Wedding Tips
Hire a professional photographer! The photographer you select can make or break your wedding day by either making your wedding day go well, or by being a constant thorn in your side. Believe it or not, your photographer's job is not just to capture outstanding images of your special day. Your photographer should - MUST - also act seamlessly as a part of your selected wedding day entourage to ensure that each and every facet of your wedding day goes smoothly. Here are some tips for choosing a photographer for your special day.
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Meet the photographer in person before you hire anyone to photograph your wedding! Most brides don’t realize that many studios hire part time photographers to photograph many of their weddings. You go to a studio, talk with a sales person, look at their samples, and make a decision – often without really knowing who will be photographing your wedding. It is important that you know specifically who will be photographing your wedding in order for you to make an informed decision as to whether or not you feel you can interact with them.
My team and I photograph all of my weddings. You will know in advance exactly who will be photographing your wedding and will have the opportunity to meet face to face with your photography team.
When you are shopping for just the right wedding photographer, ask some questions (our answers are in blue):
“Who photographed the samples that you are showing me?”
All photographs that you are viewing have been made by either myself or my dedicated assistant.
“Who, by name, will be photographing my wedding if we hire your studio?”
Jim Strathearn and Mike Gross.
“How will this person dress at my wedding?” (And "can I have an input on this?")
We will dress however you'd like us to dress. We normally dress in a sport coat and tie, and Linda (our lovely assistant) in a dress. If this is not satisfactory, we will dress how you'd like us to dress.
“How long will you be at my wedding?”
We will remain at your wedding through our contracted time. We will never leave prior to finding you or your designated contact person.
"What happens if we need your services beyond the number of contracted hours?"
We will stay as long as necessary.
The list goes on and on. It is very important that you ask any and all questions you may have. It is equally important that you fee comfortable with the answers to those questions.
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Find a photographer who will devote himself to you on your special wedding day. Too many photographers book several weddings on the same weekend, or even on the same day! How can they possibly be dedicated to your wedding when they have the next one on their mind??
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One person can’t attend to the details in the same way that two can. One person can’t see all that is happening. One person can’t be everywhere at once. By the same token, you don’t want half a dozen people running around spoiling the mood and romance of your perfect day.
That’s why Linda and I work together as a team. We are able to capture the romantic story of your wedding day without being frantic or rushed, as would be the case with a single person.
We are a team. Together we guarantee that you not only have a great time on your wedding day, but also assure that you have the emotional story of your wedding day preserved.
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Schedule a bridal portrait a week to ten days before the wedding! Seems simple, but it relieves stress in a number of ways: First, your dress will be ready well ahead of the wedding day, because you will have picked it up for the bridal portrait. Second, you will have a dress rehearsal putting on your dress, your jewelry, fixing your hair and makeup, etc. Most brides underestimate how long all of this will take. The hair appointment that runs long, or a dress that needs last minute alterations, are wedding day stressors!
One of the biggest stressors on the wedding day is getting ready for the ceremony….getting your hair done, getting your makeup just right and getting dressed. Most brides are rushing like mad, and a good many actually have to delay the ceremony by up to 20 minutes, to finish dressing! All this is, is more stress! This should all be enjoyable, not stressful! By having a bridal portrait, you will then know how long it takes for you to get ready and you can plan your special day accordingly.
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The following is a suggested wedding post list. This is a list of suggested poses and does not represent the only poses we will photograph. You may add any additional poses you would like, and can skip any poses that you do not want.
© James Strathearn 2008