How to Make Your Wedding More Photogenic

No matter what your budget or venue, you can always make your wedding more photogenic by getting a little creative with the space you have to work with. Here are simple tips to help make the most out of what you have to work with…..

Tidy up. This is the most important tip I can give. Especially when it comes to the getting ready area, simply keeping the space organized and clean makes a huge difference. Designate a corner or specific area for bags to be stored and keep the rest of the space free of garments, empty cups, trash, etc. If something is particularly distracting or unsightly and can be removed and then put back, do it. Again, getting ready spaces are the worst for this. If there is a large poster on the wall that can come down, take it down and put it in the designated corner. Just be sure to put everything back where it came from. Start your day by going through and removing anything you don’t want to be seen in your photos. Look out for trashcans and if they can be moved to a corner or somewhere less prominent, move them.

Consider the space you have and work with it, not against it. You may love mustard and gray for your color scheme, but when the carpet at your venue is red, it isn’t going to do anything for creating a photogenic environment. Consider the colors that are already present in the space when choosing your color scheme. If you’re getting married outside, be sure to pick florals without an abundance of green - the green will just fade into the greens of the background and get lost. Sometimes letting the natural landscape be the main focus is best outside, while indoor spaces benefit from larger florals to create a more lush environment.

Choose your time wisely. Especially if you have a venue without any shade, this one is very important. Lighting makes or breaks a photo. The closer to noon you take photos outside, the more harsh the light will be (it softens as the day goes on). If you can set a schedule that allows you to take photos later in the afternoon or evening, your photographer will appreciate it (and you won’t sweat in the summer heat, either!) Work with your photographer to set a schedule that will allow for formal photos to be taken at the best time of day. When it comes to picking a ceremony site, or where to put the head table, lighting is also important. You never want a window directly behind a main photo op spot - harsh backlighting is extremely difficult to work with. Avoid putting the head table or cake cutting area in front of a window. If you get married outside, pick a spot where the sunlight will be behind the officiant to help soften shadows if you can’t find a shady spot (also avoid areas with spotty light cast from trees. Stand under the tree in full sun and see if you get sunspots hitting your skin).

Add string lights or candles. A great way to liven up a space and give it depth without breaking the bank is by adding lights. It softens the atmosphere and creates a more appealing space.

Be in the moment. Don’t spend your day worried about where the photographer is and smiling at them. Your natural reactions and emotions showing through will be your guaranteed favorite shots. During the ceremony, it is understandable to be nervous, but try to remember to stand closely together and not feet apart. Also, look at each other, not the officiant! If you’re looking at each other, that means the photographer can see your face and capture your expressions, and not just the back of your head.

Don’t skip on the fitting. If your straps are too long, your waist too big, bust too tight - it all shows. A properly fitted dress makes a huge difference in being happy with your own appearance. This is one thing to not skip out on to budget money elsewhere.

Its all in the details. An interesting space is always more photogenic than a basic one. Even on a budget, you can add simple touches to make a space more interesting, and therefore more photogenic. Add a table with your parents/grandparents wedding photos or photos of the two of you throughout your relationship - this is cheap to do and guests will love it. Buy tulle, lace, or other textured fabric and use it to create draping (it may even be a good way to cover up something you don’t particularly like or want in your backgrounds). Bring in things from your home and use them to decorate - sometimes adding little personal touches about who you are as a couple work just as well as decor purchased specifically to decorate for the wedding. Buy/sell sites can also be a great place to pick up decor at a big discount if you’re on a budget.

Tips for Rainy Day Weddings

Wedding season is ready to get into full swing shortly with the arrival of Spring , and on a rainy day even, I thought I would share some tips for how to make the most out of your wedding photography when rain is in the forecast!

Main rule, Don’t stress over the forecast. You’re not going to change it, so don’t spend the week ahead of your big day stressing over the predicted rainfall. If it isn’t something within your control, don’t let it take control. The attitude you have about the weather makes a big difference! There are ways of working around a rainy day, and even a few things that are actually working in your favor if your wedding lands on a rainy day. First of all, remember, a gray overcast day is a photographer’s best friend for lighting (plus colors looks more saturated, too). And whether you believe in superstitions or not, remember that rain is considered good luck on your wedding day! According to old proverbs, rain signifies a cleansing - rain on your wedding day washes away sadness from your past and signifies your marriage will last. Rain is also a symbol of fertility in cultures based in agriculture. They believe rain is a blessing because it signifies fertility and growth. Still yet, Hindu cultures see it as a sign of a lasting marriage to come because a wet knot is harder to untie. I guess there are plenty of reasons to believe rain really is a sign of good luck! So, if it is going to rain, just be prepared with a Plan B. Here are some tips to help you plan for a rainy wedding day….

1) Be flexible with your schedule. Chances are, it isn’t going to rain all day. If you really want outdoor photos, be ready to change up the schedule to make it work. Apps like Dark Skies can provide valuable info as to when to expect rainfall. You can try to plan your schedule around the rain, but don’t rely on it. If you have to take some photos indoors, by all means do that. You don’t want to be left with nothing because you planned on it letting up later in the day, and it just doesn’t happen!

2) Purchase clear bubble umbrellas for the bridal party (and other rain gear). Amazon even offers these in bulk (12 umbrellas for $90). Clear umbrellas will let light through for more flattering overall lighting, but still keep you dry. If you’re game to go out in the rain, these are a must. Just a side note: If it is absolutely downpouring, the rain drops will show up in photos. These are perfect for light to moderate rainfall and working around it. You may also want to consider rainboots to pop on - if the ground is muddy or wet at all, you’ll be thankful to not be sinking into it in your bridal heels (click here for samples). Shower caps and ponchos can also be helpful to get you from Point A to B. And if it is a little chilly because of the rain, consider adding a jean/leather jacket or shawl.

3) Look for alternative outdoor options. Get creative. If you want to go outside, maybe there is an overhang you can use, an open sided tent, or a tree that provides enough coverage to stand under if its just sprinkling. Just because you can’t stand out in the wide open, doesn’t mean there isn’t some other options for outdoor spaces that provide protection from the rain.

4) Scope out indoor spaces. While you may want to be outside, if the forecast doesn’t look like that is going to be an option, look to what your venue has to offer as an indoor space. Things to consider - time. If you are getting married in a church, some have a late afternoon service and you are only allowed to be in the space for a certain amount of time. If you have to be out, you’re going to have to look for another space. Space: does your venue have enough space to do group portraits? You may need to talk to your photographer about the lenses they use and how much space they require for group shots. Guests: If your guests are going to be milling about in the space, will they be in backgrounds or disruptive of photo time? Lighting: if your space is overly dark, does your photographer have the equipment to make it a workable space (and is there enough room to set up the equipment?) If you don’t like what your venue has to offer as an indoor space or think it isn’t viable after considering these questions, check into alternative options. A lot of public spaces, like museums, will let you come use their space for little or no cost. You always want to seek permission ahead of time just in case it comes down to needing an alternate space to go to.

Ultimately it comes down to this - Discuss options with your photographer beforehand and have a plan. I can’t stress this enough! Be sure your photographer knows what they are walking into so they have the proper equipment on that day - whether it be raingear, specialty lighting, etc. Don’t hand them a “make it work” moment on the day of the wedding and just expect them to figure it out. With proper planning and a little bit of extra creativity, you can make a rainy day wedding work for your photography, too!

Covid and Your Wedding: What 2020 Covid Weddings Taught Me

Covid effected the wedding industry in a big way last year, and to this day, still is. The impact from a financial perspective has been devastating to a lot of wedding professionals, but from the very beginning, I kept saying, “Don’t feel bad for me, my heart just goes out to the couples who are effected.” All of you were forced to make some really tough decisions if you got married last year or are planning to this year…..should you still get married or postpone? Should you change venues? Should you cut back the guest list? Should you just have a ceremony and forget the reception? From the beginning of wedding season when Covid first appeared, until the end on New Year’s Eve, every single wedding I had was impacted in some way, and the types of changes evolved throughout the season. A lot of my weddings early on felt like “normal” weddings, whereas by the end of the year, the mandates were explicit and some big changes had been made as to how the weddings could even operate (like mandatory masks, no dance floor, no guest congregating, etc).

In the end, most of my couples decided to go smaller, but still get married. There were a lot of “backyard weddings” and what are now being called “micro weddings” . A few couples were forced to change venues because the original venue they booked had closed down. Most cut their guests lists by half or more, and some had to beg people to even come at all anyways. I had one wedding where the bride had to decide to go forward or not without her parents being able to attend because they tested positive less than a week before their Big Day. I felt the turmoil of these couples that had to make some pretty heart wrenching decisions, and all I could do was offer a listening ear. Your wedding is a big deal….but so is everyone’s safety. Its tough. I get it. These are all decisions I’m glad I don’t have to make myself. As with many things in life, it is all about compromise anymore. For all the couple’s still looking to move forward with their 2021 weddings, I understand that you may have reservations because of stories just like these, and doubled with the restrictions, you may be second guessing the decision you’ve made to go ahead and get married.

But the one thing I kept hearing from each and every couple I photographed in 2020 was that while it wasn’t the wedding they originally planned, it was everything they wanted it to be, and perhaps even better in the end. Let me tell you a secret, I’m not surprised by that. The “intimate” weddings I’ve been a part of over the past 15 years I’ve been a photographer, well, they have always been my favorites. Everyone is just more relaxed and the atmosphere is completely different. Looking back, some of my favorite weddings had less than 20 people attending. These small weddings actually have more of a celebratory feeling than some of the “big party” weddings I’ve been a part of with over 400 guests. I promise you, it doesn’t matter how many people are present, only the quality of the relationship you have with the people.

The biggest takeaway for me in 2020 was that love wins. Nothing was going to stop these couples from becoming Mr. and Mrs. Not a virus. Not the government. Not a venue change. Nothing. The most important thing to them was ultimately being able to just get married. It wasn’t about the people, nor the party. It was only about each other. And I love that.

If you’re engaged and wedding planning, but just not quite sure what you want to do and how to proceed, first of all, take a deep breath. Ask yourself what matters most. There is no wrong answer. Maybe it is celebrate with your family and friends. Maybe it is to simply be married. Also consider your level of anxiety with Covid restrictions that may effect your day and how much stress that may cause you. And if you ultimately decide you want to get married, no matter what that kind of a day looks like to you, big or small, my piece of advice is to make sure to have a written understanding from all of your vendors that outlines cancellation and postponement policies due to Covid should they become absolutely necessary. Including these has become standard and you most definitely want to have a backup plan, just in case, plus an understanding of how these policies apply to your day. That is at least one step you can take to help manage the added stress of planning a wedding during Covid.

And if you’ve heard nobody is getting married during the pandemic, think again. Here’s some general 2020 wedding stats just for fun!

• October is the leader when it comes to the most popular time to get married (16%), followed by September (15%) and June (13%) The Knot

• A registered total number of 2,126,126 weddings took place, which means an average of 5,825 weddings took place each day Wedding Report

• Surveys reveal that love is the most important reason why the vast majority of Americans (88%) choose to get married Pew Social Trends (No surprise there!)

• The average wedding hosts 131 guests (The Knot)

• A basic insurance policy that covers anything from loss of photos, videos, attire, gifts, rings and deposits costs the newlywed couple in between $155 and $550 (The Knot)

• 50% of proposers believe the proposal was a surprise to their partner, but only 33% of proposees say they didn’t expect it (The Knot)

• A little over 10% of proposers ask their partner to marry them without a ring (The Knot)

• 87% of proposers say the exact words ‘Will you marry me’, while 84% get down on one knee (The Knot)

• And according to The Knot, the average for a wedding photographer is $2400

• In 52% of weddings, it’s the parents who cover most of the wedding costs Wedding Wire