Your Wedding Day
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We are often asked what happens before and after the wedding. What exactly do you do ?
Once you have booked and confirmed your wedding photography, you will receive confirmation, in writing, of all the details taken and agreed at the time of the booking.
At any time, up to the day of your wedding, we are available to discuss anything that may concern you. You may have an idea picked up from a magazine or a friend's wedding, that you may like to incorporate in your photography. You may just want to make sure that we are still alive and kicking.
We will normally be ensuring that the album and overlays you decided on are available.
If it was agreed that a park or local beauty spot was to be visited after the ceremony, we will have been checking up for the current situation in that area.
We will contact you, about two weeks prior to the date of your wedding, to agree a time for a final meeting to discuss and confirm the photography details, settle the final balance, and if the wedding is a religious ceremony in church, then the time and day of the wedding rehearsal will be sought so that we may attend.
We will attend your rehearsal to, meet the Groom and the Best Man (it is quite usual that up until this time we have not met the groom), the Bridesmaids, Flower girls and Pageboys and to put faces to names. At this time, we will discuss with the officiating clergy what he/she will allow/not allow as far as photography is concerned (see Are You Aware ).
Come the day of your wedding, if we have agreed to attend the Bride's home to grab a few shots of her preparation, we will usually be there about 1 hour before the time of the wedding. We need to have completed any of this photography within 20 minutes or so, in order that we can get to the wedding ceremony venue with time to photograph the Groom, Best Man, Groom's parents, the arrival of the Bride's mother with the Bridesmaids and any Flower Girls and finally, the arrival of the Bride and her father. We need 30 minutes at the venue to carry this out and avoid upsetting the Vicar, Registrar, Hotel Events Manager (whichever is involved in your ceremony).
During the ceremony, we will carry out whatever photography we are allowed to, by those officiating at your wedding. After the signing of the register, it is normal that the photographer is allowed to set up a signing of the register shot, supplemented by other shots of the couple with the primary witness's and also, those family members who have been asked to witness the signing. If we have been allowed to carry out photography during the ceremony then we will have tried to catch those special moments that occur. The glances between the two, the exchange of rings and the kissing of the Bride on being declared "Man & Wife". (Although this seems to be expected as the norm, it is not always part of the ceremony in some churches and ceremonies. If this means a lot to you, then you need to confirm with the officiating clergy/registrar that it is part of his/her service form).
We will then photograph the newly married couple walking down the aisle/leaving the ceremony venue, usually stopping them midway for a couple of shots of the Groom kissing the Bride and a variety of similar shots will be taken with the couple at the doorway.
We give the couple a few minutes to be congratulated by their guests before taking them, with the Bridesmaids, Best Man etc. back into the church for a few posed shots with the altar in the background.
After completing these shots, we will normally do the formal photographs of Bride & Groom with each set of parents, close families, extended families, friends, everyone. The Bride with her Bridesmaids, Groom and Groomsmen. Bride alone, Groom alone, the couple together and then the confetti shots. Normally, we will organise the confetti shot so that the resulting shots give maximum effect. (Please note - It may have been agreed that some of this photography will be carried out at some other location).
At all times, we will be looking for the less formal shots and may organise something that is not quite the norm. Although informal photography is the current vogue, we still take the more formal shots because these are the ones that Mothers, Fathers, Grandparents etc. expect to be taken. Our philosophy is, that if we have taken them, then we have them if needed, if we haven't taken them, then no-one is coming back a few weeks later to get them done again.
It is usually time then for the couple leaving in the wedding car shots and on reaching the reception venue, we will photograph the couple cutting the wedding cake and then leave you to enjoy the reception with your families and friends.
Proofs are usually delivered to you within 10 - 14 days (depending on whether you are going on honeymoon). We usually ask that your orders and instructions be returned within a couple of months of you receiving the proofs.
On receipt of your instructions of what shots you want in your album etc. We usually complete and deliver the album in two to three weeks.
Please remember, the photography of your wedding is a two way communication. We like people to smile and be happy and we try to encourage them to relax and enjoy it. Your wedding is a one off occasion and many of the moments can never be repeated, so relax and enjoy it and we will try to produce something that you will be pleased with.
The above outlined format is the normal coverage for any of our wedding packages, If you have asked and paid for additional coverage then this will be confirmed, in writing, with your confirmation correspondence.
Smiles Portrait & Wedding Photography would make you aware that these are only general guidelines and reserve the right to alter any of the above at their discretion.