haven’t gotten the full run-down, here are some tips about what you can expect regarding your wedding photography on the actual day.

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- While you’re making arrangements for the time your photographer arrives and departs, remember that they will need at least a half hour prior to your ceremony

to check the location, take detail photos and to discuss any last minute requests. Also be sure to clarify exactly when they can expect to leave at the end of

your day. (Immediately after the cake-cutting, after the ceremony, after the first dances, at the end of the reception, etc.)

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- Make sure your photographer knows the cue that your ceremony is starting. The simplest way to do this, is to specify which song will be playing when the

wedding party begins walking down the aisle.

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- Be sure to bring makeup and hair styling products with you to your wedding. You’ll want to do some touch-ups before the posed photos, especially if these are

taken after the ceremony. Face powder, lip color, etc. tend to get a bit smushed during the kissing part of your vows… If you suspect there’s going to be some

crying happening (and there often is!) during the ceremony, you may also want to bring some eye-drops with you to reduce any eye redness.

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- It’s usually best to do your formal photos immediately after your ceremony. You’ll be more relaxed, you won’t feel pressed for time and your wedding party

members and guests will be more relaxed as well.

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- When planning the amount of time allotted for your posed photos, it’s a good rule of thumb to expect 20 to 30 minutes for each separate group of people

(bridal party, family, friends) and 30 to 45 minutes for the photos of the married couple alone together. Bear in mind that it takes a while to gather everyone

together and it also takes a bit of time to get everyone posed properly. In total, it’s usually best to plan for 60 to 90 minutes for the formal photography. If

you’ve got a very small number of people to factor in (less than 6 in total), plan for about 45 to 60 minutes.

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- Make arrangements with your wedding planner or someone in your wedding party, for them to be the ‘photo wrangler’ for the posed shots. Their job is to find

everyone needed for the photos and to bring them to the spot where you’re having the pictures taken. This saves the bridal couple from having to be the ones who

round up their family members and bridal party. The less stressed out the married couple is, the better the photos will be!

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- If your formal photos are going to be taking place somewhere other than the setting of your wedding, remember to factor in an additional amount of time for

traveling to and from your other photo location.

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- During the posed bridal couple shots, it’s essential to take some alone time with your photographer. The really lovely, affectionate photos only tend to

happen when you don’t have a large group of people looking on.

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- Before beginning your posed photos, explain to your friends, guests and family that you’ll be allowing some time for everyone to take pictures for the first

10 minutes only. This will ensure that everyone gets the photographs they’d like and it nicely allows for the rest of the formal shots to be taken without an

audience.

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- If you have a printed wedding program, mention the planned times for your formal photography and mention as well, that all guests are welcome (if that’s what

you’d like) to take photos for the first 10 minutes.

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- During your formal photos, don’t worry about your guests waiting for you. Most – and probably all – of them have been to at least one other wedding and

they’ll know to expect that you’ll be busy with your photos for a while before joining them. As long as they have appetizers and beverages, they’ll be perfectly

fine!

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- If you’ve booked your photographer for the entire event, including the reception, you will be expected to provide them with dinner. In almost all cases, the

photographer is seated with and eats with your wedding guests. The same is also true for your videographer. It’s a good idea to seat the two together, as

they’ve already got something in common.

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- Finally, be sure to have your payment for the photographer ready for when they leave. If paying by cheque, it’s usually best to leave the amount blank until

right before you hand it to them. This is in case they’ve had to stay for more (or occasionally less) time than was originally scheduled. It’s also a nice

gesture to give wedding favors to your photographer, your marriage officiant and your videographer.

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San Jose Photographer – Benipayo Photography

Contact: Michael at michael@benipayo.com

408-717-3670  — 415-763-7643

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