What can I expect out of the photographer on my wedding day?

A lot of my clients ask me what exactly a photographer does on the day of the wedding and what they can expect out of them. Of course they know a photographer takes photos, but my clients are curious as to how photographers get the photos that I get. Does the photographer follow the bride around all day? Does the bride follow the photographer? Does the photographer roam around incognito all day? Well let me share my answer to this question.


The most important thing to do before a wedding is sit down with my client and plan their day. We discuss all the details - from what time I arrive to how many bridesmaids she is going to have. The worst thing any photographer can do is arrive at the wedding without a plan. Generally I show up to a wedding about an hour before the bride puts on her dress. The first things I shoot when I arrive is the bride putting her makeup on, the groom getting ready, and small details of the brides outfit such as her shoes and the garter. When the bride is ready to put on the dress, I am there for that to capture the emotion of putting the dress on.

The first thing I tell my brides on the big day is that I am there for them and that she has every right to tell me if there is a shot that she wants that her or I did not discuss. I have an idea of what shots I want to get depending on the location and time of day that the wedding takes place, however I am open to everything.

One thing that the bride and groom don't realise that a wedding photographer does sometimes during s a wedding is that we try to take charge. Not in the fact that we tell the bride and groom what to do, but in the fact that we keep the wedding and the reception flowing so that their guests do not get bored. Most wedding photographers (including me) try to act as the wedding planner if there is not one in the fact that we tell the bride and groom when to start things like the money dance or the bouquet toss.

Being a wedding photographer is much more than taking photos. We plan, coordinate, and assist in every facet of the wedding. I hope after reading this you have a better understand of what we do on your big day.