Wedding Advice From The Pros | Erich McVey Photography
Sometimes the best advice comes from the pros. The knowledge they possess comes from experience, expertise and being a part of countless weddings. We thought we would kick off this new series with some wedding advice from one of our favorite photographers, Erich McVey.
Look at Full GalleriesAsk to see a couple full wedding galleries from each photographer you're considering. It's a great way to get a good feel for how they capture the entire day, not just the highlights or best of the best photos that they post on their website and blog.
Make Your Photography Timeline a PriorityWork with your photographer when you're planning your wedding day schedule. They'll have great advice regarding when to shoot what, based on lighting and timing.
Connect With Your PhotographerOther than your new husband or wife, your photographer will be the person you spend the most time with on your wedding day, so it's important that it's someone who makes you feel comfortable, at ease, and whose company you enjoy.
The Case of the Missing UncleFamily photos are an important part of a wedding day, but if not well planned and communicated, they can really throw a wrench into your wedding day. We call it The Case of the Missing Uncle, when everyone is gathered for family photos except one or two key family members. Often they weren't informed on where to be and when to be there, or they decided to run to cocktail hour real quick to grab a drink while everyone else is standing around waiting to take family photos. I always feel terrible when this happens, because it can really add a lot of unnecessary stress and frustration to the day.Here are two things to do in order to avoid the family train wreck:
- Make a family photo list and share it with your photographer and coordinator before your wedding day. Confirm with your photographer that enough time has been set aside for family photos to ensure all shots on your list are covered.
- Communicate with everyone on your family photo list before your wedding day. Tell them where family photos will take place, and what time to be there (always tell them 15 minutes earlier than photos are actually scheduled).
Don't Ignore the DetailsAfter working so hard to design and curate all of the details for your day, go the extra mile to make sure that your photographer is set up for success in capturing these details. Have your accessories and paper goods all collected in one location before your photographer arrives, so that he/she can quickly gather everything and shoot a few styled shots of these items to help tell the story of your day. If there is a special family heirloom pin you plan to have your florist place on your bouquet, or if the cocktail ring you're wearing on your right hand has a lot of sentimental value, make sure to tell your photographers ahead of time so they can take that into account when photographing your day.