One of the questions I always get asked is, “What am I forgetting to ask you?” or “Do you have any advice for us?” Well! Now that you are asking, let me unleash upon you 8 years worth of advice that I always want to say, but perhaps hold my little tongue out of fear for the repercussions!

But I am sharing these secrets with you guys, mostly because as someone who is literally with you almost the entire day of the wedding, I believe that you deserve to know not only the facts, but some serious and not-so-serious things you should be considering.

 1. Don’t Be Afraid To Let Your Personality Come Through

Many brides and grooms become very concerned about everything looking great on their wedding day – and let’s be honest, at this point in the game, you are spending thousands of dollars to pull off a multi-faceted day flawlessly-who would’t want it to turn out perfectly? But some of the best and most memorable weddings I have ever been to, are wedding that clearly tell YOUR story, not the story of pinterest (where so much of wedding inspiration comes from.) Yes, I love pinterest, but a wedding board can only give you so much. Don’t be afraid to express who you are. Years down the road, you do NOT want your biggest memory to be how you made your centerpieces out of wine bottles from your favorite Pin. That is not the most important asset of your wedding day!

2. Don’t Force Anything, If It Doesn’t Feel Natural

Fake laughter? Awkward! Wedding photography is about telling your story, from start to finish on your special day. Pretending to do things that aren’t real, or feeling a way that is not truthful, will result in photos that mean less to you, because they won’t evoke that tear-jerking, pure happiness of the day!

I will be honest, sometimes nerves can get the better of us, or maybe some drama has happened behind the scenes. Sometimes, an atmosphere of people can be livened up! But faking anything is a recipe for bad feelings, guaranteed. Always be true to yourself!

3. If You Want Candids, Be Patient

Candids are one of my favorite parts to being a wedding photographer. Searching for those laughing faces, goofy dance moves, and hilarious uncles that will get a table full of people rolling on the floor, are the perfect candidates for fun and fresh documentary style wedding pictures. That being said however, these prize-worthy shots do not happen every second of the day. Believe it or not, there will be downtime at some point during your schedule. It can oftentimes depend on the mood of the people around us (see the point above.) Trust me, there will be enough laughter ahead throughout the day, and more candids than you will ever remember! And we will capture them, no problem!

     4. Be Adventurous When Choosing Locations

Many popular wedding photos that show up on blogs, pinterest etc. are in drop dead gorgeous locations, with perfect lighting, and ideal conditions. If you find yourself wishing that you were in those photos, don’t be afraid to show them to your photographer (or to schedule time for these shots.) You can be adventurous. If you want photos of you lying in the sand, intimately with your new husband than gosh darn it, go for it! You have one day to capture everything that you want. Years down the road, you aren;t going to be lamenting over the possibility of getting a speck of sand on your dress (see the point below) you are going to be swooning over those romantic beach photos, remembering all the romance and happiness you felt at that moment.

5. Don’t Be Afraid To Get Your Dress Dirty

Yes, I said it. Let the lynch mobs commence. Girls, I hate to say this, but your dress will get dirty. Sometimes it is just your hem and other times, it is your veil or your train, but your dress will no longer be purely white by the end of the day. I am not saying you are going to be frolicking through the mud, but the less energy you spend fretting about your dress, the more you will be able to relax, release the worry, and enjoy the moment for what it is! It will even open up doors of opportunity to amazing gorgeous wedding photos, that would otherwise be improbable, if you are worried about your dress.

Woo, I said it! You can all throw pitch forks my way now <3

6. Your Photographer Can Be More Than The Person Taking Your Photos

Hiring a wedding photographer is like hiring a friend. You have to enjoy their personality as much as their photography style. As one of the only people that will be with you throughout the day, we need to be able to click – laugh with each other, share concerns and fears with each other, and even cry together! As a photographer, I see moments and behind the scenes actions that no one else ever will, and in order to enjoy these personal times together, we need to enjoy it with each other. Plus, it is much better walking into the wedding for the first time, and greeting each other as friends with hugs and excitement, instead of strangers 🙂

7. Posing For Photos Doesn’t Have To Be Hard

I talk about this one a lot, but that is because it is usually one of the biggest concerns for my couples. I have so many tricks of the trades for different body types, that it is a guarantee that I can help pose you to look great and natural, but more importantly, so that you FEEL beautiful! Checkout the article below for extensive tricks and pictures to help document the poses.

>>For more of wedding photography posing tips, CLICK HERE

8. An Engagement Shoot Is THE Most Important Feature For Planning Your Wedding

No, it is not your wedding 3-ring binder that your mother-in-law created for you. No, it is not even your food tasting with your caterer. Your engagement photos is the No. 1 event that you can use, to sample what the day will feel like (in front of the camera) before your big day. It will give you time to get to know your photographer, get a feel for their style (to see if it meshes well with yours) and give you practice on posing and feeling comfortable in front of the camera. This, my friends, is priceless!

>>For more secrets for your engagement photos, CLICK HERE

9. First Look – Why In The World Should We Do This?

This is one of my favorite moments throughout the day. It has a beautiful build up, and the excitement is always mounting up until that first moment when the groom turns around, to see his gorgeous bride standing before him. There is love, tears, hugs, and so much emotion that words cannot describe the thousands of feelings rushing through our heart at that time. As a personal note, I recommend the First Look, because I think you deserve to give yourselves this private time between you guys, to adequately feel all these emotions, without your guests standing witness. The ceremony will come, and with that, a whole new set of emotions. But I find that with couples who do the First Look, they covet just a few moments of being alone together, on their wedding day.

>>For more advice on a first look, CLICK HERE

10. UnPlugged Weddings Are My Favorite!

Don’t know what an unplugged wedding is? It is the newest trend for weddings. With phones, iPads, kindles…and whatever else we own these days, people are very eager to snap pictures of you on your big day. Which can be great. However, keep in mind these repercussions if you allow your guests to take photos:

• you will see people’s phones sticking out in your professional weddings photos
• the ceremony aisle will (without a doubt) have a ton of phones and iPads in the backdrop
• People WILL step in front of your photographer to get their “perfect” shot, instead of allowing the photographer to do their job
• You will see hundreds of wedding photos of yourself instantly on facebook, and has the possibility of ruining the surprise when you do see your professional photos

This of course, is always personal preference, but since this trend is on the rise, it is always smart to consider every possibility open to you <3

HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR YOU:

• The Pro’s and Con’s of Letting Your Bridesmaids Pick Their Own Dresses!
• 10 Tips for Amazing Engagement Photos
• 5 DIY Steps For Chic DIY Brooch Bouquet & Boutonnieres
• The Secret to Fabulous Wedding Flowers: Victoria’s Floral in Northern Michigan Reveals All!

Want more tips and tricks for planning your wedding? Subscribe to my wedding newsletter for FREE advice and discounts! SIGN UP HERE

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Lux Light Photography  |  luxlightphotography@gmail.com  |  231-633-9410  |  www.luxlightphotography.net

Traverse City Wedding photography by Lux Light Photography, captures beautiful and intimate portraits for your wedding, engagement, family, newborn, and boudoir photography session in all of northern Michigan, including Traverse City, Petoskey, Inn at Bay Harbor, Crystal Mountain, Homestead Resort, Bowers Harbor, Mission Table, Glen Arbor, and Charlevoix!

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