Your wedding is about you, not about your me as your photographer. I want to convey to anyone that wasn’t there the same sense of awe as those that were. I want you to be completely happy with your Experience.
Each and every wedding is unique, and I treat them as such. While packages can be helpful in determining what you want, the bottom line is that there isn’t a “cookie-cutter” solution that works for everyone. Before the big day, I like to meet with couples to talk about what it is that you are looking for in a photographer, as well as any specific expectations. Your wedding photography will reflect your individual plans and your individual style. My responsibility is to take that discussion and create your story so that you or anyone can look at your album and feel like they were there.
No matter who you ulitmately decide to have photograph the day, I highly suggest you find a photographer that you feel comfortable with so that comfort shows through in your portraits. Stress is a no-no!
Engagement sessions are very important to your overall experience with your wedding photographer. That is why every one of my packages include an engagement session. The engagement session serves such an important role. It is not only about getting great photos for your save-the-date cards or e-cards. It is also about spending some time getting to know your photographer so that you are comfortable with him or her on your big day! And the biggest reason it is important to have an engagement session with your wedding photographer, is to give your photographer a test run!
Speaking of engagement sessions, many of my clients ends up asking me, “What are we supposed to wear?” Well, I really cannot answer that fairly! An engagement session should depict your personality and your style. While there are some things (discussed below) that you generally want to stay away from, don’t let your photographer tell you that you that you should both wear jeans and matching shirts if that is not something you would do. Your engagement photos are a direct reflection of who you are, so you should wear something that is you! I try to suggest to my clients that they bring two outfits – one being something that they would normally wear on a daily basis and the second being an outfit that they would wear if they were going to dinner at a nice restaurant.
There are a few guidelines that I will share with you. These are only guidelines, and the ultimate decision should be yours.
- Wear something comfortable! If it isn’t comfy, that will show through in the final images. These aren’t the portrait sessions of yesteryear where everyone is in matching white-washed jeans and Christmas sweaters! Just be you, and all will go well.
- Consider the weather! You may not want to wear short shorts or a cocktail dress if you are going to be shooting outdoors when it is windy or chilly. Refer to the above comment. Comfortable!
- Consider the location of your shoot! Unless you are purposely trying to go for a major contrasting look (which I am known to do), you probably do not want to wear a formal gown and tux if you are shooting at an abandoned house or an abandoned warehouse downtown.
- Consider the movement and flow of your clothes! If the wind is blowing and you are wearing a flowing dress or skirt, this could make or break your photos depending on your style. I personally love it when a bride wears something that flows in the wind. It creates movement in your photos which will help give them a realistic look rather than a posed shot. But this is something that you should consider if you are planning to have your engagement session outdoors.
- As stated above, there are some general considerations – namely, watch for patterns and prints on your clothing. This is probably the one area that you should pay the most attention to. Busy patterns and stripes tend to not photograph well, and should generally be avoided unless you will be shooting in front of a solid color backdrop. Because I am a location photographer, solid backdrops are not going to be the norm. Not to mention they can distract the focus of the photograph (you….).
- Don’t forget the shoes! Some shoots will have lots of walking involved, and while those high-heels may look amazing…they probably don’t feel great when walking a lot. But then again, maybe they do!
These, however, are just suggestions! They are meant to serve as guidelines to help you decide what to wear. These are by far not rules, nor exhaustive.
JUST BE YOU!
