How to Prepare for Your Wedding Shoot
Small things the bride, groom and family can do before the day that make a visible difference in the photos.
Good wedding photographs are made partly on the day and partly in the week before. None of this is complicated, but it helps.
Share the timeline. Tell your photographer when the bride will be ready, when the baraat is expected and when dinner opens. Weddings run late, and a crew that knows the plan can adjust.
Be ready a little early. The best bridal portraits are taken just after make-up, before the hall fills up. Thirty minutes here is worth more than anything else on this list.
Choose one helper on each side. Someone who knows the family and can gather people for group photos keeps the stage moving.
Write the group list. Decide in advance which family groups you need. It avoids the cousin who was missed and the uncle who was photographed five times.
Keep the details together. Jewellery, shoes, the nikkah pen, invitations and rings photographed together take five minutes if they are in one place and half an hour if they are not.
Think about the room. If you can, get ready near a window. Natural light is kinder than tube lights, and a tidy corner makes a better background than a crowded dressing table.
Eat and drink water. It sounds obvious. It shows in the photos by the end of a long evening.
Tell us what you do not want. If you are not comfortable with certain poses, or a family member prefers not to be photographed, say so beforehand. It is your day and the coverage should fit you.
Then let it go. Once the event starts, stop managing it. People who are enjoying themselves photograph well.