Creative Wedding Day Photography

How to get those way-cool Wedding photos!
Back in the day, wedding day photos meant that the family and wedding party would be gathered for a lineup, a few shots would be taken and that would be the end of it. Although these pictures grace the walls of your grandmother’s home, they may not necessarily work for you. Traditional wedding portraits are lovely, but they tend not to show the true personality of the couple. Here are some tips to make sure you get the perfect wedding photos that really reflect who you are:

1. Make sure your photographer knows who you really are.

When you start meeting with your wedding day photographer, it is important that they get a sense of who you and your fiance are. They should be asking questions about your personality, your hobbies, your ceremony and reception venue(s) and even your wedding day attire. This helps them determine what you want out of your wedding day portraits, and provides inspiration for unique wedding portraits that allows your personalities to shine through. A helpful hint for helping you determine if your photographer is willing to see your vision is by looking at samples of previous wedding photos. If you end up seeing the same pose over and over, then you know the photographer does not cater to the wedding couple.

2. If the photographer doesn’t ask questions, speak up!

If your photographer doesn’t take the initiative to ask questions, don’t be afraid to let them know what you want. I’ve seen too many wedding party photos that look like a “usual suspect” lineup-not exactly what you want to convey for your happy event. These kinds of photos are usually the result of the photographer not asking questions about their clients and/or the couple not saying what they want for their photographs. The best pictures that I’ve seen have been portraits where I look at the couple and say, “That is so them!” Remember, the point of wedding photography is to be able to look at your pictures years later and smile at the memories. If you’re not happy with how your wedding pictures were captures, it will show in your photos. If you find yourself unsure of what to say to your photographer, just think to yourself, “What do I want to look back on and remember?” That usually helps determine what you need to say in order to get the photos you want.

3. If you’re not sure what you want, do some research!

The other cause of bland wedding day photos is a lack of inspiration. There are some wonderful wedding blogs out there with some great wedding day photography ideas that truly show who the couple is. Most of the featured photos are quirky and inventive, and show just how much fun the couple had on their special day. These pictures can be helpful in determining in what you want for your own photos and you can even put your own unique twist on what you’ve found. If you’re really stuck, take a look at what you do as a couple. If you like board games, have a picture taken where you and your new spouse are playing Monopoly or Scrabble. Are you a couple of pool sharks? Find a nearby bar and rack up those billiard balls! The possibilities are endless and whatever you find will definitely create some amazing results.

Hopefully, with these tips in mind, you and your photographer can come up with some unique and fun photo ideas for your wedding day that are true to who you and your spouse are.

Guest blogger - Jessica Sherman

The Pre-Ceremony Reveal

When creating the schedule for the wedding day, most couples do not set enough time for all of the photos they want in between the ceremony and the reception. Of course, it’s easier when the ceremony and the reception are at the same location, but what if they’re not? In addition to scheduling time for the photos of you and your spouse and your wedding party, you now have to worry about travel time as well. As a result, everyone misses the cocktail hour, as well as adding stress to a day that is supposed to be romantic. So, why not set aside some time BEFORE the ceremony and solve all of these problems? Although it is not for the most traditional or superstitious among us in the wedding community, the pre-ceremony reveal provides several benefits for the wedded couple, as well as their wedding party:

1. You won’t have to sacrifice getting the photos you want for the photos they want.

Most brides and grooms these days are favoring the photojournalist approach to their wedding day photos, mainly because the results show more personality without actually getting in the way of the festivities. However, there are always certain relatives that want the traditional stand-there-and-pose pictures at the altar. This is perfectly fine, yet, the set up and actual picture-taking tend to last around 30 minutes, depending on the size of the family/wedding party and the level of cooperation. Of course, when Grandma starts getting tired and the ring bearer is being chased by the flower girl, the process can take a lot longer. There are also the photos that the couple wants to take, either at a park or some other location that the couple prefers. More often than not, these sights are nowhere near the ceremony or the reception site, which means a great deal of travel time has to be carved out during the day. On average, the travel can take up to an hour in between the different locations, not including time to stop and take any photographs. As a result, sometimes the couple must give up what they want in order to give their families what they want and still take part in their wedding. Or, there is the alternative: miss the cocktail hour. Which leads us to...

2. You won’t have to miss the cocktail hour

While it may just seem like a time for your friends and family to start getting boozed up for the dancing later on, the cocktail hour is actually an opportunity for the newly married couple to mingle with their friends and family after one of the best moment of their lives. Unfortunately, many couples decide to nix attending that part of their celebration in order to get the photos they really want. True, you can just catch up during the dinner and dancing, but do you really want to attempt to have a conversation with Uncle Harry and Aunt Joan half-starved and sweaty? Probably not.

And most importantly,

3. You get the rare opportunity for some alone time together.

While it is a wonderful experience to see each other for the first time at the ceremony, hundreds of onlookers are also sharing in that experience, which can make that moment somewhat impersonal. A pre-ceremony reveal allows the couple to pick a location to meet in their wedding garb where they won’t have hundreds of eyes looking directly at them. Couples that have done this found it to be far more tender and intimate than the traditional reveal at the ceremony. It also helps them to remember why they went through the stressful planning process before they go through the ceremony, alleviating the symptoms of wedding day jitters. After the couple enjoys some alone time, the bride/groom and wedding party/family shots are taken. With all of that out of the way, the members of the wedding party are free to celebrate the rest of the day without having to worry about posing for the photographer.

As a result of the pre-ceremony reveal, the couple gets to share a private romantic moment before the wedding, no one has to miss the cocktail hour, and everyone gets what they want to hang on their walls. Now, doesn’t that sound more ideal than the alternative?

by Jessica Sherman, guest author

Engagement Photography Sessions-Why are they a good idea?

If you’re on the fence about whether or not you and your fiance can/want to set aside some time in your busy planning schedule, here are some reasons why you SHOULD:

1. You get to know your photographer.

Hopefully, by this time, you have at least started thinking about who you would like to document your big day. An engagement photo session is the perfect opportunity for you to get a feel for a photographer and how they operate, consider it a "test drive". That way, come wedding day, you won’t run into any major surprises. Also, it’s a good opportunity for them to get to know you and your fiance. What are your interests? Are you a traditional couple or do like things a little more modern? Is one of you a little more free-spirited and the other more reserved? The list goes on and on. At the engagement shoot, the photographer(s) can find this out and also figure out ways to bring out both of your personalities, which always make the best possible photographs.

2. It’s a way to remind others (and yourself) why you fell in love.
Let’s face it, wedding planning can be stressful. You tend to get caught up in the small details from the start and sometimes forget the main reason for planning this darn thing: you are marrying the man/woman of your dreams! An engagement photo session is a great way to remind you of that. Many couples have a great time returning to the place where they fell in love or has played a part in their relationship, whether it’s your high school/college campus, restaurant where you went on your first date or even where the proposal happened. You can also incorporate your common interests, such as hiking, playing pool, or even flag football. This kind of engagement shoot tends to be a lot of fun for everyone, plus it gives you a chance to show your friends and family exactly why you are getting married.

3. Save the Date!
I’ve seen way too many couples that thought one of their photos from Facebook would suffice as a photograph to use for their save-the-dates. More often than not, the shot is not all that flattering. It’s usually from a night out, either in a bar or at a party, where the lighting is so dark that you’re not sure who is in the photo, or the couple’s faces are washed out from the flash of the camera. Either way, it’s not something people really want to stick on their fridge. The photos you get from your engagement photography session ensure you that you and your fiance look your best, and that your save-the-date won’t be hidden under this week’s grocery list.

4. It’s a great way to change up the traditional guest book (and other reception items).
Sometimes the traditional guest signature and address works just fine, but if you want something a little more personal, a book filled with your engagement photos is a great way to do that. A photo book normally has one or two photographs per page with a large border for guests to scribble some well-wishes for the happy couple. Another option, which Dragonfly Studio happens to offer, is having your favorite photograph from the session printed on a canvas. The guests can also write a message on the border provided, and it makes a wonderful addition to your home. Either way, the end result is something that you and your new spouse can look at again and again, instead of finding a place for it in storage.

Another idea for your photos is using them for your table numbers. It’s a fun way to snazz up this traditional centerpiece item and it adds a more personal touch to your wedding.

Finally, you can use your photographs for labels that you may be using for your favors. It adds a nice touch, and it’s another way to share your joy with your friends and family.

Hopefully, these ideas will help you decide to schedule an engagement photography session with your photographer. If anything else, it will give you an excuse to step away from planning for awhile and spend some time with the love of your life.

by guest author, Jessica Sherman

How much should I expect to spend on Wedding Photography?

So you’ve just gotten engaged. Congratulations! You’ve called your friends and family and set a date. Now comes the hard part: actually planning the darn thing! But how do you know what to do with your budget? A common mistake that many brides make is not setting aside enough money for a professional photographer or photographers. Sure, you could have Uncle Bob or Cousin Jo take the photos of your big day, but unless they are professionally trained photographers, you risk having a wedding album filled with blurred images or unflattering shots of you and your guests.

On average, photographers can cost around $3000, yet most brides only set aside around $500, ⅙ of what they should be spending to ensure that their special day is properly documented. So why choose a photographer over a reception hall filled with luscious hydrangeas, a rockin’ dj or a gourmet menu? While all of those aspects make for a memorable event, at the end of the day, the food will be eaten, the dj will pack up and if you’re lucky, one bloom can be carefully preserved in a scrapbook. The only truly tangible aspect of your wedding will be your photos. So why skimp on something that will help you remember every single wonderful detail of one of the best days of your life?