How to Have a Photography Friendly Wedding

I promise having a photography friendly wedding is not as complicated as you think! You put a lot of thought into your wedding, there are guests lists, color schemes, venue choices, dinner arrangements, cake flavors, floral arrangements, etc . . So, of course you want your photos of the day to beautifully compliment and reflect those choices.

Generally, selecting a professional wedding photographer that you vibe with both in style and personality is #1 on the ‘how to have a photography friendly wedding’ list. Honestly, I can’t stress this enough! Head over to my ‘Why hire a professional’ blog if you are struggling on that issue. Here is also a quick list of questions to ask your wedding photographer during your consult to help gauge if they are right for you.

Once you’ve selected the right person to capture your day there are multiple steps you can take to ensure that it photographs well. I’ve assembled some of my favorite tips below:

Color Scheme Basics: 2/3 colors with a pop of color or two is ideal. Chose colors that are timeless and verge on the side of ‘neutrals’. Examples of this would be: Beige, whites, champagne, rose golds, grey and tan tones. Then add your pop of color; popular wedding trends are showing burgundy, navy, dusty blue, sage green, blush pinks, rose, and lavender as the current go-to’s. Too much color will result in visual chaos and loud, busy photos.
Using your colors: Use your neutral tones as the main color for things like: tablecloths, dish ware, suit/tux, and main floral color. Then add in your pops for table runners, centerpieces, woven into the bouquet, bridesmaids dresses, vests, etc . . .
Less is more: I mean this in a healthy way. No need to have 12 different types of centerpieces; that won’t be conducive to your photography or your budget. Go simple and find your style. Same with your decor. There are million and one different types of signs and fun decor ideas for your wedding available on Pinterest. Don’t feel like you need to have them all! Quality over quantity.
Wedding Unplugged: Another topic that deserved a whole blog on it’s own! I can’t stress this point enough. NOTHING kills wedding ceremony photos like twelve people all with their phones out snapping photos above heads and in the aisles. Please ask your guests (or put up a sign) to put away their phones during the ceremony. In fact, let me be the bad guy- just send them my blog prior to the wedding and I’ll take the heat for it.
Venue: Venue matters. I’ve shot at extremely diverse venue’s and I can confidently say your venue matters. If you want epic wedding photos with beautiful white porches and pillars, your venue needs to have that. If you want a meadow of flowers with mountains in the background, your venue needs to have that. A space for you and your groom to get ready- with plenty of natural light is so important! This may seem obvious but it is worth noting: Think about the vibe you’re going for and choose a venue that can deliver that.
Season: Along the same lines as venue, have the season match up with your vibe (and your colors). If you are feeling the champagne, merlot, and sage trio then a fall wedding will blend beautifully with that. Consider the scenery you’d like as well; I’ve seen disappointed brides when they book too early in the spring and blooms aren’t in full swing yet.
Details: Here’s a few secret tips to have more of that high-end elegant wedding vibe:
•Bring a hanger for your dress (and your bridesmaids too) – If you aren’t doing personalized hangers- that’s okay! Just bring a nice wooden hanger for your dress! You do not have to spend a fortune on this. I love searching etsy for these accessories.
•Real florals: there is nothing like real bouquets the exception is, quality wooden florals (I’ve seen gorgeous arrangements with this new trend) Invest in your bridal bouquet- a simple $60-$80 bouquet will go a long way for your images.
•Shoes: If you are planning on wearing comfy shoes for a night of dancing, awesome! Vans don’t photography as well as heels though, so have the best of both worlds here for detail images.
•Invitations: If you are on a tight budget and fancy invites just aren’t in the cards, that’s okay! Most brides do want a beautiful invitation suite image for their wedding album however, and if you get them printed on basic card stock from snapf*sh it will not produce the look you are wanting. I recommend getting a very small amount of fancy invites (some companies will even do personalized samples) for those images. I love minted for all kinds of cards and invites!
Portrait time: This is one of the best ways to have a photography friendly wedding. Leave ample time for portraits- all portraits: Getting ready, first look (a million times yes), family formals, sunset, etc . . . When your day is over, your images are what will remind you of all those moments that you may otherwise forget. Work with your photographer to develop a timeline that allows tons of portrait time and is custom fit to your day. You’ll be so glad you did!

There you have it! Overall, having your photos in mind as you select the details above will have a tremendous impact on your photos! Have any more tips that help make a wedding photography friendly? Share them below! Happy Planning!