Your wedding
Wedding guide
Hello dear bridal couple
This guide is for all bridal couples that I have the pleasure of photographing on their special day.
On the following pages I will share valuable tips with you on how to get the best out of your wedding pictures and how to optimize the flow of your day. You’ll benefit from my experience in the wedding industry and of course I’ll be on hand with help and advice if you have any questions about your wedding that aren’t answered in this guide.
Have fun reading!
Melanie
Getting ready
Before the wedding
#I
Space & daylight
It doesn’t always have to be a hotel room, of course you can also take great getting ready pictures in your own home. A tidy room with as large a window as possible and enough space is perfect. It’s best to use the window light for the pictures, i.e. if you can stand opposite a window.
Carpets or beautiful pieces of wooden furniture (e.g. vintage chairs) are particularly suitable surfaces for photographing accessories. Let me know if you have anything like this. It is also nice if there is a large mirror in which the bride can admire herself and which can be used for photo shoots
#2
The accessories
A picture of your dream dress hanging on the hanger and waiting for its grand entrance – that’s part of every getting ready. The dress can hang in the window, on a pretty (vintage) closet, on an open staircase or on the balcony, for example.
I also like to photograph the stationery and all your accessories, such as shoes, jewelry, bridal bouquet, perfume bottle for the bride and watch, belt, bow tie/tie or cufflinks for the groom.
#3
your outfit
Jogging bottoms are comfortable, but not exactly photo-ready. Think about what you want to wear “before” the wedding outfit.
For the bride, it can be a robe or a summer dress, for example. The groom can slip into a shirt and suit trousers. If friends are present at the Getting Ready, they can already slip into their dress or suit.
This makes the pictures harmonious and gives a foretaste of the wedding later on.
First look
Bride & groom meet
Put simply, the “first look” is the first time the bride and groom meet in their wedding outfits.
I can definitely recommend the “First Look” to you. Not only because it produces beautiful photos, but also because it’s a great opportunity for the bride and groom to concentrate on themselves, enjoy the “calm before the storm” and, above all, tell the other person how beautiful they look in their dress or suit. It’s hard to imagine, but it’s precisely these small but important moments of togetherness that there is otherwise hardly any time for in the hustle and bustle of the day.
The best way to celebrate the “first look” is for the bride and groom to arrange a meeting point, e.g. near the wedding venue. Perhaps there is a park, a country lane, a courtyard, a pretty alley or even a stream with a bridge.
The moment should be just the two of you, so you should be alone. I will therefore photograph the moment from a distance if possible and give you enough space.
The overwhelmed look is simply priceless when the groom sees his beautiful bride for the first time. And vice versa, of course.
Of course, this special moment can also be saved for the wedding ceremony. So that you can really enjoy the moment, you should make sure that there is enough time and that the speech does not start straight away. For example, a longer piece of music can be played after the entrance.
Also bear in mind that all eyes will be on you during the ceremony. If this situation makes you nervous, you can celebrate the first look before the ceremony.
Wedding ceremony
You say yes to each other
1. WEDDING UNPLUGGED
Shared joy is twice the friends and that’s why you’ve invited all your loved ones. So that they can be with you wholeheartedly, cell phones should stay in your pocket during the ceremony. It’s annoying if only guests with smartphones in front of their faces can be seen in your reportage pictures.
A unique overall picture at the entrance and exit or when changing rings simply does not include cell phones, but applauding guests.
How can you inform your guests that they should not take photographs during the ceremony? One possibility is, for example, a note in the program booklet, a large sign at the entrance, or a short announcement by a witness, priest or wedding speaker before the ceremony starts.
2. HERE COMES THE BRIDE
The entrance and exit are the most emotional moments of the wedding ceremony alongside the vows and ring exchange. If it’s not just the two of you, but also other people, such as flower children or a priest and his altar servers, then make sure you keep enough distance so that you are not covered.
3. YOUR PLACES
Photos live from emotions. Make sure that you can sit close to each other so that you can share these emotions. Your seats should also have the same lighting conditions. If one place is in the sun and the other in the shade, the chairs may be moved just before you start. Generally speaking, shaded areas are best.
4. THE GUESTS FIRST
Many bridal couples choose to have the guests move out first and line up in a trellis. All the guests stand together ready to receive the bride and groom. Nobody misses the congratulations or a surprise because a traffic jam has formed somewhere in the aisle.
5. FLOWER CHILDREN
Of course, flower children are simply cute. But be sure to let potential flower children decide for themselves whether they want to be the center of attention and don’t force themselves on the wedding day. The younger the children, the more shy they may be and not be confident at the crucial moment. If they are then forced, you will end up with a chaos of insecure children and excited parents pushing their children down the aisle instead of a picturesque exit.
Location
The cozy part begins
1. LOCATION AND TABLES
You have invested so much love, money and passion in designing the wedding table. You have discussed every detail of the decorations with your wedding planner or florist so that in the end everything fits together in a harmonious overall concept. That’s why it’s important to me to capture all the details. So that I can photograph everything untouched and in peace, I should be at the location first.
2. SECTION RECEPTION
It is easiest for me to photograph the location if the reception for the guests or the coffee drinking takes place outdoors or in another room. Especially in summer, the wedding party prefers to be outdoors rather than indoors. This way I can take my time to photograph the whole room, the tables and all the details.
3. GROUP PICTURES
Many beautiful pictures are taken at a relaxed champagne reception. As a silent observer, I love capturing moments big and small. The toasts of the guests, a cheerful laugh or a loving embrace. With professional Euqipment, many beautiful moments can be captured from a distance without the guests feeling pressured. The first group photos can also be taken in this relaxed setting, e.g. when the bride and groom are standing together with friends, the grandparents are offering their congratulations or the boys are tapping the beer keg together with the groom. In this way, the group photos are playfully integrated into the daily routine without appearing forced or posed.
4. GUEST ENTERTAINMENT
Not to be underestimated is the entertainment of the guests, so that they do not get bored and the mood is kept up. The photo box is still very popular. If you have a special location or a place of interest nearby, (city) tours can also be organized for the guests. Food trucks, mobile cocktail bars and coffee bikes are also very popular these days. Live music should not be underestimated as entertainment in the afternoon, which is why I can recommend musical entertainment. If you have a lot of children among your guests, you can provide a cozy seating and play area, a trampoline or even a bouncy castle. Experience has shown that the latter is also very popular with “big kids”.
5. THE LIGHTING
What I can recommend to my bridal couples without reservation are lots of fairy lights or light curtains, as well as lots of candles. This not only conjures up a great mood and romantic atmosphere in the room, but also looks beautiful in photos.
Portrait shooting
Your wedding pictures
A portrait shoot with the bride and groom is part of every wedding reportage. With a few tips, you can get the best out of your photo shoot:
1. THE GOLDEN HOUR
We have the most beautiful light in the evening at sunset. The “golden hour” is one hour before sunset and offers warm, soft light that is perfect for backlit shots. It is therefore best if we can take the pictures in the evening. However, this is not a must, I’ll be guided entirely by your planning.
2. SMALL SHOOTINGS
Several small shoots spread out over the day are very nice. This way you are not separated from your guests for long periods of time. The first pictures can be taken after the first look, for example, and others in the afternoon or at sunset. Each shoot takes about 10-20 minutes and offers you many different motifs, locations and moods.
3. THE CULISSE
I usually take the portraits in or around the location. Places in nature, such as a beautiful flower meadow, a spot at the edge of a forest, an old sandstone wall, country lanes, old town alleyways or old barn doors are a wonderful backdrop.
4. STAY YOURSELVES
It makes no sense to take pictures in a big fairytale castle if you love nature through and through. Just because all the other bridal couples are taking pictures at a certain location doesn’t mean that you have to do the same. Staying true to yourselves is the most important thing in a photo shoot.
5. BAD WEATHER
A cloudy sky provides even light and there are no harsh shadows, so clouds are not a bad thing in themselves. If you want to be on the safe side, you can look around to see if there is an indoor or outdoor area at your location where you can take photos.
6. AFTER WEDDING
If all else fails and it is not possible in terms of time or weather to do a proper portrait shoot, there is always the option of booking an “after wedding shoot”, i.e. we will arrange a date after the wedding for you to slip into your wedding outfit again.
7. THE ACCESSORIES
I don’t encourage you to bring props for the portrait photo shoot, because after all, it’s all about you and there’s no need to put on a huge show.
Too many accessories are a distraction. Not only in the pictures themselves, but also during the shoot, when you’re concentrating on not forgetting any accessories instead of simply taking a casual photo.
The details I like to photograph and incorporate into the shoot are of course the rings, the bridal bouquet and, if applicable, the wedding car.
I don’t feel that anything beyond that is absolutely necessary for successful and individual portraits.
8. MOVEMENTS & POSES
Whether you take each other by the hand and walk along a country lane, dance in the sunset or sit next to each other on a step – the main thing is that you feel relaxed and at ease.
Everything is allowed as long as you don’t remain in rigid poses. Try to stay relaxed and keep moving. But don’t worry, I’ll give you a basic pose and then, with a little help, many reactions and emotions will come all by themselves.
You can laugh, cuddle, dance and of course flirt together. Just have fun in front of the camera and enjoy your precious time together. You don’t always have to look directly into the camera either. Look deeply into each other’s eyes, or close your eyes completely to simply enjoy the moment.
Evening program
WEDDING DANCE TO WEDDING ROOM
After an eventful day with an emotional wedding ceremony and a relaxed champagne reception, everyone looks forward to a delicious meal and an exuberant party. Professional images that perfectly capture the mood are particularly impressive in low light conditions.
1. AT DINNER
Whether it’s a relaxed BBQ, a laid-back buffet or serving at the table – the bride and groom and guests can relax during dinner and there’s time for speeches and raising glasses together.
I withdraw during the meal, but still keep a close eye on what’s happening and always have my camera to hand. If you like, you can give me a seat at a table on the edge where I have a good view of you so that I don’t miss anything.
Of course, I am also happy to sit at the bar or at a table together with the musicians or other service providers.
2. AFTER EATING
After the meal there is time for a cozy get-together, a round of cocktails or schnapps, surprises and of course fun in the photo box. In addition to speeches by the parents, witnesses or friends, the program often includes the bouquet toss, the cutting of the wedding cake or the opening dance. The dance alone offers wonderful motifs and rounds off the reportage of your day with professional photos.
3. OPENING DANCE
A particularly beautiful motif is the opening of the dance floor by the bridal couple. Whether a classic wedding waltz or an individual freestyle. It is also important that you stay true to yourselves and, above all, have fun at the wedding dance.
To create a unique atmosphere, your guests can stand in a semi-circle around you and hold sparkling sparklers in their hands. After the opening dance, your guests can storm the dance floor together with you.
In order to capture unforgettable pictures for you even in low light conditions and with fast movements, I will work with different flashes for the party pictures.
I am convinced that we will have a great time together
and create wonderful memories
for you.
I look forward to seeing you!