.WEDDING DAY PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE.

I can't quite put into words how humbled I am that you've chosen me and my team to capture this day! And now that we're officially going to be working together, I can start rattling off all of my personal opinions...right? [Haha!]

So let’s dive in…my first piece of advice would be to try not to make any drastic changes to your appearance prior to your wedding day [ie. hair and makeup] Do what works best for YOUR hair type and choose a makeup look that best suits YOU. These photographs are timeless, so you'll want to recognize yourself 10 years from now! Only you truly know which kind of looks will truly showcase who YOU are! Trust your styling team here, they are the professionals!

I’ve seen several clients hire a makeup artist right before the wedding day. And let's just say…it didn't work out so well. You’re the “expert of your own face”, so it’ll seem a little weird to have someone else doing your makeup professionally because you’re ‘just not used to it’, and that’s normal. If you do decide to hire a hair and makeup artist, be sure to schedule a trial before the actual wedding day to be assured that the selected artist is the right fit for you. Many industry professionals will offer this service for free [upon request], at a discounted rate or even a partial rate, especially if they are the chosen artist for your actual wedding day.

Always...I repeat...ALWAYS plan at least [30] minutes to [1] hour ahead of when you’d actually like to be completely finished with your hair and makeup! I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH! It will almost always take longer than you think it, so leave yourself a good amount of time to prevent yourself from feeling stressed and pressed for time.

Be sure that you and your significant other have taken the time to scope out the locations that you’d like to use as a backdrop for your portraits prior to your final planning meeting with me. This will insure that we are on the same page and it will give me time to plan the flow of your wedding day as well. The less stress your feeling during and in-between Portrait Sessions, the easier it’s going to be for us to work together to achieve that ‘carefree’, wedding day look that couples’ dream of!

DURING THE REHEARSAL

Discuss with your wedding party how you’d like them to be holding their hands and or bouquets during the ceremony so that they all look uniform [of course, if that’s what you want]. Also, ENCOURAGE YOUR BRIDAL PARTY TO PAY ATTENTION & MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH YOUR PHOTOGRAPHERS WHEN COMING DOWN THE AISLE [there will undoubtedly be tons of other 'photographers' during your ceremony - unless of course you choose to host an 'unplugged' ceremony] so remind them to find us and to try their best to lock eyes with our lenses at least once. A nice, uniform wedding line makes for much better pictures!

MORNING OF THE BIG DAY

Make sure to bring along some bobby pins and safety pins to use for clothing and/or hair that refuse to stay in place. TRY YOUR BEST TO EAT BREAKFAST AND LUNCH, IF POSSIBLE!. One of the biggest mistakes that couples make on their wedding day is forgetting to eat something because they’re running off of adrenaline. You will inevitably start to feel the ‘grumpiness’ creep in as the day wears on without filling up on a proper meal.

DURING THE CEREMONY

Remember to WALK SLOWLY DOWN THE AISLE and remind your bridal party to do the same. Even the most expensive camera equipment will not be able to focus properly if you’re zipping down the aisle at the speed of light! For the best ceremony pictures, look lovingly into your fiancé’s eyes rather than focusing intently on the marriage officiator with your back to your photographers. TRY TO IMAGINE THAT YOU TWO ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE IN THE ROOM so that you can really cherish the moment. DON’T BE AFRAID TO CRY! Shedding a few tears really makes for a great picture!

GROUP PORTRAITS

Well before the wedding day, SELECT A CLOSE FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER WHO KNOWS YOUR FAMILY AND WHO CAN HELP MYSELF AND MY ASSISTANT GATHER EVERYONE FOR FORMAL PORTRAITS. If we can get your loved ones to move quickly, you’ll be able to spend less time posing for a photo and more time enjoying your cocktail hour and overall - your special day!

RECEPTION

PLEASE DISCUSS WITH YOUR VENUE OR WEDDING COORDINATOR TO ENSURE SURE THAT YOUR RECEPTION VENUE IS AS WELL LIT AS POSSIBLE. Try acting natural and essentially ‘ignore’ us. Talking or laughing with a guest makes for great candid shots or cozying up to your new partner…maybe sharing a secret or inside joke on the dance floor. If you’re doing the traditional events of a wedding reception [cake cutting, bouquet and garter toss, first dance, and ‘parent’ dances] you might want to think about having a DJ or someone in your wedding party announce the events over loud speakers so that your guests know what’s going on during this time.

MOST IMPORTANTLY – RELAX AND JUST ENJOY YOUR DAY!

Remember that you are celebrating a very special union of love and commitment with the love of your life. Hold their hand, dance with them, kiss in front of hundreds of clapping people. They are all there to celebrate your love and you’ll have more meaningful wedding photos if you’re caught up in one another, so just enjoy being in love!

REMEMBER THAT THERE IS NO ABSOLUTELY PERFECT WEDDING DAY!

Someone is going to forget something, someone will do or say something stupid, and everything will not be perfect. Hilarious things happen at every wedding, but hopefully you’ll be able to look back on a fond memory and an even better story. So be ready to embrace a little mayhem. It’s all a part of the ride! And I’ll be there, right along with you two.

 With Love, 

Alana

Have a question about something that wasn't answered here? Don't hesitate to drop me a line at alana.adetola@gmail.com.