Wedding Photography – Before And After D-day!

No wedding seems complete without photographs. And the wedding album is a treasured souvenir of that very special day. Thankfully, wedding photography and these time-honored keepsakes are keeping up with the times.

Gone are the days of overbearing photographers issuing dictatorial instructions to the all too obliging brides and grooms; of stiffly posed snaps of the wedding party staring half–intimidated into the lens. Today, photographers work with the couple capturing not just the ceremonies but the very essence of the special day.

But, what if the fun could begin early? What if the photo-op could continue after the hectic wedding schedule?

Here’s a quick look at all the fun to be had with wedding photography:

Save-the-date:

Your wedding is your big day. You definitely don’t want your harebrained cousin or friend living in Timbuktu to miss it. With wedding invites moving on to digital format, it’s easy to get friends and family to take note of THE date. It’s just as easy to send out gentle reminders to those who need that extra push. Simply send a picture that speaks a thousand words!

One easy way of doing this is a “Save the date” announcement. These can go out via Facebook, What’s App and what-have-you. Such announcements usually have a photograph of the couple and the date set out in difficult-to-miss font size.

Pre-wedding photography shoot:

Digital save-the-date cards usually call for scheduling a pre-wedding, mini-photographic session with your wedding photographer. The advantages of doing this are many. A pre-wedding shoot gives you and your intended the chance to mingle and spend time with the photographer. Consider it a sort of rehearsal for the wedding day!

Bonding with the photographer:

With good pre-wedding interaction, the photographer gets acquainted with the couple, and does a practice run, if you will. And you get to lose some of those butterflies in your stomach!

This will certainly come in handy, during the busy, bustling wedding ceremonies. The photographer would find it easier to stay in tune with the bride and groom. It could well reduce communication between the couple and the lensman to non-verbal signals and gestures.

Take the opportunity to introduce the photography team to the most important family members and guests during the pre-wedding shoot. If not physically, at least show them photographs. This way charming photos of these special people will find a way into your wedding album, without fail.

Wedding favours:

The photos from the ‘rehearsal’ shoot can be turned into wedding favours too. Turn them into fridge magnets, postcards, car stickers etc. etc. They can also be part of the wedding décor or centerpiece. The possibilities are just endless.

If you are not yet a ‘couple’ and want to break the ice before the wedding day, enlist the help of a lens-savvy cousin or friend to wield the camera. This way, the “save-the-date” and wedding favours are still personal, but the session is far more relaxed and casual.

Post-wedding shoot:

Want to hang on to the festive mood a little longer? Schedule a post-wedding shoot! Discuss location and logistics with the photographer. Head to a scenic place nearby or stick close to home. Post wedding shoot is a fantastic chance to capture the bond between the you guys in a very different atmosphere.

It can be as casual, candid or as staged as you like. It can be a day/night shoot. The options are countless.

Be as inventive and adventurous as you like, no tradition or custom limiting you here (bliss!). A skilled wedding photographer will have plenty of ideas of too.

Photographs are the easiest way to capture your special day forever. Your rapport with the photographer will definitely be visible in the snaps he/she takes. Go for it! Work with your wedding photographer to capture fantastic moments of your life together.