Capturing Forever: A Glimpse into a Complete Wedding Day Through the Lens of a Wedding Photographer | Inverness Wedding Photographer
Capturing Forever: A Glimpse into a Complete Wedding Day Through the Lens of a Wedding Photographer.
I've been capturing weddings as a photographer in Inverness through Aberdeen for over ten years. This article documents how I capture the wedding day.
Your wedding day is one of the most important days as a couple. Having a wedding photographer from Inverness capture those memories that will live on in your album for generations, including your children and grandchildren, is essential. Wedding photography is not just snapshots of your day. An experienced photographer will be piecing those moments together to tell the story of your day in the wedding photos. Each wedding is unique. Yes, the format may be the same, but each wedding has different people and a different love story.
The Prewedding Preparations:
The day starts with me arriving at 9.30 am (or earlier if it is a new wedding venue) as you and your bridal party are getting ready. Hair and makeup are at work, ensuring everyone is on time. I introduce myself to everyone as I'll have only met the bride previously.
I set about capturing those moments as you all get ready. I work candidly over the shoulder of your makeup artist or hair stylist to capture the most natural moments whilst being mindful not to get in their way as they are busy enough without me slowing them down. All the while watching the rest of the room to ensure I'm not missing any little moments that add to the day's story. These could be little looks between the bridal party or moments of hilarity, all adding to the day's fun.
Spending time with you getting ready allows me to get to know the bridal party and interact with everyone and also people to be relaxed around me as a photographer, setting us up for the rest of the day knowing we will get the best out of each other.
With everyone ready and the ceremony fast approaching, I will head off in search of the Groom and Groomsmen while you get into your dresses (if they are at the same venue). After some candid moments with the groom and groomsmen, as they finish off, we go outside for more formal portraits before I make my way back to the bride.
Back with the bride and bridal party, I capture the last bit of the dress fastened by Mum or Maid of Honour. Next, it's time to set up a few portraits in some nice light of the bride, with some including the bridesmaids and Mum. As ceremony time approaches, we get you into position for Dad to arrive to get the first look (a vital moment of the day) and walk you down the aisle.
The Ceremony:
As the day moves to the ceremony, time rapidly gets quicker. Or so it seems.
Capturing candid moments as you walk down to the ceremony, or if you are travelling in a wedding car, I get you to wait before exiting so I can capture some photos in the car.
At this point, I will move down the front alongside the minister or celebrant, capturing a few photos of the groom and groomsmen waiting nervously. I'm also now able to capture the bridesmaids walking down the aisle individually, followed by the bride and her Dad (or whoever is walking down the aisle with you).
During the ceremony, everything is natural as it happens. I'll move from side to side, looking for little looks or emotion in your faces and your guests looking on. At the point of the first kiss, I'll position myself on the groom's side so that I am in the best position to see both your faces. At the signing of the register, I will grab a quick posed photo of the two of you, then another with both witnesses. At this point, I then move to the back of the room to capture you walking down the aisle as a married couple for the first time.
Portraits and Group Shots:
Before we start this section of the day, I usually let you chat with your guests for 15 - 20 minutes while I capture documentary photos of everyone talking and congratulating you.
I will usually organise the family group photos next, starting with the big group photo of everyone. Next, we will do the smaller groups, completing these as quickly as possible so the guests can go.
I have around an hour to capture some portraits of you both. I may take you to a favourite location or around the venue grounds. On more than one occasion, I have heard that my couples look forward to getting away from the guests for a short while as it's the first time since they were married. I will guide you into some nice light (or even create light myself) during these portraits whilst composing and positioning you to create beautiful portraits.
Unforgettable Details:
Once I return from the couple portraits, I will go to the room you are having the wedding meal in. Here, I will capture the room set up and any individual table decorations, as these are usually handmade and unique to you. These might seem minor details to some, but they are all relevant and part of the day's story and will feature in the wedding album.
The Reception:
Once back at the venue, I will capture candid photos of you and your guests mingling before everyone is seated for the speeches and meal.
You are called last and usually seated after the guests. I will photograph your arrival at the top table, ready for the speeches. Capturing the speeches is all-natural photographs, where I go around the room to get the best angle for whoever is doing a speech, looking out for more moments of laughter and emotion from the guests.
Once your meal is complete, it's time for the evening guests to arrive. I suggest getting you out for more portraits, as early evening or twilight can produce stunning photos. No matter what, I will capture candid pictures of your guests mingling in their various groups. Usually, just before the first dance, once the evening guests have arrived, it's time to cut the cake. The cake is positioned on the dance floor by the venue, where everyone can see it. I'll take a few different photos as you cut your cake, which I will guide you on to ensure I get the shot before stepping aside to allow guests to snap a few.
Following this, it is straight into the first dance, where you will have centre stage. I will walk around you as the dance takes place, capturing various photos before your guests join you. I will remain on the dance floor amongst everyone, capturing pictures of the action. I usually stay until the first dance or two to capture the fun as it begins for the evening.
Post-Production and Album Creation:
Following my return home from the wedding, I will back everything up multiple times, including the cloud, to ensure all your precious memories are safe.
The next day, I aim to have a selection of sneak peeks for you to share on social media.
Following this, I go through the entire wedding, culling any that don't make the grade before I edit the rest in my unique style, creating a series of pictures to tell the story of your day.
Once you have your finished photos delivered, usually six to eight weeks later, depending on the load, I will get you to create a favourites list so I can begin designing your wedding album and sending this off to print once it has passed your approval. I design the album to tell the story of your wedding day, from morning preparations to your first dance in the early evening.
Dealing with Unpredictability:
Each wedding is unique in terms of people and venue, and being able to manage people is a valuable skill to have.
A more significant challenge can be the weather, which also throws up lighting. Not only dull days but very bright sunny days where you can lose all detail in the skies and, more importantly, the dress. So, a good skill set and using lighting to balance things creatively is necessary.
Investing in training is worth its weight in gold, which I do most years.
In Summary
Capturing such a special day for the couples and preserving their memories for generations is a privilege, with a wedding album personally designed to tell the day's story as well—the best job in the world.