Jessica and Brandon's gorgeous rustic Virginia Wedding!

A few of my favorites from last month at Westfield's Golf Club.

A Little Easter Prettyness from my recent shoot with Artiskal Bridal Accessories

Part II of my Photographic Advice for Brides Series

CEREMONY TIPS

Take your time –

The first and second processional images are always "must have" photographs. Make sure you ask your bridal party and parents to walk slowly.  Don't even be afraid to stop completely. This will allow your photographer to take multiple images, close ups, etc. Taking a quick pause will also give your guests time to look at you. So much work goes into a planning a wedding – savor every second of the day.

Let us see your face –

During the ceremony, don’t forget to turn towards your guests. This will allow your photographer to grab a great shot of you expressions. It also lets your guest share in the moments as well. 

Flash –

Remember to speak to your ceremony venue and the officiant specifically about using flash during the ceremony.  Many officiants ban the use of flash completely. This will create some challenges for your photographer in dark, indoor locations.  A good photographer will be able to work with any restrictions and still give you great images. Nevertheless, it is important to know what is required beforehand so that he/she can be prepared.

Photographic Restrictions -

In addition to flash constraints, many religious venues place restrictions on equipment, location and duration of ceremony photography. In some cases ceremony photography is banned outright. Make sure to check on photo policy with your church, synagogue etc before booking.  Also, do not be afraid to negotiate these rules. Photographers must adhere to the rules of your venue. However, the priest/rabbi/officiant is as much your client as the photographer.

Videographer -  

Most professional videographers are polite and unobtrusive. However, some stand very close to the couple throughout the ceremony and that ultimately results in many photographs with the videographer in them. Be sure to have a word with your video artist about shooting location before the event. A telephoto lens will allow a video camera to capture the full event in detail from about 15 feet away. From that distance you will still get wonderful footage without having to share your ceremony images with your videographer’s backside.