of the layout and their shot options. Or, you may hunt for a photographer that has worked at that specific location before. Remember, though, that it does not help if he or she has merely been to Greece, they need to have taken wedding photographs at the venue you are using. Still, most couples face the situation of having hired someone that has never been to the location. As the bride or groom, you may also never have been there, presenting serious challenges.

A crucial step in ensuring that you, your partner, your venue and the photographer you hire are all on the same page is communication. Discuss your needs with the wedding venue or your wedding planner at the destination. Make sure that they all understand your needs, wants and concerns. Get the venue to send you photographs of sites that they deem suitable for your wedding photographs. They should send a collection of other couples’ wedding pictures to show each site and how it works in the context of a wedding. Make sure that you get a few options and show them all to your photographer. Encourage him or her to write their questions down so that you can discuss these with your event coordinator and clear up any issues that your photographer may have.

Another important step is to make sure that you make yourself aware of specific things that could influence the shots. These include the climate, weather patterns at certain times of day, when the sun sets, whether guests of the hotel will be ambling past the area while you are posing for your photographs, and so on.

It is also vital that you know where the nearest town is, if your wedding ceremony and reception venue(s) are not within a well-equipped city. Your photographer may need to replace certain parts of his or her equipment in an emergency. Make sure that a convenient outlet is identified and accessible. Still, your photographer will need to be prepared, bringing all their equipment to cater to any conditions or potential disaster. This may become costly, but external suppliers in a place with which you are not familiar is not worth banking upon.

The natural alternative is to hire a professional photographer from the actual destination. This means that he or she will be completely familiar with the venue(s), and may be able to provide valuable advice and warnings. The possible disadvantages include the lack of a proper relationship with him or her until you meet on or just before the big day and the fact that there may be major communication barriers if he or she is not completely fluent in your home language. Still, this option will probably be cheaper and will enable you to take full advantage of the stunning backdrops of your chosen destination without added stress or concern.

Photo Credit: ISPWP

The wedding photographs should reflect the styles and personalities of the bride and groom as well as of the overall look and feel of the day. Some brides opt for a very traditional range of pictures, while others introduce cunning twists and brand new approaches to the photographs. However, regardless of the style and preferences of each couple, there are a few shots that are absolute must-haves for that special day. These can be done in fun, new ways. They should be included on a checklist for the photographer so that he or she is completely prepared to capture the moments that matter most.

Before the Ceremony:

• Dress hanging up or draped across a bed or chair
• Bride having her dress buttoned, zipped or tied up
• The garter on her thigh
• A shot of her shoes on her feet
• Bridal make-up being applied
• Finishing touches being done to her hair
• The bride, her mother, bridesmaids and Maid of Honour drinking a glass of champagne or having a good laugh together
• Bridal party leaving for the ceremony
• Groom getting ready (shaving, fastening his tie or slinging his jacket over his shoulder)
• Groom and groomsmen having a “boy’s moment” (clinking beer bottles together or laughing over an inside joke)
• Groom leaving for the ceremony

At the Ceremony:

• The groom and then the bride exiting their vehicles outside the venue
• Guests arriving at the ceremony venue
• The Maid of Honour and each of the bridesmaids walking into the venue
• The bride walking down the aisle
• The groom’s face as he sees her for the first time
• The musicians and officiant
• The father-of-the-bride giving his daughter away (if appropriate)
• The audience from the front
• Close-up of both the bride and groom while saying their vows
• Exchanging their rings
• The sealing kiss
• The bride and groom leaving the venue
• Outside the venue when the bride and groom are being congratulated
• Couple getting into the car as well as a shot of them in the backseat

The Bridal Couple:

• A full-length picture of both the bride and the groom by themselves
• Bride with her Maid of Honour
• Bride with her bridesmaids
• Bride with her parents
• Bride and groom alone
• Couple with his parents
• Couple with her parents
• Couple with both families
• Couple with ring bearer and flower girl
• Groom with his best man
• Groom with his other groomsmen

At the Reception:

• The reception venue (inside and outside)
• Guests milling around, waiting for the couple to arrive
• Couple arriving and greeting their guests
• Table décor
• The main table décor
• Musicians
• The wedding cake before it is cut
• The gift table once it is full of gifts
• The bride and groom standing at each table so that there is at least one shot of every guest
• A picture of a starter, main meal and dessert, or one shot of the buffet
• The couple’s first dance together
• The bride dancing with her father
• The bride dancing with her father-in-law
• The groom dancing with his mother
• The groom dancing with his mother-in-law
• Guests dancing
• Cutting the cake
• Bride throwing the bouquet
• Groom retrieving the garter
• The dance between the couple that caught the bouquet and garter
• The car once it has been “decorated”
• The bridal couple leaving the reception

Photo Credit: Real Simple Photography