Hey, hey, heyyyyy! My name is Jessica (aka Wayfaring Wanderer) and I am a free-spirited photographer who loves working with couples, individuals, and families who are committed to travel, adventure, and laid-back lifestyles. I've lived in the Boone, NC area since 2005 and I'm known for capturing the spirit of the folks I photograph—the expressions, gestures, and details that are outward expressions of our innermost selves. While I'm primarily a wedding + elopement photographer, I also love working w/ individuals/couples/families that are traveling to the High Country area to getaway to the mountains. I absolutely love what I do and am so grateful to work with some of the most amazing people in one of the most beautiful places EVAR. Let’s go on an adventure!
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Weddings
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Wedding Photography Tips To Prepare For Your Wedding Day
There are a lot of things to think about while planning your wedding. Oftentimes, some specifics can go overlooked because there are so many different details to consider. These wedding photography tips that I put together to help you prepare for your wedding day are all things that I like to communicate ahead of time to brides and grooms. My goal is to ensure that we are on the same page and that things run as smoothly as possible on your wedding day.
When I’m photographing an 8-10 hour event these are tips that will help make my job easier and cause you the least amount of stress. I’m sharing some details that you might not think about. And maybe not all of them will be important to you. But at least you know what will help your photographer create the best wedding photos. I encourage you to check with the photographer that you hired, though, to see how they like to work because all wedding photographers work differently. If you have any tips to add, please leave a comment because I’d love to hear from you!
WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS TO PREPARE FOR YOUR WEDDING DAY
[GETTING READY PHOTO TIPS for YOUR WEDDING DAY]
- Keep the room that you’re getting ready in tidy & minimize clutter. This helps us create images that have cleaner looking backgrounds and it saves time so that the photographer doesn’t have to pick up when they get there to take getting ready photos.
- Think about getting ready in an area or room that has the most window light. This will help your photographer create natural looking images. Use a room that has enough space to accommodate the people that will be with you while you get ready. If it’s too crowded, the photographer will have a difficult time moving around.
- If you would like to have detail shots captured, be sure to have everything in one place. Have your rings in the room that you’ll be getting ready in as well as your invitation suite, shoes, jewelry, wedding dress, bouquets, etc. This way, the photographer doesn’t have to find all the items you will want to be photographed. And you won’t have to worry about looking for everything.
[A WEDDING DAY TIMELINE IS KEY]
- Things get crazy and chaotic on a wedding day, and the schedule will probably be running tight, so make sure everyone knows where they are supposed to be and when they’re supposed to be there. Timelines are a lifesaver! As a wedding photographer, I create them with my couples about a month in advance so that the timing is laid out for the wedding day. Wedding planners also work with couples on this as well.
- Embrace the chaos because there will be a frenzy of activity happening on your wedding day. It’s all part of the adventure! Having a timeline mapped out is important but it’s also very rare that things happen on schedule during a wedding day. Just go with the flow!
[First Look Photo Tips or Pictures Before the Ceremony]
- If you are doing a first look, this is the time for you to enjoy your partner in a private setting before the craziness begins. Make sure that friends and family know that this isn’t a part of the wedding day that they will be participating in so you want to have them waiting nearby and not observing the moment.
- Have fun! The rest of the day will go quickly so savor every single moment while you can.
- After the first look is done, this is a good time to get some of the bridal party or family photos captured before the ceremony takes place. Make sure parents, siblings, and your wedding party are close by because this will help things run more smoothly if we can get some images done before hand. This gets you to the party faster!
- Don’t want to see your partner before the ceremony? Some people opt to do first looks with their Dad as well. Also, we can still capture photos that you want with just you and your family, too.
[CEREMONY PHOTO TIPS FOR YOUR WEDDING DAY]
- Walk down the aisle slowly. Soak it all in. Go at a snails pace. There’s no need to be in a hurry, right?! Do your best to keep your eyes up instead of looking at the ground or your feet.
- It’s rarely the case when an outdoor wedding ceremony has soft, even light. The sun is, typically, the harshest during the ceremony. It’s best if Dad walks the bride down the aisle on the side that will block the sun. When you put Dad on the same side as the sun, since he’ll most likely be taller, he can block the light that would be hitting his daughter, which will put her in shaded light so she’s not in full sun. This is a lot more flattering! In the image below, the sun was behind them while they walked down the aisle so the front of them was already shaded.
- First kisses can sometimes happen too quickly. Relish the moment and linger for at least three seconds, think one 1000, two 1000, three 1000. You can even practice! Better yet, go in for another! I call this your “second first kiss“! 😉
- Another thing to think about is asking your officiant or celebrant to step aside during your first kiss so that they aren’t causing a distraction in the image that the photographer is capturing. I’m not going to lie, it looks a little awkward later when I’m sorting back through the pics. It’s such an intimate moment but there they are, basically, photobombing you. I’ve seen many officiants do this without being prompted. It’s not my place to say anything. But feel free to mention it during the rehearsal if it’s something you would like to request.
- When you are walking down the aisle after you make it official, stop at the end and get another smooch! I always like to grab a shot of the crowd in the background when possible.
[FAMILY PHOTOS ON YOUR WEDDING DAY]
- Group shots can oftentimes take longer than expected. Folks tend to wander off or they are having too much fun to take this part of the day seriously. That’s totally ok. They should be having fun! I know how to handle unruly folks if I have to, though. I’ll take charge but it’s something to keep in mind in terms of timing.
- Communicate with family at the rehearsal or ahead of time via email to stick around for photos after the ceremony. The rehearsal or welcome gathering is a perfect time to do so. My recommendation is to only do immediate family right after the ceremony (parents, siblings, grandparents, & wedding party). If you have larger groups those can be captured at the reception once you’ve cut the cake. The DJ or band will happily make an announcement for you.
- Having a representative from each side of the family available to help the photographer point out VIPs that you want to be photographed will also ensure things run more smoothly.
- Still want to do all the family photos after the ceremony. That’s ok, too. Just keep in mind that family photos usually require a minimum of 20-minutes to capture all parents and immediate family members. Any images you want beyond that will require a minimum of 3-minutes for each shot, so please keep this in mind for the wedding day timeline. Large groupings of 10 or more can take approximately 5-minutes to capture. I work with my couples directly to come up with a family photo list to ensure I get all of the shots they wish to have captured.Â
- Be mindful of where you end up once the ceremony is over so you don’t get caught by guests wanting to offer well wishes. The longer it takes for us to get family pics started, the more time that cuts into other areas. My goal as your wedding photographer is to get you to the party as soon as possible! If we have to fend off family and friends that won’t be in the photos it’s going to take up a lot more time. My suggestion would be to find a place where you both can remain out of sight and tell the family getting photographed where they should meet for photos after the ceremony. Once all the guests shuffle toward the reception area we can maximize our time and get the formal photos done quickly.
[RECEPTION PHOTOS TIPS FOR YOUR WEDDING DAY]
- While a wedding day timeline helps me keep track of where I should be and when. Be sure to alert the photographer so that they are ready to capture the most critical moments such as cake cutting, first dances, toasts, etc. The last thing we want is to be missing any of these moments while on a potty break.
- Downtime between dinner and evening festivities is a great time to grab some more “Just Married” portraits, especially if it’s closer to sunset because the light is gorgeous around that time. Guests are generally still eating and mingling so I can whisk you and your partner away without anyone knowing to capture some more photos of you two before the fun begins.
- Lighting for receptions is something to keep in mind if you’re having an indoor or outdoor reception. Professional photographers will most certainly have flash units to add some extra light but including some twinkle lights, chandeliers, or lanterns will add even more dimension to the images.
- Having a sparkler send off is a great idea but it can be dangerous. Seriously. Think about it. You’re giving guests that have consumed mass quantities of alcohol FIRE STICKS! Yeah, it’s kind of scary when folks start waving them around all willy nilly. I always inform folks that lighting more than one sparkler at a time is a recipe for disaster because they can explode in your hand. I also ask that everyone holds them up in the air instead of pointing them at the bride and groom because I want them to make it to their honeymoon without 3rd-degree burns. In all seriousness, though, it’s something that concerns me because it can be problematic so it’s something to be cautious about.
Do you have any wedding photography tips from your experience that you would add to this list? If so, leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you!
My name is Jessica and I’m a wedding, engagement and lifestyle photographer based in Boone, NC. I’m known for capturing the spirit of the folks I photograph–the expressions, gestures, and details that are outward expressions of our innermost selves. I love working with couples, individuals and families who are committed to travel, adventure, and laid-back lifestyles. If you think we might be kindreds, I invite you to connect with me!
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