notes, tips, & more!
The Lost Forty Wedding Photography Tale Guide
Welcome
A NOTE ABOUT THIS GUIDE
I'm so excited to be working with you and getting to know you over the upcoming weeks/months leading to your special day! I know photography is one of the larger investments you're making for your elopement or intimate wedding and I'm so honoured you chose to work with me!
Even if you're working with a planner or you're planning something simple, there are likely still a lot of moving pieces left leading up to your day... unless you're just picking a day grabbing your forever love and going for it!
Having photographed quite a few love tales over the past few years and even while I was an event planner for a bit, I've found many couples have similar questions at the beginning of the process. So, I thought it would be neat if I put everything in one place (hello guide) that walks you through everything from timelines to inclement weather.
-Chettara
Thank you again for choosing to work with me and please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or if I can offer additional guidance throughout your wedding planning process!
Shooting Style Note
If you worked with me on your engagement tale before snagging me up for your wedding you know this already, but if you didn't I wanted to let you know... I take the photojournalistic approach (candids are life), so there is no posing involved. I may give prompts to evoke movement & emotion but I'm all about you being YOU and posing doesn't do YOU and your love justice.
That moment the a couple sees each other for the first time on their wedding day is some kind of magic. This is true whether the couple chooses to wait until one walks down the aisle or chooses to do a 'first look' prior to the ceremony.
First looks—a private moment couples choose to spend together prior to the wedding ceremony—have become more popular over the last few years. A little over half of my couples this year have chosen to do a first look.
Here are 2 reasons to consider a
‘first look’:
Is a First Look Right for You?
If you're wondering whether a first look is right for you, stop here.
Once the ceremony begins, the day takes off quickly. A ‘first look’ is an opportunity to enjoy some quiet time alone, enjoy each other’s company, and reflect on all this day means before your day takes off.
Wedding days can be a whirlwind and they tend to fly by and for elopements, even more so. There’s much to do. I always encourage couples to take a few minutes every so often during their wedding to stop and soak in all of the magic.
1. A first look cuts through the chaos of the day.
If you’re expecting poor weather on your wedding day, it might be best to plan on a first look because it gives you more options for pictures. If it’s pouring rain after the ceremony, you’ll be thankful you had pictures done in advance.
And reason 2b is for all you cryers out there (I'm totally one of them). If you know the tears are going to fly the first time you see your other half the day of your wedding, a first look will give you time to freshen up before the ceremony.
First look or not, the first time you see each other on your wedding day is pure magic.
2. Avoid possible bad weather and/or have time to freshen-up after crying
If the forecast is calling for rain, fear not because rainy days can still be beautiful!
If rain is in the forecast, I highly recommend ordering a few clear umbrellas on Amazon. It also might be good to re-evaluate portrait locations to make sure we can still shoot in natural light - even if it means heading offsite.
Rain Tips
If you don't own a pair of rain boots, now may be a great time to order a pair - even if you're just wearing them in between shooting locations.
If you're not working with a planner, it might also be a good idea to check in with your entire vendor team to make sure they're aware of the weather. Hair and makeup may need to be tweaked to withstand humidity and if your wedding is outdoors, DJs and bands may need to take extra precaution to protect their gear. A quality rental team can also minimize the amount of mud at outdoor events.
While I can't guarantee that rain on your wedding day is good luck (oh how I love some superstitions), I can and will put a plan in place to ensure a beautiful day and memorable imagery to tell your tale properly.
Rainy day weddings may require a little more flexibility and creativity, but there isn't any reason why they can't be as beautiful and as joyful as any other wedding day!
On the off chance that rain isn't your thing, we can always do a backup date provided I'm available and it doesn't include extra travel arrangements on my part.
Wedding Day Details
I love capturing all the little details you've carefully chosen to be a part of your wedding tale! Once I arrive at your wedding or elopement (oh yes, you can have all the details for an elopement too), I'll need about 15 minutes to capture and style details. I recommend choosing a getting ready location (I'll touch on this in a bit) filled with natural light and, if possible, please keep the space free from trash and clutter.
It would be wonderful if you could put all of your rings, jewelry, shoes, veil purse, perfume, invitations and other keepsakes together in one spot for me. Please unwrap your dress but don't worry about styling it - I'll hang it in a beautiful spot!
Dress
Dress Hanger
Rings (both engagement and wedding bands)
Shoes
Veil
Bouquet
Ring (special)
Hair pieces
Jewelry
Invitation Suite ( 2 full sets with envelopes + stamps)
Any other paper stationery you may have like program cards.
Bridal Details Checklist
His shoes
Socks (if they're special)
Cuff Links
Tie or Bow Tie
Pocket Square
Boutonnière
Vows Book
Rings
Anything else he'll have that is special or sentimental.
Vow Book
Any other sentimental keepsakes you would like to include.
Bonus: I'd love to have a few cuts of the florals you'll be using throughout your wedding day. If your florist will supply me with a small bucket of extra pieces I will not only be a happy camper but I can also incorporate those in your detail shots.
Groom Details Checklist
Getting Ready
I wanted to touch briefly on your getting ready location. If you're getting set to go at your venue/home... awesome but if you planned on getting a hotel room.... let's take a pause and chat about that.
Hotel lighting and tones aren't ideal (we're talking unnecessarily yellow or some other weirdness depending on which hotel) and oftentimes don't leave much space to be creative (like hanging up your dress or details). Instead, consider going the AirBnb route! Look for places that have a good amount of natural light and has a quirk or two. I would prefer in-home natural light over hotel any day. However, that's my opinion, if you want to get ready at a hotel, we'll make it work! It's your day, so do whatever speaks to YOU.
When I can, I always try to take a photo of your rings while you're getting ready. If possible, try to have your engagement ring cleaned or clean it yourself. To clean at home, soak your ring in warm water with dishwashing soap for 20 to 40 minutes. Then gently brush the stone with a soft toothbrush, rinse and repeat if needed.
The Rings
For family portraits, I’ll place you in the center of a large group photo with all of your grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, godparents, etc. And then we’ll remove the extended family so it’s just grandparents, parents and siblings.
I’ll keep removing family members and switch a few closer family members in and out so we get photos of you and your parents, you and your siblings, some with the groom and your family, etc. Then I’ll repeat the process with your spouse's family. The whole thing will go quicker and smoother if you let family know how the portrait process will work ahead of time.
When I send out the pre-wedding questionnaire, I'll ask you for a list of specific groupings, special situations (such as divorces or handicapped family members & more), but if you want to start brainstorming photos in the meantime, you'll find our typical list below.
If time is a major issue, I will in many cases have family members line up in shoot order.
Family Formals
Your entire family, dressed up and together.
Bride + Groom + Bride's Extended Family
Bride + Groom + Bride's Parents + Bride's Siblings + Bride's Grandparents
Bride + Groom + Bride's Parents + Bride's Siblings
Bride + Groom + Bride's Parents
Bride + Groom + Bride's Siblings
Bride + Mom
Bride + Dad
Bride + Groom + Groom's Extended Family
Bride + Groom + Groom's Parents + Groom's Siblings + Groom's Grandparents
Bride + Groom + Groom's Parents + Groom's Siblings
Bride + Groom + Groom's Parents
Bride + Groom + Groom's Siblings
Groom + Mom
Groom + Dad
Bridal Portrait Tale Checklist
Please note that this list is just a starting point and that I'm happy to take any requested family portraits as long as time allows!
Consider Unplugging
If you've been to a wedding recently, you may have seen a sign from the happy couple asking for their guests to remain "unplugged" during the ceremony.
And while it might seem like a strange request to ask guests to put down their phones, there's a pretty good reason for it! You made a big investment in photography and we're sure one of the last things you want on your wedding day is for our photos of your ceremony to be filled with obtrusive iPhones, iPads and relatives standing in the aisle with their own cameras. In order to help me do the best possible job capturing your wedding, I recommend asking guests to unplug during the ceremony.
1. If you're getting married in the summer months, a "not-so-heavy" snack or lunch time before portraits is always a good idea for you and your bridal party to avoid hungry bellies and passing out!
2. If it's going to be hot, a cooler of cold waters and frozen washcloths can help keep a wedding party cool - especially if your men are wearing lots of layers.
3. Make sure and have your bouquet delivered in time to make an appearance for the detail shots and for your first look.
4. If you're planning on having a first look with your bridal party or a parent, they often feel more comfortable being fully dressed in their wedding attire.
5. To help make family portraits go smoother, it's best to have a breakdown of what portraits you'd like and it's really wonderful if both sides of the family have a chance to have their input on what portraits they'd like before the wedding. Supplying me with a list ahead of time, I can go over it and make sure I shoot things in an order that is efficient and won't leave anyone out.
Additional Tips
After shooting quite a few wedding tales in the past few years, I'm happy to share a few additional tips
Feel free to email me any time at psst@chettaratphotography.com.
If you have any questions or would just like to talk, I'm here for you. I hope this guide helps make the process of planning your wedding details much easier and less stressful. Thank you so much for taking the time to read through the guide! Eeeekkkkk , I'm so excited!
Sending you all the good vibes!
Wait A Sec...
I know this is a lot of info thrown at you all at once, but, you got this! Also (because why not add one more thing right), I highly encourage you to make a playlist. Your playlist should include tunes that are meaningful or just make you both want to dance like no tomorrow! I'm a huge fan of dance breaks. My speaker is ready to play all the goodness and my camera is ready to capture it all. While I didn't inherit my Mom's dance gene, I'm totally down to dance with you! Let's make some MAGIC.
