For anyone planning a wedding, there's no shortage of inspiration out there. Even though I've been shooting weddings for over a decade, I never tire of looking at wedding blogs and the fabulous work of other photographers. I literally drool over those cute detail shots and am constantly amazed at the variety of finishing touches on offer. Some weddings seem to have so many details that a collection of wedding photographs can start to feel a bit like a product shoot for Country Living Magazine. And I'm not complaining. I LOVE Country Living magazine.
But if your wedding is not being held in a bothy (small hut for non-Scottish readers), barn, tree house or tepee the devil's still in the detail from a photographic point of view, so if you want great wedding photographs here are a few tips which will help give your images the wow factor.
Shooting the Bride and her attendants getting ready is always great fun, but there are a few things you can do to ensure a gorgeous set of getting ready photos. First, make sure your "getting ready"room is tidy. This can be tricky when you have three or four maids, a hair stylist, make up artist, a mum, young flower girls and a photographer all bombarding your space, but at the very least, clear away unsightly plastic bags, drinks cans, cups, glasses, half-eaten sandwiches...you get my drift. I never mind moving things around to shoot them (it's part of the job) but it's a great deal easier if the room is tidy. A tidy room is also going to look a whole lot better in the wide shots too. It's desirable to have your dress, bridesmaids' dresses, shoes, jewellery, perfume, garter, veil (and even your pretty underwear) on show if you would like them to be photographed, but tidy away anything which does not scream "wedding day".
Matching robes for the bride and her maids are deservedly popular as they look so much better than an old t-shirt whilst you're having your hair and make up done. White robes are great because they reflect light back up into the face which is almost always a good thing. Hangers are important...yes, really they are. Padded or wooden hangers are essential for your dresses. If you are getting ready in a hotel room, remember that many hotel hangers slot into a ring which is fixed to the wardrobe rail, so you can't take them out and hang them over a door frame or curtain pole. Invest in decent hangers - there are lots of personalised hangers available which also make a lovely bridesmaid gift...just a thought.
I know I'm beginning to sound like an obsessive, compulsive cleaner, but I have to mention mirrors and polished wood. Dusty, smeary mirrors do not look great in a photo with one exception. Old glass mirrors pockmarked with age are "artistic" but regular dust and fingermarks are not. Similarly, if you have polished wooden surfaces in your room, these are perfect for your perfume and jewellery photos, but not so great if they are coated with dust. To be fair, by the time your hairstylist has used five cans of Elnett, furniture can start to look a little foggy, even if it was clean to start with, so the photographer's sleeve can be used in an emergency.
Last little tip now for Brides and Bridesmaids. Remember to try on the underwear you intend to wear with your dress actually with your dress before the wedding day and take some selfies with your phone. Be on red alert for peeping bra straps and VPL, the latter being especially important if you're wearing satin. Remember Pippa Middleton? The whispers were all about her rear, not about her underwear!
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