5 Tips to get the most out of your wedding photos

Getting the most out of your wedding photography

Your wedding photos and your memories will be what you have left after the special day, so here are five tips to make sure you are left with photos you love:

Choose the style you would like – Relaxed & Informal or Traditional

Over the last ten years wedding photography styles have changed hugely. Wedding photos are no longer just shots of the ceremony and formal group photos outside the church – it’s far more personal and informal, even the ‘posed’ images tend have a relaxed look about them. Generally photographers will use a mix of candid, ‘reportage’ style and more formal arranged shots, although some specialise in a candid style so it is worth checking before you book whether they will do some posed shots if you want them. Both approaches are absolutely fine but it is worth knowing how your photographer works so you know what to expect on the day.

Be conscious of time on the day

With the best will in the world, timings on your big day will slip! Major things do happen – cars can break down or someone’s dress gets something spilt on it – but the chances are that you will be enjoying yourselves with your family and friends so much that time will get away from you. If your ceremony runs on it could end up limiting the time you had planned for photos, and the last thing you want is for your photos to be tense and hurried. If that does happen then have a word with your photographer and co-ordinator at the venue – they will be very used to this and can arrange for the meal to be pushed back a little. This will let you get all the pictures you want in a relaxed atmosphere and still give you time to mingle with your guests – you don’t want to rush your champagne!

Family shots

Managing the family group shots can be quite challenging, so make a list beforehand of the groups you want – this way no-one accidentally gets overlooked in the excitement. If you have a large family and a lot of groups that you want to take photos of, make sure you allow the time for this – and use your ushers or family members to round up the people you need, which will speed everything up nicely. Talk to your photographer about how they handle arranging the groups – no-one likes a bossy photographer!

Weather contingency plans

With the great British weather being notoriously unreliable, you do need to make some contingency plans, even if your wedding is scheduled for the middle of summer. Don’t forget that umbrellas can make very atmospheric shots, and there really is nothing you can do about the weather, so make the most of it! If the sun does shine then it’s worth asking about sunset shots, when everything has that magic glow about it…

Making your own albums and keepsakes

Your photos are likely to come to you on a USB stick or digital download, and while it’s tempting to rush to the high street and print them all out that won’t necessarily give you the professional finish your wedding deserves. It’s worth talking to your wedding photographer to see if they can recommend any professional printing labs to make sure your photos look as wonderful as possible.

Check out more of Rob’s wedding photography portfolio here; RS Wedding Photographer