Whether your wedding style is more Style Me Pretty or Martha Stewart Weddings, the goal is to have swoon-worthy photos of your Big Day. How do you ensure you and the best wedding photographers are on the same page? Here are 5 tips to help you get the most out of your wedding photography experience:

Wedding Planning Priorities

This couple wanted a Connecticut beach wedding at a family home; we incorporated everything that was personal and important to them, like this refinished canoe.

Your wedding photos will preserve every memory of your incredible, hectic, life-changing day for the rest of your life. Your photos should be stunning enough to decorate your home, and beautiful enough to share with everyone you see. Prioritizing photography means booking your photographer early in the planning process, so you can work as a team in the planning of your wedding. Ideally, you’ll want to find your photographer as soon as you’ve booked your venue, or soon thereafter (for example, Connecticut wedding photographers tend to get inundated with inquiries for May, June, September and October – which can book as far as 24 months out). A great photographer, when asked, will work with you on crafting your timeline – this is a huge part of the value I bring to clients – to ensure that they get the best possible photos for you. From choosing a beautiful location for bridal prep, to spacing out your timeline to ensure you’ve plenty of time for photos, prioritizing photography is one investment that will give you fantastic returns.

Choosing the Right Wedding Colors

This pop of red from the bride’s and bridesmaids’ shoes complimented the bouquets and dresses perfectly!

When thinking about colors, you’ll want to consider the vibe of your wedding as well as your venue, and the other details you’ll be choosing. Many Connecticut wedding venues offer diverse backdrops that will infuse natural beauty into your day, with garden, farm, vineyard and beachfront options to consider. Do you want rich, colorful wedding photography? You can use flowers and shoes to infuse the day with a beautiful pop of color. Bridesmaids’ dresses can be solids or prints, but they, too, can add dimension. If you’re a groom, consider adding a touch of color with a bow tie, handkerchief or even suspenders. The bottom line is that you want to consider colors that reflect your personality and the feel of your wedding. Your photographer will use those pops of color to create images that help you remember the beautiful fall foliage, the summer breeze off the water at your reception, and the richness of your big day.

Communicate With Your Vendors

This couple did a wonderful job of setting a timeline and expectations. The result was beautiful photos!

One of the most important aspects of choosing the best wedding photographer is to engage someone you feel you can talk to. Your photographer should be flexible, always willing to communicate, and excited for opportunities to give input when you ask for their opinion. As you begin to put together your wedding day timeline, be sure you’re talking about how the timeline impacts photography. For example, I always try to build in 2-3 mini portrait sessions with my clients throughout the day, lest weather or timing delays prevent us from getting the time we need. In order to do that, we need to communicate well in advance about the couple’s desired wedding timeline and their photo priorities. Your wedding photographer should be providing a detailed questionnaire to help inform both the timeline and shot list, and should ideally discuss these with you to be sure you’re on the same page.

Choosing the Best Wedding Venues

Water’s Edge weddings incorporate the ocean throughout the day, and this Coast Guard wedding was no exception! This card box was handmade and flawless.

Your ceremony and reception venues will provide a beautiful backdrop for your wedding photos. When looking at wedding venues, think about how each will photograph. Is there a crazy pattern on the carpet that might be distracting to the eye? What will the reception lighting be like? Is the lighting florescent or natural? If you’re getting married in a hotel, will they allow you to add to their decor? If you’re getting married outdoors, where will the sun be at that time of day?  These are all great questions to ask the venue contact as you tour their facilities. Also, be sure to check with your officiant or reception venue contact about rules for photography; your photographer should take the time to reach out to your venue and officiant ahead of your wedding. Considering the aesthetics of wedding venues will help you achieve images that you’ll treasure forever.

Pinterest Wedding Ideas

This bride is a Pinterest pro, and she specifically requested balloons in her engagement photos, which we shot at West Thompson Lake in Connecticut. I loved the result!

To Pinterest…or not to Pinterest. That’s a great question, and one that gets some photographers a little fired up. Some photographers say that Pinterest ideas drive them crazy, because they encourage clients to ask for totally unnatural poses. Other photographers love seeing their brides and grooms getting excited about their wedding photos. I encourage my clients to share inspiration via Pinterest, and actually set up a board for each couple I work with, so we can trade ideas in preparation for their engagement and wedding photos. I’m also quick to let couples know that Pinterest is great for helping me to get a sense of their style as a couple – for example, what photos are they drawn to? – but my style is all about natural, authentic images. Pinterest won’t dictate our shot list, but it’s a wonderful guide for inspiration.

Are you inspired and excited about your wedding photography yet? If you haven’t booked your wedding photographer, now’s the time to connect with someone you’ll love. If you already have your vendor team assembled, reach out to your photographer today and start collaborating. That teamwork will make for the best wedding photos!