Peter Piper Picked a Perfect Picture Taker

As a bride-just-been and a wedding photographer with Boy Meets Girl photography, I like to think of myself as a bit of a [big head] photography connoisseur, equipped to ask and answer questions from both a seller and suitor point of view...

So, the big question: How do I pick my wedding photographer? (I say "big"... it's massive! only really second to "the" question!)- after all, aside from your dress (should you decide to keep it) and peoples limited (and often on the day, alcohol infused) memories, photography will be the only physical reminder to serve as a "take-away" from your wedding.

And, like a take-away, it can be difficult to decide which one to go for! With life gone digital, the world of weddings has become even more competitive, with photographers a dime a dozen- each of them vying for the opportunity to capture one of the most important dates of your life. For the majority of you, your wedding will be a special occasion to only happen the once, so you need to set apart the wheat from the chaff and make it the best take-away decision of your life... Here's how:


1- Distinguish your professional image maker from the cowboy camera men:

The digital boom has created a massive increase in amateur photographers all eager to improve their craft and show their work to the world. Unlike other trades, photography does not have any official qualification structure which means anybody could go out and purchase a Digital SLR (nice big camera) and call themselves a "photographer".

When you meet a prospective photographer ask if he/she has any qualifications; such qualifications might be supplied by a national photographic society e.g. SWPP, Master Photographers guild etc… or might be educational like a diploma, A level or BA. Either way the photographer has felt the need/responsibility to earn his or her stripes.

NB: Qualifications aren't the be all and end all- Many people are now self taught and earn their keep producing quality images that they have learnt to perfect the art of- the merit of trade experience.



2 - Catalogue shop

The second thing to explore is their portfolio. Most marketable photographers will have an online gallery, which they will formally refer to as their portfolio. This being a collection of their best work, it is therefore not representative of the quality of work that they will produce for one day shooting.

For this reason, when you meet face to face (highly recommended), request to see an album or photo book of a single wedding. This will generally give you an idea of the consistency of their work, the range of shots they take in a day and an estimation of the number of images to expect.



3 - Invite to assessment

No one goes and buys the first dress they try on, so why should you pick the first photographer you meet? Again, do your homework and meet up with your final shortlist! Wedding photography is a JOB- so interview them for the role!

Photographers are generally charming by nature, but just because the first one seemed a good fit, doesn’t mean they are the best fit. Much like a dress sometimes, it needs a slight alteration- don’t be scared to ask for what you want. You are also less likely this way to be caught out by surprise extras at a later date.

 If you ask a photographer for a reasonable request and they say no, it is not the end of the world – that’s why you should go to see more than one! If your photographer is willing to go that extra mile, they are more likely to put in 110% on the day.



4 - Make friends and play nice


Make sure that your personalities gel. Wedding photography is not always about getting the shot, it’s about knowing when and more importantly how to get the shot. Being in sync with your photographer and having a mutual understanding about what is to be achieved, will help with this. I am happy to say that both as a photographer and a photographee, every shoot I have been part of, I've come away with genuine friends.

It is not the photographer’s job to be a part of the action; it is their job to photograph the action. Each photographer will have their own style, find out what that is – ask them to quantify it (eg: 50% posed – 50% photojournalist) If they pose a lot of their shots, you need to realise that this will slow down proceedings on the day and you will need to allow time for this.


(Be mindful- most photographers will aim to include a series of "posed" shots- these won't necessarily be static set-ups or the cheesy (god-awful) peek-round-a-tree classics... more of "contained" styling- where you both look happy, comfortable and relaxed- set up in a flattering manner. These shots are unmissable- they are the ones that end up on the wall and serve as reminder of when your dress was still white and his shoes weren't yet scuffed. Don't sacrifice the time it will take to get these, for the sake of eating on time. If the word "pose" still sets alarms ringing- Quite simply, ASK. "How do you pose your shots?")


Another great way to suss if they really are "the one" for you is to have an engagement shoot with them- it really is one of the best ways of getting to know how they operate and get comforatble with each other. These are usually set at a reasonable price and could save you a fortune should you decide afterwards that you weren't happy with the product or service. I'd spend a precautionary £50 first, over a head-first full wedding payment anyday!


5 - Finally, the pictures!

The most important part of "the choosing" will be based around the quality of the images you see. This section is in large part up to you and your own personal style/vision, though simple quality checks can be made by glance- are the images sharp and in focus, are the colours clean and accurate? (are people flesh coloured, not grey!) and are the images light and clean (dark, "grainy" images are a sign that the photographer does not know how to deal with lack of light / shooting in darker places!)


A couple of things that are useful to clarify overall, regardless of taste etc are the following:



How many pictures will I come away with? 

The real question being "how long is a piece of string"? some photographers choose to provide a "minimum" amount as a guideline for the absolute least you can expect to take away. However this is something that differs from business to business and really is dependant on the amount of time they are taking pictures for, and the picture taking opportunities available to them- if you spend half the day travelling between venues in separate cars, you should expect to loose this time in pictures...



Will I get all the pictures taken on the day?

In short, no. Any respectable photographer will have some form of "editing" process, which is time spent after the wedding sifting through the thousands of shots taken and whittling them down to THE BEST. If a picture doesn't make the cut, it is generally due to quality issues like blur, exposure, or just the common occurrence of people blinking! Regardless of how much you think you might want these, they are not key to your day and you will not miss them. They are embarrassing to you and detrimental to the overall package you will receive. You will only receive "final images"- those that have made the cut on quality and purpose.



I feel like some pictures have been "missed"... what can I do?

Talk to your photographer. From a brides point of view, I know how this feels and it can make you feel really awkward, but really, the only way to figure this out is to ask- in some cases a shot may have been taken but not handed over to you by accident!- when a photographer is dealing with thousands of images, it is easy to miss one out by accident. Be reasonable in your requests though. If you are asking for a picture of Auntie Sheila when she made a funny by the bar, while you were outside taking group shots, the odds are more than out of your favour.



Hopefully a few questions answered and a few inner ponderings pondered.
If you have any other questions / want to know what you should be asking your potential photographers when you meet them- holla! I'd be happy to offer my advice :)



The most important thing to remember (and I cannot stress this enough!) is to SPEND MONEY on your photographer.
Uncle Joe may be a dab hand with the compact, but he won't have the technical knowledge to cope with alternative light, weather or the high paced environment that is a wedding.

You may love and trust him now, but relationships have been ruined off the back of saved money and wasted film.

Blooming Lovely!

In my search for whimsical wedding wonderment, I have tried to look for new, up and coming ways to diverge from the norm with regards to all things considered traditionally necessary – one of these things being flowers... On my quest, I came across an old friend of mine, who aside running her own unique custom vintage clothing range, Bricolage boutique, has just started to sell felt and button flowers on her Etsy store...

The thing I love most about Tamsin and her unique designs are that they are a far cry from the pastel coloured candy-floss that most would consider to be a “wedding” business. At 5ft3 with tattoos and body modifications, this pint size punk princess is in tune with all things out there, and out there is exactly what Hen loves.

Photo credit: Christina Day

Her felt flower hair accessories currently available in her store would make fab headpieces for brides and bridesmaids alike simply worn solo, however would also look amazing teamed with lashings of French netting, with a real vintage come home-made, come bit-of-this-bit-of-that vibe... Blooming lovely.

(c) Bricolage Boutique

(c) Bricolage Boutique

But boy, the fun doesn’t stop there! The possibilities with these fuzzy felt flowers are endless and using little imagination, can be used for far more than just personal adornment... think out of the box and use them to replace all fresh flowers, eliminating unnecessary arrangement costs, and more predominantly the waste involved, throwing them out a week later. 

The fact that these babies will “live” forever provides you with an amazing keepsake that will serve always as a reminder of your special day. A trait that although completely unintentional, Tamsin herself finds great appeal in...

"I've never gone out with the intention of creating wedding-y things as it's not something I'm particularly interested in myself but I really like how 'alternative' weddings are becoming so popular and it's great to see some very creative brides who really know what they want. Every bride wants something special and unique and even something they can keep and maybe find another use for which is why I really like the idea of these little bouquets. Each one is individual and can even be made to specific requirements."

Photo credit: Christina Day

The smaller flower hair clips would make great buttonholes for the men or shoe clips for the bridesmaids... Tamsin has recently even gone one step further and is now offering one-of-a kind bouquets! (Pictured above and below) Available in a whole host of custom colours at your request, please contact Tamsin at bricolageboutique@gmail.com or via her Etsy store for details on the options available and for further information on costs. 

Photo credit: Christina Day

Like what you see? Well stay tuned! Hen has been hushed whispers of even greater things to come...

"I'm still trying to find my little niche in exactly what I want to do and what is most successful. Right now, I am inspired by retro colours which is the main feature of my Etsy store. I plan to soon branch out into wedding dresses also"

...Do I sense a full on Bricolage Boutique wedding post coming soon or what!

Enjoy!

Love,

Bowties and Brogues

Now, I'm very aware that my posts thus far have been aimed mainly at my female followers, detailing things like dresses, dramas and decor, however this post is especially about the boys...

This short (but oh so sweet!) post follows my previous arguments on bridalwear and how the bride, being centre of attention, is always ensured to look and feel the absolute best she can on her wedding day... but what about the blokes?

I've asked around a small panel of people; some Roosters, some Hens, some eligible, some not so eligible on their opinions on groomswear for the big day...

The responses were interesting and completely varied with some offering a definite view on how they would like to / their partners to dress, and others prefering a care-free attitude with the general feeling of "whatever". Overall, the responses ended up filtering into four main "categories":

The TRADITIONALISTS:
Tops & tails / Classy and classic. These guys will most likely hire their get-up with cost not a concern- happily doling out the dosh to look dapper. These guys and their gals will most likely have the whole package of a "modern traditional" wedding: Stately home. Check. Champagne and Strawberries. Check. Top Hat and Tails. Checkmate.

The CLASSY CONTEMPORARIES:
Not quite as lavish as the above lads, these guys love getting togged up but in a red-carpet suave kinda way. Leaving the tails on the donkeys, these guys prefer a crisp white shirt / black tie combo. Well cut and Crisp. Simple and Slick.

The EASY BREEZERS:
Laid back dudes that wear whatever they are put in / otherwise if left to their own devices would wear whatever suited their mood on the day... (Caution! Jeans and tees!) These guys will generally leave big decisions up to the brides and will wear whatever they are put in to keep their missus' happy on the day.

The OLD-SCHOOL SUITOR:
"Quirky formal"- Snappy dressers but in a more unconventional way- breaking from the norm & mixing old with new. These guys select style over splurging, prefering the suave stylings of yesteryear to the sharp synthetic suiting of today.

The OUT-OF-THE-BOX-ERS:
Think "Don't Tell the Bride"- Groom wants a Shrek-meets-World Cup theme wedding and once decided, that's it. These crazy cats love their ladish affairs and will happily don a fake beard and bell-toed-shoes for a laugh on HIS big day.

...So, which one are you? Which gets your thumbs up? And ladies, how do YOU think your guys should dress...?

Love,

Highland Fling

Think Scottish wedding, think stereotypical lashings of red and green tartan, men in kilts and highland dancing in the evening... A request has come to me lately however, for a classy alternative to the over-exuberant, slightly done typical highland fling... So here are my more muted musings!

Keep calm and carry on...

...using tartan, but don’t be scared of shifting to a different clans stripes if Christmas style red and green is not your thing! Tartan fabrics and ribbons are readily available online and in most fabric stores, in whole host of colours to suit your ideals... for my post today, I’m thinking cooling blues and serene purples offset with sparkly silver...

Image credit: www.scotlandshop.com

 

*Guest book*

I love this idea from Amber Events, of signing a dark bottle!- a far cry from your stereotypical guestbook, you get a drink AND a quirky keepsake out of it! The obvious tipple of choice for this theme would be a traditional Scotch whiskey, but I also love these personalisable black champagne bottles (drink inclusive!) from Revel stoke wines- Slightly pricey, but so much fun! :)



Image credits: Amber events & Revel Stoke wines

*Food*

Hagis!? Joke.

As this theme is more of a traditional one, it would suit a traditional sit-down coursed meal, but really food is down to personal preference! Just keep it yummy, people!

  

*Tables*

White lace tablecloths... a simple and effective way of incorporating a bit of both Scottish and English heritage, in a classy and clean way! Vintage tablecloths can be found on eBay- the mix and match-ness of which can create a real relaxed home-y feel, or cheaper (cotton) versions of real lace can also be bought by the metre online... can’t stretch to a whole table? Runners are enough to create impact and flair without being too overpowering / granny-fying- you could also edge with a thin strip of tartan either side, or lay over a coloured table cloth to tie in.

Image credit:  www.dressityourself.co.uk

*Invites*

A continuation of the lace table cloth idea, I am currently LOVING doily envelopes!- they are a beautiful and cost effective way of containing your invites, and the cut-outs are great at providing just that little peep of your theme colours before the opening and overall big reveal... Lined in lavender paper and sealed with a crystal / pearl, these super cute vintage-style invites would be the best looking mail to ever come through your letter box!



Image credit: www.howdoilovetheestyle.blogspot.com

*Looking up*

This type of wedding would really suit a barn, with a real warm feel to it, so beams ahoy! If you do have beams, use them- they are great for wrapping fairy lights around! You could also hang flowers or strings of photos from them for a more personal / homely touch...

*Sitting down*

I HATE chair covers, so the day I have so little inspiration that I recommend them, is the day I will stop writing! Again with the homey feel, nice wooden chairs would suit this theme- with either a natural or whitewashed look to them- hire seat pads in your colour (in this case lavender, or a real dark purple would love laaaahhhhvly) to make them a bit more comfortable, or use mix and match cushions in mixed tartan / floral / block fabrics... fix flowers or hang your favours over the top of one of the spindles, or use them to tie your place names to, using brown tartan backed tags... Pocketful of dreams shows some great examples!



Image credit: www.pocketfulofdreams.co.uk



*Cleaning up*

Silver edged rectangle folded fabric napkins with a single sea holly tucked inside or rolled napkins tied up with small sprigs of heather tied with a thin tartan ribbon...



*Flowers*

Purple heather (or lavender if not in season), mixed with blue thistles and white gypsophilia... to break it up a bit / add a bit of “English”-ness, mix in white / vintage dusky pink / lilac roses...



*To pretty-fy*

Glam up and add a bit of sparkle, use costume jewellery bracelets to tidy up and add interest to flower stems and vases... alternatively, you can buy cheap tartan napkin rings to wrap around and customise with stick on silver gems- a simple continuation of the theme...




Image credit: bbc.co.uk

*For guys*

To follow the theme in a more obvious and traditional, (but no way kilt!) fashion, a tartan tie would be key, however a more relaxed approach could involve a plain coloured tie to follow the scheme, with a simple buttonhole of thistle or heather surrounded by a flurry of snow-like gypsohilia...

*For girls*

Stick with the theme and go for something lacy – traditionalists can even keep with the colour scheme and wear their “something blue” on the outside... Coloured or tartan shoes are unique and come in all sorts of shapes and sizes!

*Favours*

When I think Scotland, I immediately think of the beautiful scenery... so I’m really digging pebbles for this theme! Impactful and eco friendly, take a day trip to the beach to pick perfect pebbles, or head down to your local DIY store or garden centre for a bag of natural or polished pretties. Write on them to make them double up as place settings and keepsakes. Online, you can even find shaped pebbles, making your stony specials even more sweet- like these small hearts from Velvet Brown!



Image credit: www.velvetbrown.co.uk

 

So! Just a couple of ideas for you... if you'd like to hear more / would like further inspiration or you have a theme of your own that you'd like to explore, please do contact me!- unfortunately word count restricts me on here, but I have PLENTY more ideas where these came from and am absolutely bursting to share!


Love,

Happy Snapper Chappers- A Moody Monday Rant

In my mind, there has always been an unwritten rule- a un-voiced mutual respect of sorts when it comes to wedding pictures – not the official images, but the guest snaps, in that as a guest, you should not post images from the wedding day online, until the Bride & Groom are back from honeymoon / have had chance to see them for themselves first.


The reasoning behind this being that firstly, it's the couple’s day, making it theirs to choose to share with others also. This is the case right from the beginning from when they first decided to invite you to celebrate with them and should in my opinion totally be extended to include post-wedding stress also!


I say stress, because the last thing the happy couple want to be worrying about while on their honeymoon and away from their computers, is coming back to albums and albums of less than flattering pictures of themselves perhaps from later on in the daily proceedings, plastered all over the web.


The thing that disappoints me the most (and unfortunately this happens a lot!) is when photos are uploaded straight from a mobile DURING the event. The wedding ceremony in particular is supposed to be the most special, intimate part of the day and yet I know of a few people that have taken pictures and uploaded straight to Facebook from here! Harrumph.


From dealing with wedding clients through our photography business and also having obviously experienced the wedding process myself, this issue seems to be a common worry- particularly amongst the more self conscious of brides- to the point where I’ve witnessed it being formally requested by the bridal party on the day, that guests do not post anything until the Bride and Groom see them first.


This may seem a little extreme to some, but I feel is completely reasonable! No-one likes to log on to Facebook to pictures of them all over the place after a standard night out, so why following the day that is supposed to be most special for them, would the Bride and Groom!?


Of course, as usual this is just one hens opinion on a matter I feel quite strongly about- Many brides do not have an issue with it and there is no problem with this at all- much like with everything else to do with the day, it is down to your personal take on things, just next time you are a guest, consider checking with the bride and groom first on how they feel before getting all tag-happy.


Rant over and out.


Love,

What is a wedding?

www.dictionary.com

... A joining of lives, the making of a partnership... and yet nowadays planning a wedding is more like planning a performance- less about the couple, and more about showing off.

It feels like in the UK you can only go one of two ways with your wedding day: a) avoid all hassle - elope and marry abroad or b) make a huge show – the whole shebang and get hugely in debt. 

Whatever happened to the happy medium?

Following the success of my own ‘compact’ wedding, I am even more of a fan now of the small intimate wedding – a time when you get to celebrate your marriage with the people who mean most to you and are involved in your lives as a couple – not those you have met once / are a distant relative of – after all, how have they really affected your life as a couple and do they actually care that you are getting married?!

For our wedding, we decided to split the proceedings over two days, as this suited our views on marriage, and also protected our pockets! (Having the legal register signing separate to the reception saved us over £300 in legal fees alone!)

As a couple, we have always been of the opinion that a wedding is about the people, not the paperwork, and our two day event was a real reflection of this- we had the legal signing at the registry office on Saturday, with just the two required witnesses present, and a small party to celebrate the marriage, with family and friends the next day- This date is the one we consider to be our WEDDING day.

Our Sunday celebrations were planned to the same format as a standard wedding so no-one felt as if they had missed out on the previous day’s events (as we appreciate that people view the register signing differently to us!): we got ready separately, my dad walked me in, and we had a short blessing ceremony- performed by my hubber’s mum (who rather handily is a minister!) It was short, super sweet and personal. 
 

“You’ve all been handpicked, as being their nearest & dearest; those who matter most to them. You’re not just here to fill seats, but to share this moment with them today, & promise your support for them in the future”

Part of our blessing ceremony involved our 26 family and friends present responding to the question “Will you do all in your power to support & encourage Natalie & Andrew in their marriage?” with “We will”. While this may seem a little cheese-worthy to some, for us as a couple, it was heart-warming knowing that our nearest and dearest were there, knew we belonged as a couple, and supported our marriage.

Our guests were in no way coerced into coming to our wedding- in fact, quite the opposite! To some, wedding attendance is a chore- an expected day of awkward conversation with strangers and never speaking to the bride and groom, but our guests were never there just for bums on seats, and being such involved and important figures in our lives, they loved it. Loved being invited, loved being there and being with us. And we love them for it too.


A proper wedding.

Love,

How to... BOOTH!

One of the biggest forms of self-made interactive entertainment trending in the wedding world right now is the photo booth. It is quirky, affordable, and most of all FUN!

While people spend the majority of the day shying away and hiding behind every available obstacle to get away from the dreaded wedding photographer, once an evening photo booth is set up and the drinks start flowing, you just can’t drag them away! It is a really great way of capturing informal and uninhibited group pictures, without the standard format of standing in line with cheesy grins, and a fun way to catch unique couple shots without the need for the outreached “Myspace” arm in the bottom corner as standard.

There are official photo booths out there to hire for your event- they come manned and provide instant prints, but the homemade version always ticks the extra boxes with me- It is easily made personal to you and your theme, costs FAR less, and you can fit more people in!

This mini guide is all about how to get the most out of your booth:

1. Background:
Big is better. Bold is brilliant. Keep the background to your theme colours as best you can, but try and also make it a standout feature- bright colours and ballsy patterns really stand out and make the images look just that little bit more interesting! - Best thing is you can use pretty much anything you want for the background and it doesn't have to cost you the earth - we bought some cheap fabric off the roll, or you could even think a little more outside the box and use anything from shower curtains (like our Boy Meets Girl couple, Lucy and Rich!) or bed linen, to ribbons or rugs!

2. Props:

Here, just about anything goes! Raid your fancy dress wardrobe, charity shops and your kids' toy boxes and pull out anything that can be posed with! Oversized glasses, picture frames and hats/wigs work a treat! Can't find exactly what you're after?- Get crafty... utilise lolly pop sticks and barbecue skewers by attaching moustaches and quirky glasses cutouts... buy cheap mdf shape cutouts on eBay* and back them with chalkboard paint / Fablon for quirky chalkboards for guests to interact with and write drunken messages to you on... anything for a giggle! (*The link below is the seller we worked with- if shape is not available as standard, email through your request!)

!MOUSTACHES ON STICKS - A HOW TO!

!MDF SHAPES ON EBAY!

3. Lighting:
You'll want to take these pictures using a decent camera on a tripod - most people will know at least one person who owns a digital SLR and these are perfect. The best lighting to go with this camera set-up is a flash- when we have shot photo booths in the past, we have used a couple of flash-types- the first is an off-camera flash (a flash linked to the camera, but isn't attached to it), and the other is a ring flash- this is attached to the camera and provides light in a similar way to a standard camera flash, while being softer, more even and more flattering! (YESSSS!) If you are asking your photographer to provide / man the photo booth, they should have all this equipment as standard.

4. The set up:

Photo booths are brilliant as evening indoor entertainment- using up a corner of the room that would otherwise be empty and making the absolute most of the space you have paid for, however day-time photo booths are also becoming more and more popular - string up a washing line between some branches and peg your backdrop up, or even just use the fencing / brickwork you may have bordering your space... below are a few ideas people have worked with before to inspire you, or please contact me for more ideas!

Love,