Helpful Hints for Formal Portraits
by Anja Ulfeldt
Scheduling formal portraits at your wedding is a delicate task. You want to be sure to get those once in a lifetime shots of all your friends and family who have come from far and wide to celebrate with you, but you don't want to bring the event to a stop with a photo session that takes too long and keeps you from your guests or puts you behind schedule.
A couple of helpful hints I like to offer as a photographer are as follows:
- Schedule a few portraits before the ceremony. You can schedule bridal portraits with your bridesmaids and female family members before the ceremony. Have the wedding party arrive a little early and take some fun pictures with the girls! The guys can do the same thing, that way you have a significant part of your formal shots taken early on.
- Make a photo list. Create a list of family members who will be attending and decide ahead of time who will be in each shot. This saves a tremendous amount of time on the day of the wedding. Be sure to give grandparents and young children priority on your list.
- Put a friend in charge. Select a friend who is familiar with most of your guests and give them the task of gathering friends and family for pictures. Give them a copy of the photo list. That way the photographer can concentrate on the shots and you can relax.
- Anja Ulfeldt is with Anja Ulfeldt Photography in Oakland, CA, and has been a WedPlan Member since Feb 2005.
