Tips for beautiful wedding photos on your wedding day
Careful planning of the wedding day is the key to relaxed wedding photos. So if you want to get beautiful pictures, you need to make sure that there is enough time for family photos or portraits of the wedding couple, for example. It is particularly important to take into account any transfer times if you want to take photos away from the location. Ideally, the photo shoot should not take place in the midday sun, although this is not a challenge for an experienced photographer. The late afternoon hours are better for a friendlier atmosphere, as they offer longer shadows and softer light. The evening atmosphere at sunset also offers very beautiful light. When planning, therefore, pay attention to the daylight, which varies greatly depending on the season. Below is an example of a photographic schedule for a wedding day.
Getting Ready - The Details - Dress, Shoes, Flowers, Rings
Duration: 30 minutes in the morning
Place all important details in an area with plenty of natural light. This way, I can get started right away without having to search for the necessary details first. It is often helpful to designate someone to ensure that the most important items to be photographed are easily accessible. While I am photographing all the details, I also take a few shots of the bride and her friends as they get ready. This applies to both the bride and groom, as I capture the details for both of you.
Getting Ready - Preparing the Bride
Duration: 60 min.
Once the details have been photographed, it's time for the bride to slip into her dress! This is a big moment! I usually ask the mother of the bride and all the bridesmaids to be ready when the bride is ready to put on her dress. This way, we can make sure that everyone looks good in the pictures. After the bride has put on her dress, she can put on her jewelry, veil, shoes, etc., for more portraits.
Do your best to keep the room clean so that we can take beautiful and aesthetic photos! Some hotel rooms are not large enough for the wedding party and family. Try to get an extra room that can be left empty so you don't have to worry about it being too cramped. Another tip from me would be to rent a house or loft. The advantage of having a whole house/loft for the preparations is that everyone has enough space. There is less clutter and more light and space to photograph the bride and groom before the ceremony.
Preparations of the bride before the ceremony.
I usually start with the groom and best man when getting ready and also plan 90 minutes for the photos there. If the groom is not staying in the same house as the bride, my second photographer (if you have chosen the option of a second photographer) will start photographing the guys about 2 hours before the ceremony or the first look, as they usually need less time to get dressed.
The ceremony
Duration: 30-60 min.
It's time to get married. Most ceremonies last between 30 minutes for civil weddings and 60 minutes or longer for church weddings. Enjoy this wonderful moment! Your ceremony will be over quickly because you are sure to be excited. At the end of the ceremony, the wedding couple will leave.
Group photos, refreshments, congratulations, and guest photos
Duration: approx. 45 minutes, depending on the number of guests
Immediately after the exit, it is usually a good idea to take a large group photo of all the guests. Sometimes more guests are invited to the ceremony than to the wedding reception later on. Taking a group photo now has the advantage that none of the guests are holding a glass of champagne or a snack, and you have a photo of all the guests as a souvenir.
After the ceremony, the reception usually begins, and your guests will congratulate you on your marriage. Find a shady spot with a beautiful backdrop for this. During the congratulations, I will take a photo of each guest couple with the wedding couple. This is ideal as a little memento to accompany your thank-you notes later on.
Tip: At large weddings, congratulations are not given after the ceremony; instead, the wedding couple thanks their guests separately at the wedding reception, going from table to table. To calculate how long the congratulations will take, simply divide your number of guests by two. So, with 90 guests, it will take a good 45 minutes for everyone to congratulate you.
Portraits of the bride and groom
Duration: 60 min.
We will begin taking your wedding photos during the reception. This is a good time for you to have some time to yourselves. Only my assistant and I will be present for these photos. I will position you perfectly in the light and frame to capture impressive memories for you. We usually start a little away from the wedding party so that we are not disturbed. During the photo session, we will approach the wedding party again so that no one misses you. Don't worry if it rains or the weather is bad, your photos are in the best hands with me.
The Family Portraits
Duration: 30 min.
We will need about 30 minutes for the family photos, and it would be good if you could already start thinking about the family photos you would like. Ideally, we will take the portraits outdoors if possible, so that they look natural. Please make sure you have someone to help organize all family members so that everything runs smoothly.
Make a list of family members for the portraits. We will start with the immediate family of the bride and groom right after the ceremony.
Wedding celebration - Set table
Duration: 15-30 min.
Wedding at Palais Liechtenstein, table set before the guests arrive.
If the wedding reception is held at the same location as the ceremony, I use this time to photograph the reception decorations UNTOUCHED. If the ceremony and reception are in different locations, I recommend holding the reception outside of the wedding reception venue so that I can take some beautiful photos of your table setting before the guests start putting their bags and coats down at their seats. Please allow at least 15 minutes before entering the room so that I can photograph your beautifully set table.
If you would like a grand reveal, we will need 30 minutes instead of 15 minutes (a grand reveal is when the bride and groom enter the set table for a few photos in front of the guests).
Sunset - The Golden Hour
The golden hour (1 hour before sunset) is the BEST time of day for portraits in late spring, summer, and early fall! At this time, the sun is glowing and golden. It's a great time to spend a few extra minutes with the wedding couple to take pictures at sunset/dusk. Perhaps this is possible during dessert or at another time in the evening. But if not, don't worry! This is just one option to consider.
First dance and party time!
Impressive first dance at wedding reception.
This is when the newlyweds open the dance floor and the party begins! My schedule is very relaxed during this part of the day. I work with natural light as well as flash and continuous lighting to capture your first dance and the party.
Late evening/night:
Duration: 15 minutes
Outdoor photos with the wedding couple in front of the venue with champagne or sparklers to capture the perfect ending to the wedding celebration.
Night shot at the Trocadero in Paris with champagne.
Let's
Get to know us!
DO YOU DREAM OF A UNIQUE AND INDIVIDUAL WEDDING?
Contact me for a free, no-obligation introductory meeting. We will discuss your ideas and wishes, get to know each other, and I will present my work to you in detail.
Discover your dream wedding – get a no-obligation consultation now!
