Planning Guides

Now that you have sifted through your long list of candidates for your professional wedding photographer and chosen the perfect person who suits your style, matches your personality and  rubs you the right way -  it’s time to get down to brass tacks and create a wedding photography checklist.

This is not your parents wedding, so sit down with your professional wedding photographer to create a checklist that reflects your personality as a couple. Do you want candid shots or do you prefer the more traditional, posed shot? Take some time to introduce your professional wedding photographer to the key players. Let your professional wedding photographer know who’s in the wedding party and prepare a VIP list of people you want to see in your wedding album.

Your wedding album is a trip down memory lane that you will take over and over again. Giving your professional wedding photographer a checklist will help create a wedding album that will bring you back to your special day time and time again.

Tips to consider before you hand a list over to a professional wedding photographer:

• Fill your professional photographer in on any your family drama, i.e. divorces, deaths and family feuds!!
• Keep your list short for photojournalistic style professional wedding photographers; you’re hiring them to document your day as it flows.
• For every photo you add to your list, add approximately 2 minutes of shooting time. So if you’re trying to figure your family photos into your timeline, the length of your list will be your guide.

A Sample Checklist for Your Professional Wedding Photographer:

• Bride’s Side Photos
• Groom’s Side Photos
• Pre-Ceremony Shots with Bride
• Pre-Ceremony Shots with Groom
• The Ceremony
• Reception Photos

Consider this your starter checklist. Once you choose your professional wedding photographer, know what style of shots you’re looking for and what type of album you’re hoping to create – your personalized list will materialize. You’ll have to sit down with your professional wedding photographer and really drill down each category to figure out what you want to capture. Consider what is truly important to you as a couple, because each photo will cost you both time and money. Know what you want, whether it’s creative or traditional, and sit down with your professional wedding photographer to create a checklist that will capture the day in your style.