Tips on becoming a professional wedding photographer

Tips on becoming a professional wedding photographer

If you’re into snapping pictures, then getting involved with the wedding photography business can be a great way to earn money from your passion.

But, in a trade that’s highly competitive, the need to edge your way into the forefront of the crowd is essential, and, if you want to be trusted with some of the happiest memories of a couple’s life together, you’ll have to prove your worth.

Get a photography degree

There’s little better way to vouch for your photographic knowledge than with a degree under your belt. The chance to study your art will give you a much better foothold in the realms of lighting, lenses, effects and focuses that will allow you to give a happy couple the wedding photos they deserve.

Not only this, but a photography degree will broaden the range of your visualskills to such an extent that you could potentially break into a number of realms in the visual medium, from nature photography to advertorial stills.

Work your way up

Working in such a competitive industry, it’s not unknown to have to do a few freebies before anyone will actually pay you for your work. Even with a degree, a client still wants to know that you can deliver the goods come their special day.

Try building up a varied portfolio of previous shoots before demanding pay.

Figure out an effective rate of pay

Once you've built up enough experience for a bride and groom to actually have confidence in paying you, the need to finally be able to cover your costs will be pressing.

Don’t just factor in the travel, food and time labour for the wedding day; also consider the time it will take to develop your photos and the cost of materials in the development process albums take time and money to create.

Don’t leave your guests waiting

One of the worst things you can be at a wedding is disorganised. Bear in mind that you’re at the happiest day of two people’s lives, which, chances are, has been meticulously set out like clockwork by a wedding planner, and no one will want to be kept waiting around as you fumble with your lenses.

Set aside specifictime for all the photos, and arrange this in advance with the bride and groom. Also, try to take posed photos of the couple at a time that isn't the day of the wedding, as this can be a time-consuming process that will inevitably disrupt the festivities.

As well as this, try not to schedule the group photographs after everyone has been drinking for a while. The last thing that people want from their photo album is a snap of Uncle Pete with his arm around the bride because he’s struggling to stand.

Get the right kit and know it inside-out

Knowing your lenses from your filters and your SLRs from your DSLRs is a must in the photography business.

Being able to exude confidence in your knowledge of lighting, framing and equipment will make a far greater impression on your potential employer than someone who simply seems like a keen amateur.

And, if you can purchase the right kit to match your confidence, you can ensure great photos, allowing you to build up an even wider folio and give a couple the happy memories they desire. 

How to choose the perfect wedding photographer

So you’ve just started planning your wedding day and you are now looking for the perfect wedding photographer. This can be daunting, where do you start? How do you start? And what should you look for?

Shortlist potential photographers

The first step is to create a shortlist of potential wedding photographers that you wish to contact. This can be done via Google and visiting different photographer’s websites. Once you have made a list its time to start contacting them and getting a feel for their personality.
Try to determine which photographer will meet your budget and needs. You should also consider how well they perform in different settings and environments. For example, if you’re getting married outdoors or in the countryside, it makes good sense to choose a photographer who is experienced at filming outdoors. Think about the tone that you want your wedding photos to convey. Would you like your photographs to be traditional or fun and light hearted?
After narrowing down your selection of photographers, make appointments to meet with them. During the interviews, ask them to show you examples of previous work that they have done. It is very likely that the photographer will have a couple of wedding albums available to show you.
Pay attention to the photographers personality, do they have the type of personality that will make people feel comfortable and happy?  You will be making special requests on your wedding day, so it’s important that your comfortable communicating with them.

Ask family and friends for recommendations

The best wedding photographers will have developed a successful reputation. They should be extremely easy to find. Start your search by asking for recommendations from friends and family who have recently held or been to weddings. Ask them if they liked the photographer, this will give you an idea of his/her personality and their ability to make you and your wedding guests feel comfortable.  Any good photographer will know that wedding photography is all about getting the most out of the bride, groom and the guests.
Your family and friends are the best people to ask because they will have your best interests at heart. Also, ask other professionals that are involved with your wedding day, it’s likely that they will have worked with wedding photographers in the past. Ask for recommendations from your florist, DJ, car driver or caterer. If other professionals are willing to stake their reputation on recommending a photographer, chances are that the person is very good.

Signing the contract and negotiating costs

There have been a number of horror stories when it comes to paying wedding photographers. Make sure that the contract provides a full outline of each service that you’re paying for and the time frame in which everything will be delivered. Try to get this sorted well in advance of your wedding day. The more clear the contract, the better it will be for everyone involved. The last thing you want is your photographer holding your wedding photos hostage until you pay his extra fees.
Contrary to what other people may have told you, pretty much everything is negotiable, including packages, price and various extras. Before you start negotiating with the photographer, it’s worth knowing exactly what level of service you require. It is also important to ensure that the photographer you booked is the photographer that you will get. Many large companies will promise you one photographer and then do a switch on your wedding day.

10 Wedding Reception Activity Ideas

Weddings at the moment seem to be all about the guests. You want your guests to have an amazing time so that your wedding is memorable. You will also enjoy your wedding more if your guests appear to be enjoying the celebrations and appreciating the wedding activities, food and entertainment you have arranged. It’s so hard to decide what to do for your wedding, especially if you want it to be unique. Here are 10 ideas for potential wedding receptions activities.

1. Secrets For Success Want to know what makes a happy marriage? Why not ask your guests for their stories and advice? You can get funny and interesting tips from the people who know you best. It’s also quite fun for guests and makes them feel included in the celebrations.

2. Guest Book Almost everyone has a guest book at their wedding. However, there are lots of different and quirky ways to present guest books. You can do things like getting guests to write on the back of polaroids or taking a picture with their note written on a chalkboard. Get creative and find a unique way of doing your guestbook.

3. Photo booth Photo booths are probably one of the most popular wedding activities this year. They have taken the wedding market by storm because of the unique and memorable experience they provide. Guests love to pose in the photo booth with items of fancy dress, and the pictures will get more interesting as the night goes on.

4. Cartoon Portraits Cartoon portraits are a good activity to have at a wedding. Artists can move around the table drawing people or set up a stand after dinner. Your guests can have a good laugh at their caricature and have something to take home with them and keep as a memory of your wedding.

5. Lawn Games If you are having an outdoor wedding and the weather is kind to you then lawn games and outdoor activities can go down really well. They get everyone involved and interacting and provide some fantastic photo opportunities. Some lawn games you can have at your wedding include giant jenga and croquet.

6. Icebreakers When everyone sits down for dinner and realises they don’t know everyone on the table things can get a bit awkward. Shy guests may find it hard to start conversation and break the ice. Place some games and ice breaker questions on the table so that your guests can get to know each other, and as the alcohol flows they will get on just fine.

7. Drinks Tasting Having alcohol samples and alcohol experts on hand can work very well at weddings. If you love wine then get people to do some wine tasting or if you prefer spirits then why not get guests involved in some cocktail making?

8. Live Music Some people prefer to play their own playlist from their ipod, others prefer a DJ to get people on the dance floor. However, live bands can really add something extra to your wedding. They create a completely different atmosphere that is likely to have everyone enjoying a dance and strutting their stuff.

9. Food Stall One thing lots of guests think about when they go to a wedding is food. Don’t leave your guests hungry in the evening, impress them with food stalls of exciting treats. You could do a sweetie stall or if you enjoy savoury food have a selection of cheeses or send waiters around with canapes. If your guests have a full belly at the end of the night they will be satisfied.

10. Memory Boards Weddings are a time to look to the future, but that doesn’t mean you can’t bring up the past. Have an area dedicated to old photo’s and memories that you share with your guests. This will make them feel part of the wedding and everyone can enjoy looking back at some happy memories.


Kiri Novak works as an events planner in the wedding industry. He recommends Blue Steel Booths for any photo booth hire needs at http://www.blue-steel-booths.co.uk

Wedding favours for the Imaginative

Wedding favours might not be an essential part of the wedding and in fact some people nowadays don’t even know what they are because they have never experienced them at a wedding. However, when they are done the right way they can really contribute to the overall experience of the day and are a lovely way to thank the guests for attending and offering their best wishes to the happy couple. Nowadays people truly use their imagination when it comes to wedding favours so get your thinking cap on and find something suited to your joint personalities. 

Here is our list of 5 unusual and imaginative favour ideas.

It is very rare that you come across someone who doesn't like chocolate so a homemade box of chocolates is a wonderful gift idea. You can make a big batch of chocolates simply by melting chocolate and mixing it with marshmallows and nuts and then allowing it to set in little cases. Then add a few to each box and tie with a ribbon and a little name card. This is something that everyone can enjoy, although they might not last very long.

1. If your wedding is themed then you need something to tie in with that theme. For example, at an Alice in Wonderland wedding you might see a table filled with pots of different sweets and little labels saying ‘Eat Me’. Guests can then help themselves, adding sweets of their choice to little bags and nibbling on them throughout the night. This DIY idea is becoming more popular, allowing people to take as much or as little as they like and it is always a hit with children.
2. A novel idea that has started to catch on in recent years is to leave little bags of grow seeds in everyone’s places. They symbolise growing a positive future and will often feature a little saying on the bag, such as ‘grow a little love’. This would tie in nicely with a more homely wedding theme as it is a very rural idea.
3. A simple yet effective idea is the keyring gift. This could apply to numerous ideas and can be personalised by the couple to suit the occasion. Standard keyrings can be bought that have space for a small photo on the main piece. There are also silver keyrings that could be engraved or novelty keyrings featuring a joke or a toy. The idea is to give the guests something to take home and keep and this product is always popular with children who might need entertaining after a certain amount of time at the wedding.
4. Finally, a very popular, simple and cheap wedding favour idea is to buy personalised chocolates that are wrapped with a little message on each one. They usually feature a message of thanks for attending the wedding, but if you have the time you can personalise each message so that is special for that table or the individual guests, although this will cost much more.

To find suitable gifts all you really need to do is put a little time aside to work out how many you need to buy and what kind of budget you have. If you are low on time then buying something like the Alice in Wonderland sweet idea might be ideal as the guests do the work themselves which is a lot more favourable. Choose something that you would like to see at a wedding and something that makes you smile, I am sure you can think of numerous things. Hopefully it will have the same effect on the guests and it will be money well spent.

Chartering a Yacht for a Wedding Reception

Whether you’re a boating-crazy couple or simply want to do something a little bit different for your wedding reception, have you ever considered chartering a yacht? It’s a fantastic way to make your wedding stand out and to make it a day that people will talk about for years to come, and you can get some truly unique photos to add to your wedding album.

One of the most popular yacht chartering spots, the Solent, has lots of companies offering up yachts for corporate events, but why not take advantage of these well-equipped boats and use them for your wedding party instead? They are attractively decorated as they are used for business professionals, and it is possible to get catering, drinks services and music on board. You could transform the indoor event space into a dancefloor.

This is a particularly good idea if you have a smaller reception planned. This is a great way to get both families bonding, and any little ones invited will love helping out on the deck and learning all about the boat. You can get some spectacular shots of the family with a beautiful backdrop of the sea and the coastline for some really unusual mementoes of the big day.

You can set the yacht to travel along a route that means something to you as a couple, or simply follow a route with some particularly attractive stretches of coastline. Sun-drenched cliffs, twinkling city lights and majestic stretches of beach all make for some fantastic sights through the afternoon and well into the evening while you dance the night away on your own private yacht. And even better, you can make as much noise as you like without worrying about disturbing anyone else!

Remind your guests to wrap up warm and make sure that everyone has received a safety briefing before you set sail so that everyone knows what to do if there is a problem. Also make sure people watch what they drink or line their stomachs sufficiently to prevent any drunken accidents at sea.

Make sure someone has decorated the yacht beforehand to make it look a little more special. This might mean bunting, balloons and drapes, or you might want to carry the nautical theme inside with anchors, rubber rings and seagulls. You should be allowed to decorate the indoor space any way you want so that you can have a theme which reflects you as a couple and the nature of your big day for a truly unique wedding day.

Top 5 Wedding Invitation ideas.

Getting home from work I was greeted by a small parcel on the floor from the postman. Opening the envelope I was surprised and slightly confused to have received a tea towel. 

Opening up the tea towel I soon realized this wasn't just a tea towel and was in fact a very creative wedding invitation.

Not just was the tea towel a very different way to send a wedding invite that certainly means I won't forget the date but the invite itself was particularly humorous. Rather than the obligatory 'dietary requirements' the enclosed card asked whether you were an Omnivore or Herbivore and proceeded to read 'And also that if i eat the following, I may be sick, or have to go hungry'  If the wedding is as beautiful, creative and funny as the invite then I can not wait for the big day. This then lead me to think about my top 5 wedding invitation ideas.

1. Tea towel, After today's received invite it would be rude not to put the tea towel in at number 1!
2. Jigsaw puzzle, Send a few puzzle pieces to then be put together by your guests to work out where the wedding is. Just remember to include something simple to fill out for the RSVP.
3. CD/DVD - Include a cd or dvd with all the details for your up and coming big day. Create a video with music and photographs with meaning to the special couple. The great thing about an invite like this is that you can include everything needed, images and information on the venue, directions and menus all in one place.
4. Fridge magnet - This is a really simple idea, including a fridge magnet as a 'save the date' you know that the invitation can't get lost and then be a constant reminder every time you make a brew and reach for the milk.
5. Chocolates - Send each of your potential attendees a small box of chocolates, then under each chocolate once eaten have details for the wedding. 

What are you idea's for creative DIY wedding invitations? Have you sent out something different? I'd love to hear your ideas.

Beautiful Wedding in Cornwall

Yesterday I had the pleasure in Photographing a beautiful wedding in Saltash in Cornwall for the lovely Jan Miller and Ben Cussons. I must say what an amazing couple and such a beautiful day. Arriving at China Fleet Country club to a very warm day, beautiful sunshine breaking through the clouds and a lovely breeze it was the perfect day for a wedding. Although the sneaky weather had other ideas, and once the couple were married the weathered tried it's best to dampen spirits, However with a few changes of location for group photos to avoid the rain and a well timed wedding breakfast the rain couldn't put a dampener on their wonderful day.

I'd like to wish them all the very best for their future and it was a privilege to be a part of your wedding.

Laura and Dave Turner

The wedding photo's from Laura and Dave turners wedding are now online, Please click here to view all their photographs from the day.

Wedding photographs Watergate Bay

Here are the wedding photographs from Lauren and Joel Hunts wedding both the service and the reception were at the Watergate Bay Hotel, and for an April wedding they were blessed with the most amazing weather.

Samantha and Robin Burchell Wedding Photographs

Here are the wedding photographs from Samantha and Robin Burchells wedding which was held at Bideford Methodist church North Devon, With the reception at Filleigh village hall.

Wedding Photography Essex

I've had a very busy few days traveling up to Essex and back and I'm glad to be back in Cornwall after photographing a wedding in Braintree Essex, with the reception at the Reid Rooms, such a beautiful venue and a fantastic day. Now for a few weeks off to process all these pictures.

As soon as the happy couples have had their images i will post some gorgeous brides on here, I've had such a variety of weddings recently from beach weddings to stately homes with classic Volkswagen's and 2CV's. Pictures will follow soon.

Wedding photography Watergate Bay

I'm pleased the Gail force winds and drizzle from yesterday have gone away and fingers are now crossed that the sun even comes out this afternoon for today's wedding in Cornwall.

Wedding Photography North Devon

I'm back from photographing a gorgeous wedding in North Devon, which in the very warm spring sunshine actually felt like summer! A brilliant day to now go through the hundreds of photographs ready to create the album.

Pictures will be posted soon :@)

Wedding Reception Venues

Wow well thats an..... interesting place to have a wedding reception.

Bristol wedding reception to be held at KFC

Where's the most interesting place you've been for a wedding reception?

Wedding Photography

I have recently been very busy photographing weddings over the summer months. Please visit my facebook photography page to see all the latest wedding photographs,

The beautiful Darren and Vicky Oldridge Married at St Mawgan Church with reception at the Carn Marth Hotel.

Photographs on Fistral Beach

http://www.facebook.com/PHOTOBROOK.PHOTOGRAPHY