R I L E Y & N A T H A N , M A Y 2 0 1 8 5tipsforastres freeweddingday Wel,it’salaboutguidingmycouplesthroughthesometimescomplicated/stressful/overwhelmingprocessof planningoneofthebiggest,mostimportantdaysofyour life.Nobigdeal,right?Nope.Notatal.Ifeelit’smyduty asyourprofessionalhelpertosharemytipsntricks.So, let’stalkthroughfivetipstohelpfacilitateastressfree Afterwitnessing,beingpartof&capturingover100weddings,IfeellikeIhavetrulyseenital.Letmebehonestin telingyou:myclientsareamazing!Liketrulyflippin’amazing!Theyarethebestofthebest,thebeesknees,the peopleIam sofortunatetoknow.Havingthebestclients, meansIneedtoofferthem thebestexperience.Sohow do Iensuremynew friendshavethebestexperience? weddingday,shalwe? readon.
1.Bestrategicwithscheduling 4.Maketimeforphotography 2.Prepareaheadoftime Whenyourphotographershowsup,youwantthem to jumprightin.How doyoudothis?Bypreparingaheadof time.Ensureyourspaceistidyandreadyforphotos. We’lbedocumentingthingsastheyare,sohavealook aroundandaskyourselfifyou’dbehappywithhow it looks.Whatelseshouldyouprepare?Wel,anydetails youwouldlikephotographed.Itemslikedress,shoes, jejewelry,fulinvitationsuite,rings,anyfamilyheirlooms, andanyotherdetailsyouwantphotographed.Idon’t spendatonoftimeondetails,asIfeellikewemiss beautifulinteractionsbetweenyouandyourlovedones whilestylingthese.Havingeverythinglaidoutandready beforeIariveensureswecancapturethesespecial itemsandstilhavetimetowitnessthequietmoments. 3.Communicateclearly Yourceremonytimewildirecthow thedaywilgo.Portraitstaketime,andschedulingalofthem totakeplace aftertheceremonymayeatintoyourcocktailhour.My goalisalwaystohaveeveryonepresentforasmuchof cocktailhouraspossible.Why?Theansweristhree-fold. One:youarepayingforit,soyoumightaswelenjoyit. Plusyou’reprobablyhungry/thirsty.Two:youwantto spendasmuchtimewithyourlovedonesaspossible. Three:noonelikesaphotographerwhostealsthe coupleawayforhours,andifyourguestslikeme,I’lget beterphotosofthem.Workwithyourphotographer,find outhow longtheyneedforcertainthings,schedulein traveltime,andalwaysaddabuffer.Youcanalwaysconsiderafirstlook,orextendingyourcocktailhour. Needyourgrandmatothechurchearly?Wantyourweddingpartytohangaroundaftertheceremony?Need yourcolegebuddiesreadyforashotduringcocktail hour?Telthem!Makesureyoucommunicatethescheduleclearlyandthateveryonewhoneedsithasit.This helpsusnotwastetimetrackingdownUncleJim or grabbingBobbyfrom thebar.Thisisespecialytruefor familyphotos.Photosmovemuchfaster,andwhenthat happensyougettoyourpartysoonerandyou’reless stressed,Ipromise.Beanover-communicator-itwil payoffbigtime! 5.Justbepresent Iencouragemycouplestodofirstlooksformultiplereasons:First,itgivesyouthechancetosoakitin,embrace, andexperiencetheemotionswithouthundredsofpairs ofeyesonyou.Eep!Second,italowsustoknockout theportraitssowecancruisethroughthefestivitieswith candidshotsthatyou’llove.Lastly,itgivesmethe chancetosneakintoyourreceptionduringcocktailhour andphotographalofthehardworkyou’vedone!From floralstoseatingcharts,gifttablestocakes,whenyou giveme20-30minutesofuninteruptedtimetophotographthesedetails,aloftheworkandmoneyyou’ve spentmakingyourvisioncometolifeisdocumented andpreserved! Thisseemslikeanobrainer.Iknow.I’m sureyou’ve heardthisfrom someonealready,butletmereiterateit. Takemomentswhereyoustop,holdeachother’shands, andintentionalytakeinthemoments.Breathetogether. WhenIshootportraitsofmyclients,Imakesureit’sprivateandImakesurethatit’slessaboutphotos,more abouttheexperience.Itelthem,“Thisisn’tjusttimefor photos,thisisatimeforyoutobefulypresent.Tobetogether.Tospendtimetogether.Tohugeachotherand feelthewarmth,tolookintoeachother’seyesandlock thatmemory,tokisslikeyou’re15andneverkissed before…”Yougettheidea.Throughouttheday,setaside litlebreaksinyourschedulewhereyoucanpulaway from thepartyandjustsimply“be.”Youwon’tregretthat time,Ipromise! Itrulybelievethatweddingdaysareliving,moving, breathingphenomena.Theyarehereandgoneinthe blinkofaneye.It’simportanttosetyourselfupforsuccessandtoeaseanystressaheadoftimesothatasyou floatthroughyourdayyouaren’tfocusedonthedetails ortheflowers,notonthecakeorthemusic,butyou’re focusedontheunion,thepeopleyoulove,themariage thatisbeginning. Iwantyoutoexperience-notjustplan-amariage morebeautifulthanyourweddingday.Ifyouputthese fivetipstowork,you’lbeonyourwaytoastress-free day! 10
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