WELCOME

PREPARATIONS

1. The Location

Whether the preparations take place at the wedding venue, your home, or an Airbnb, a tidy room will make for amazing photos. Sometimes, the best spot is the living room or dining area because of the space and natural light they offer.

Wedding photographers love clean backgrounds—free from distractions like suitcases, covers, or boxes—that can ruin a beautiful photo. So, make sure to remove any non-essential items. The more spacious and uncluttered the area is, the more comfortable it will be for you, your family, and the makeup artists.

2. Time

Give yourself plenty of time. Try to be ready with some time to spare so you can relax a bit and enjoy the moment. Rushing to the ceremony not only leaves less time for photos with your family and bridesmaids, but it can also stress you out having to leave in a hurry. Enjoy this calm moment.





3. Light During Makeup

You probably haven’t noticed this—and I didn’t either until I started photographing more and more weddings—but natural light is the best thing that can happen to your makeup. Most home lights have a yellowish tone, and if you do your makeup under that light, it won’t look the same once you step outside.

Doing your makeup near a window with natural light ensures that the colors stay true all day. Window light is your friend—for makeup and for photos!

4. Dress

Try to hang your dress somewhere nice before you’re ready to put it on. That way, when the photographer arrives, we can capture shots of the preparations with the dress in the background. This really helps tell the story and adds context to the photos. Having the dress ready and hung in the best spot ahead of time is a huge help for these shots.

5. Rings and Invitation



The ring photo is essential. Whether the bride or groom has them, it’s ideal to have the rings together with one of the invitations for the shots.

6. Robes



What do you want to wear during the preparations? A robe is ideal, especially so your hair and makeup won’t get ruined when you take it off. Keep in mind that these robes usually come folded, so it’s a good idea to have a steamer handy to get rid of any crease lines.

7. Photos with the Dress



The photo of you getting into your dress is very meaningful. To make it look its best, the people helping you should be ready before the bride, so everyone appears well in the photos.

8. Entrance to the Ceremony



Usually, the groom enters first with his mother, followed by the wedding party. Make sure there is enough space between each member of the wedding party so they can be properly captured in photos and so guests can fully enjoy watching them walk in.

Next come the children (not at every wedding).

Finally, the bride makes her grand entrance. Ensure that the entire path to the altar is completely clear—that is, bridesmaids, groomsmen, and children are already in position—before the bride begins her walk. This way, the shots will be clean, and there won’t be anyone obstructing the photos.

9. Formal Photos



Formal family photos are usually the traditional ones and are typically taken after the ceremony. Ideally, the people appearing in these photos should know in advance that they will be photographed so they don’t leave and are ready for their shot.

I usually recommend taking these family photos in a more relaxed way once you arrive at the reception. This allows us to include more people—photos with close family, bridesmaids, grandparents, etc. As mentioned, those who will appear in these photos should be informed ahead of time so they’re nearby and we don’t have to track them down during the cocktail hour!

10. Couple Session



These photos are key, and we take them after the family photos. Ideally, choose a spot with few people so you won’t be distracted by congratulations and greetings. In other words, while the guests enjoy the cocktail hour, we go somewhere private to capture intimate moments and get the shots we want.

I also love taking the couple out a second time closer to sunset to capture those beautiful golden tones. If possible, planning a short session before the sun sets—no more than 10 minutes—will be amazing, and I promise it’s worth it.

Surprises and Details

If you’re the kind of couple that has surprises during the wedding, don’t forget to let me know. For example: “We’re going to have a special dance, my friends will give a speech right before dessert, I’m wearing the earrings my grandmother gave me,” etc. All of this information is very helpful, and I need to know it so I don’t miss a single photo.

Meal Time

This moment is key for everyone—it’s when we recharge energy for the big party ahead. Since photos aren’t usually taken during the meal, it’s ideal for the photographers to eat at the same time as the couple. This way, when the couple finishes eating, the photographers are ready to continue documenting the day. 😉

Enjoy!

I think this is the best advice: enjoy your day!

It’s your day—take charge. Do what you want! Whatever you do, do it 110% and do it for the two of you!

Honestly, this really shows in photos! You can see the sparkle in your eyes and the smiles that say, “We did this!”

Next, a few questions that I’m sure knowing the answers to will help me provide better photography coverage.