The Roles at your Wedding Day - the Best Man (part II)

The role of a Best Man signifies that the Groom trusts you the most. So, you will be at his side on the wedding day. While your role at the wedding is one of the most significant ones, you are also responsible for arranging the stag night a few days prior to the wedding.

Of course, you will be consulting the Groom, yet there is a room for some innovative inputs from your side as well. Besides, you are also in-charge of the Ushers and need to ensure that they are well-organized and well-prepared for the big day.

As a Best Man, you are expected to be the greatest support for the Groom from planning to execution, stay with him on the wedding eve, make sure he arrives at the Church on time, walk the Chief Bridesmaid down the aisle, hand over the wedding rings when it’s time to exchange them, dance with the Chief Bridesmaid, compose and deliver a witty (but civilized!) speech at the reception.

Don’t forget that is also your role to drive the wedding photographer to recognize key guests (family members and close friends) and help with the group shots to get guests ready for the photographer’s guided poses.

Maternity photography, the celebration of Mother nature

There is not such a touching and rewarding job as taking Bump portraits at home.
While expecting their baby girl, Erin and Jack wanted to frame this emotional as much as unique time of 'their' pregnancy - at 36 weeks...not long to go! - with a fantastic and magnificent experience as it's a Bump photography.
Erin was totally at ease with us and wouldn't mind to take few photographs of her beautiful naked body shape, helping our creativity and imagination work limitless, by using the house extensively and changing outfits and poses as the work unfolded.
We are sure Erin and Jack will treasure those sweet images for many years to come and, obviously, we can't wait to meet their girl soon and see the birth pictures!
We wish Erin and Jack the best of luck for the delivery and lots of happy and unforgettable moments together!!

The Roles at your Wedding Day - the Chief Bridesmaid (part I)

After the Bride, Chief Bridesmaid is the next important lady at the wedding! As a Chief Bridesmaid, you’d better remember that you were chosen by the Bride among, maybe, hundreds of friends and family, especially for your special affinity with her. So it’s your responsibility to repay the trust shown by the Bride and assist her in all the pre-wedding preparations as well as during the event itself.

The Chief Bridesmaid role starts quite early, around 4-6 months prior to the actual wedding date; essentially, a Chief Bridesmaid is like a shadow to the Bride in being with her, assisting her, advising her, motivating her. Careful to remember that the Bride is the decision-maker and you must respect her decision; your reasons for divergence of opinion, though, may help her to take a more critical decision (i.e. while selecting the wedding dress). 

Chief Bridesmaid is also responsible for helping the Bride in selecting your own dress and the outfits of the Bridesmaids. Coordinating with the Bridesmaids and informing them of their precise role is a part of your responsibilities. Arranging for, and conducting, wedding rehearsals is also something that the Chief Bridesmaid needs to plan and execute. 

The CB will also need to coordinate and rehearse with the Best Man, since she will be walking down the aisle with him.

A day before the wedding is usually spent with the Bride so that she remains relaxed throughout the day and doesn’t develop cold feet on the wedding eve. A positive and encouraging talk in the evening and motivating the Bride with all good things wedding will bring in her life is a sure way to set her mood for the occasion.

It’s a very good and practical idea to have an ‘emergency kit’ in the car ready for the occasion so that the often miss-able chores can be covered. Pack the bag with things like tissue, baby wipes, safety pins, lipstick, comb, brush, nail filler, mouth freshener, hair spray, hair pins, hair grips, analgesics, spare earrings and/or other jewellery, and a switched off (but working) mobile phone.

You may be expected to make a speech at the reception, so be prepared well in advance and if possible, do let the Bride know in brief what you are going to say so that there isn’t anything in the speech, which the Bride might disapprove.

Another exciting aspect of being a Chief Bridesmaid is to arrange hen party. Usually, hen parties are organized around a couple of months before the actual event. Again, a speech is something that you need to prepare well for the hen party. Essentially, the hen parties are meant to enjoy the last few days of Bride’s single status, so the idea of the speech is a goad the Bride to hit the salon and pamper herself to look beautiful on the wedding day.

More Roles to follow like this, keep posted!

NEW Wedding Albums on iPad now available

Shots of You photography is glad to offer a dedicated package that includes an iPad pre-loaded with images from your special day.

It’s a simple, yet brilliant way to get both Bride and (especially) Groom more excited about the album — while assuring their photos won’t lie forgotten in a dusty album years later.

The digital trend is catching on, the iPad adds a bit more immediacy to the images, as well as a sort of permanence in a new digital age: photos look great on the iPad. 

What better way to show off your wedding photographs, that on a bright, crisp, vivid display. 

It is a fantastic way friends and family to see you photos, and looks great set up on a shelf as a digital photo frame.

And future Grooms light up when they see the iPad package!

Of course, if you plan on actually taking the iPad with you everywhere you go, it’s a good idea to also keep a physical photo album somewhere, even if it’s in the darkest recesses of a closet. 

Hard copies may fade and collect dust, but they  are much less likely to have a data failure, break, or get stolen.

We enjoy gadgets, not because they are new diversions for an ever shrinking attention span - they are, but that’s not the only reason. We like gadgets because we are fascinated by the creativity and thought that went into making the doo-hicky.

Photography, for example, is an area where innovation relentlessly pushes technology forward. 

Film cameras are now anachronisms, relicts of a time and a discipline kept barely alive by a few diehard devotees. Further, today’s pocket cameras can produce images that equal those that came from professional quality SLRs only a few years ago.

The iPhone 4, with its 5 megapixel camera, can produce amazing photos, and it seems like there’s a new app that broadens the capabilities of what the camera can do being offered daily.

  

For information on our specific iPad package, or to have an Ipad as part of a bespoke package, or to add the iPad app on top of an album package, contact us or just get in touch on 07817 693343.

Louise & Dean, Wedding at the Farm

A week ago we got to visit a new, 'non-regular', wedding venue. It was the first time we went to Lumb Farm, just off Ripley, and this modern, refurbished farm was a revelation of originality and practicality for the married couple and guests alike.

It doesn't happen so often to assist such a 'touching' wedding like this of Louise and Dean, where personal history and family feelings come along the day with tender and sweet sensitivity.

Louise got ready at home so our first stop was to grab few shots of details, bits and bobs, and things happening. The available light was just perfect so we managed to keep a very low profile without using flash, and let everybody - especially four beautiful young bridesmaids - get on with what they were getting on with.

We wandered up to the church to meet up with the bridesmaids, some of whom were less sure of us than others.
It was a shame we were not allowed to take any shots of the ceremony but we managed to record the unfolding of the day just outside the Eastwood United Reformed Church with family and friends.

With a vintage car on hand, and a front door like this, you simply have to make use of it for a smiley posy picture.
Then we spent some more time floating around for informal shots, and yes, the kids stole the show :)

 

 

We finished off by walking a very obliging Bride & Groom around the grounds to get as many shots of the gardens as we could before dinner.

 

Congratulations Louise & Dean!

Make the most out of summer light on your wedding day

Interestingly, during some of the weddings I’ve been taking pictures at this summer, Brides are terrified by how bad weather will be on their perfect day and, consequently, plan their reception inside to avoid disappointment and an unplanned change of plans.

It’s perfectly understandable wanting to make everything perfectly working without having to worry too much about how weather will be – especially in this country! It wouldn’t be a win-win situation... However, don’t forget that summer can offer the best natural light shots of the whole year, where lots of candid spontaneous shots of the Bride and Groom, but also of all guests, can be taken without many technical restraints.

Also, a good professional photographer will be able to drive through a second plan B in case of rain, and get all the basic and creative shots you’ve been talking during the pre-wedding meetings. So don’t be afraid, let the natural light and the warm joyful moments of being outside make your special day even more perfect...

If you’d like to tell us your view on the ‘outside’ planning  matter, why not dropping us your comments?

Basic Wedding Photography Coverage & Essential Wedding Shots

When it’s time to think and decide how many hours wedding photography you might need, everybody can at first very unclear ideas, as this decision never occur to be taken.

However, even with the small budget available and in case of a basic wedding photography required, there are some shots and ‘precious moments’ that cannot absolutely be missed.

First of all, there are few things that can help ‘shorten’ the photography hours required:

1. Having the ceremony in the same place of the wedding breakfast reduces the transfer time from one place to another one, so it gives you more chances to optimize your photographer’s work;
2. Reducing to a minimum the number of guests, so the time to ‘move them around’ the wedding venue or, worst of all, from church to reception venue, again, reduces the photography coverage;
3. Ask some of your guests, normally the Best Man and Bridesmaids, to help the photographer to identify ‘key’ guests (Bride & Groom’s parents and close family member) and gather all them together for the posed group shots;
4. Discuss and decide together with your photographer the plan for the day – give confirmation of times, program, guests attending and any other requirement you wish, as the failure in doing so might slow down the course of photography and likely increase the hours the photographer has to spent at the wedding.

It would also be a good idea to agree with your wedding photographer which ‘essential’ shots you want them to be included in the service, as once this is done there  are no other ways to get back.

In a 2 hour wedding photography coverage, starting from the ceremony (at the same reception place), we recommend:

• Groom, couple’s families, Bridesmaids and Best Man’s portraits
• Bride arrival in car with Father
• Heading to the ceremony and ceremony (subject to priest concession)
• Couple getting out the church, confetti shot, other candid spontaneous shots of married couple and all guests
• Basic group shots (depending on time remaining, from 3 to 6 posed shots)

For a 4/5 hours wedding package, we suggest:

• All above, with group shots extended when required and preparations of the Bride and/or Groom
• 15/20 minutes married couple alone  
• Start of reception with toasts, details of the breakfast and other close-ups, ‘fake’ cut of the cake

To know more how we can help you identify the right wedding photography hours for you, contact us today via our contact form or call us on 07817 693343. We’ll be happy to assist you!

30% off on Signing Boards

Continues our fantastic offer on the popular Signing Boards!

Your beautiful engagement (or pre-wedding portrait) image will be mounted on a heavy board and then framed with a wide mount. 

This can be placed at the reception for all the guests to sign with a special message.

Choose between 3 different sizes:

20'x16'   £69   £49

20'x20'   £80   £56

20'x24'   £74   £52

 

The signing boards are for just a print and the mount, no frame is included but can be easily added.

What to look for when searching for the Wedding Venue

When choosing your wedding venue and wedding location, it can be a good idea to consider, among all other factors, how your images will represent your day. It’s important to think about the issues.

It’s important to remember the images you will be able to produce at the wedding location and venue will only be influenced by the visual conditions available. If you have any concerns at this stage then consider your options. A compromise as to style and location could still give a great album whereas inflexibility may restrict your choices.

This is a key point for the Bride and Groom: a good photographer will not be able to recreate exotic locations or marble walls in a wedding album unless the location of the wedding is to be held at such a place. Not just church and group shots.

When choosing your wedding venue, look for spacious areas where group shots can be taken easily and nicely (if you’re fancy group shots), like gardens, parks, venue large steps and large patios. Porches and galleries are suitable places for the Groom and Bridesmaids’ portraits before the ceremony, while gazebos, along the river benches and ponds/lakes’ walks are a perfect setting for Bride & Groom photos. The indoor rooms should be big, with high ceilings and large windows in order to allow natural light to get in and avoid the use of flash light. Old buildings offer a variety of shooting options due to the richness in paintings and vintage accessories (chandeliers, antique chairs, matching linen, etc). Marquees with external patio and garden are the ideal location for candid shots of all guests.

For winter weddings, besides recommending you to anticipate the ceremony and wedding breakfast time, try to look for an open space outside where there are not high trees which may hide the available light for precious outside shots.

To receive some more wedding venue photography tips, and to know about our winning ’20 minutes secret recipe’, contact us today or call us on 07817 693343.

Shots of You photography is Contemporary Wedding Photography