Tips and Tricks :: Communication is Key

As your photographers, we want to make sure we are able to give you the final photos you are hoping for. So, we become pseudo planners for a moment and help you develop a timeline that goes beyond photography, and considers all aspects of your day. Once this timeline is set, and you feel great about it, the work is not done. Nope! You have to share this timeline with all your vendors, bridal party, and family in order for it to work. Communication is essential. If a couple does not bring everyone else involved up to speed with the timeline, the timeline becomes useless, and things become chaotic. Here are some pointers, or things you might not have thought, of when it comes to timeline communication.

 

MAKE SURE HAIR AND MAKEUP ARTISTS KNOW EXACTLY WHEN THEY NEED TO BE FINISHED

The morning of your wedding can make or break the rest of the day’s schedule. If your timeline says the Bride is to get into her dress at 12pm, but the hair and makeup artists don’t think they have to be finished until 12:30, that’s a problem. Your photographers are expecting to photograph the Bride’s final makeup touch ups, the Bride putting on her dress, portraits of the Bride in the suite, and do all of this by a certain time. If hair and makeup aren’t finished on time, the Bride can’t get into her dress, and photographers can’t move on to do the next task on their list on time (usually meaning the Groom and Groomsmen sit around waiting, and have their photo time cut short). So please, make sure you communicate with your hair and makeup artists what time all of the Bridesmaids need to be photo ready. If you work with us, this is stated clearly in the timeline we develop with you.

HAVE THE FLOWERS READY FOR PHOTOS

Most couples, 90% or so, are doing first looks. Even those who do not do first looks, will be taking some portraits before the ceremony separately. There’s nothing worse than having everything run on time, and then realize when it’s the Bridesmaids turn for group photos, they have no bouquets to hold. The colors of the Bridesmaids dresses against the flowers was a well thought out combination. These flowers really bring photos to life with color, and ties everything together. Bridesmaids need their flowers when we take their photos. When a couple takes portraits after their first look, it’s so much nicer with bouquets and boutonnieres. So, look at your timeline, notice when formal photos are set to begin, and make sure to communicate with your florist the exact time the bouquets and boutonnieres will be needed. Too often, we see bouquets delivered to the church, while we’re with the bridal party at the venue prior to the ceremony ready to take photos. So it’s also important to emphasize when flowers are needed, and where flowers are needed.

GET THE BRIDAL PARTY ON BOARD

Print several copies of your timeline to have on hand. Give your MOH and Best Man a copy and ask them to be a trooper, and help keep the rest of the crew moving. There’s so much going on that day, it’s easy to get caught up and run late. It’s totally normal, and it’s really never anyone’s fault, but keeping someone in the room in charge of watching the time and helping to keep things moving will be a huge help. It’s also important to communicate with your bridal party that you are asking for their help. Let them know you value your photography, and this timeline isn’t merely a suggestion. It’s something that you would really like to see happen, and you’re asking for them to be on board.

DO THE SAME FOR YOUR FAMILY

Typically, we’re doing family formal photos immediately following the ceremony. This is a somewhat hectic time during the day, and it becomes much easier to get through if family members know ahead of time where to go for their portraits. Make sure to let your immediate family members, or anyone else in the formal family photos know to “meet at the big oak tree to the left of the church immediately after the recessional.” This way we can start on time, finish on time, and let your family head to cocktail hour as soon as possible. Plus, the Bride and Groom don’t have to stand around waiting for family to gather, missing out on cocktail hour themselves!

RECEPTION DECOR

Most couples want to have some photos of their decor, especially that of the reception. A lot of time and consideration when into the look of the linens, the flowers, the place settings, the cake, the favors, and everything guests will see as they enter the dinner space. It’s always good to communicate with your planner/decorator when the photographers will arrive to photograph the decor. This way, everything is ready for it’s close up! Of course, if you work with us, we will ask you to check with your florist/planner/decorator before we make the timeline. This way we know what their process will be that day, and when they plan on having the room finished and ready for photos. However, once we set into our plan the time for detail and decor photos, it can’t be adjusted too much.

TELL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHERS ABOUT CHURCH RULES

Communication goes both ways! We’ve talked about things that impact your photography, and how you can communicate with other vendors to help us. But now, we want to make sure every couple understands that it’s totally fine to tell us how we can help other vendors too! It’s all one big machine, and every piece needs to be in working order for the wedding to go well. One area, specifically, that we can run into trouble is with church rules. Let us tell you a story about a Bride and Groom who knew they wanted to be married in a gorgeous, historic church. It was beautiful! The only problem is the Pastor did not allow photographers to enter the sanctuary. The rule was, photographers had to stand in the choir loft, or at the back of the church, in the entry way, shooting through the arches. The Bride and Groom probably heard this mentioned to them, but thought little of it. They also gave their photographers a list of photos they wanted during the ceremony. “Bride walking down the aisle smiling at the Groom”, “Groom smiling at the Bride as she walks down the aisle.” The day of the wedding, their uninformed photographers introduce themselves to the Pastor, explain where they typically stand for the Bride’s entrance, and ask if that will be a problem. The Pastor explains 5 minutes before the ceremony begins, that none of that can happen. Photographers do all they can, but no photos are taken from the front of the church. Bride is unhappy.

Please, please, please communicate with your photographers about any church rules or restrictions. We need to know what they are. If by chance, we are not allowed to photograph from the front, there won’t be photos of the Bride walking down the aisle. That’s something the couple needs to know, so they can adjust expectations and possibly come up with a different plan.