Capturing Your Day

Every wedding day is different, but the following will give you an idea of what I normally do on a typical wedding day.

I begin the day by visiting the groom and his groomsmen before they start getting ready for the day. The groom and his mates are usually sitting around having a chat, so these photos are very informal and fun in nature.

After leaving the groom’s house, I then go to visit the bride. By this time the bride and her bridesmaids are generally starting to get ready for the wedding ceremony. I take photos of any items such as shoes and flowers that are associated with the wedding. I then photograph the transformation of the bride as she gets into her wedding dress.  In addition, I take any photos of the family members who are at the bride’s residence- this may include the bride’s mum, dad and grandparents.

About half an hour before the ceremony is due to start I take photos of the groom and groomsmen in their finery at the wedding venue. Whilst waiting for the bride to arrive, I capture any special moments that happen. This may include things such as the groom talking to his guests and family or kids playing where the bride will walk down the aisle.

One of the most beautiful parts of any wedding day is the reaction of the groom when the bride is walking down the aisle. I make sure that both the bride walking down the aisle and the groom’s reaction to this is covered extensively.

During the wedding ceremony, I ensure that every angle is covered so that the bride and groom can later be transported back to each of the precious moments of the ceremony.  When the ceremony is finishing I capture the bride and groom walking down the aisle together. Often the guests are throwing confetti or rose petals which look terrific in photos.

After all of the congratulatory hugging, the bridal party and close members of the bride and groom’s family go somewhere close to the ceremony venue to take the family photos.

The bridal party then leaves the bride and groom’s family in order to travel to a special location/s to shoot the more formal photos.  In many cases the bride and groom choose where they want these photos to be taken. If not, I always have several beautiful locations picked out that will create an amazing backdrop for the bride and groom. Some examples may include a gorgeous garden or the river front. This process usually takes no more than 90 minutes. I try to make the location shots no longer than this as I am mindful that the bride and groom want to be spending time with their friends and family.

When we arrive at the reception venue, I make sure that the bridal party can relax for about 15 minutes before they walk in to meet their family and friends.  During this time I take photos of the setup of the reception including the cake, the table settings and the room generally.

The bride and groom then enter the reception venue to the applause and delight of their family and friends. When everyone has had a chance to sit down and relax, I take photos of all of the guests in groups or as appropriate. It is great to have this photographic commentary of all of your guests as many years later you may have forgotten who attended your wedding.

After the bridal party and guests have eaten, the speeches of the bride and groom, the parents and best man usually happen. I love capturing the priceless looks on people’s faces during the humorous or heartfelt moments from each of the speeches.

The formalities of the day often finish with the cutting of the cake and the bridal waltz which I make sure I capture extensively. After this the band or DJ starts the music and guests enter the dancefloor with a vengeance. I photograph the first part of the dance floor action before leaving.

Zowie’s Tips for Your Big Day?

• Relax and enjoy the day as it goes very fast

• For the groom and groomsmen, please make sure that every piece of your suit is in your suit bag- especially your pants- as the last thing you want is to find an incomplete suit on the wedding day. Also take the shirts out of their packets the day before the wedding.

• Be mindful of your elderly and younger guests- make sure your guests are not left in the sun for large amounts of time.

• If it is a hot day, make sure you have plenty of water available.