I'm a coffee loving, travel-obsessed, twenty-something based out of Central Illinois. I'm lucky enough to make a living doing what I love - photographing people! I specialize in weddings (destination + local), senior portraits, + boudoir.
After five years photographing weddings, I feel like there are a few things to really think about when planning your festivities. It’s easy to dismiss things if you can’t see the benefits first hand, so I’m here to explain to you five things you may want to make sure to include on your big day.
Most brides don’t think about hiring a wedding planner/coordinator but let me tell ya – as the bride you don’t want to have to worry about ANYTHING the day of your wedding!! Hiring a coordinator can help have the day run smooth. There is often less running for my team, videographers, family members and even you! And when I mean a wedding planner/coordinator I DO NOT the church coordinator, and ALL DAY coordinator – I mean someone who specializes in this and it’s their job! They’ll know how to organize and plan things that make sense for all vendors and to top it off, they keep everything on schedule, as best as they can of course!
I think this is a topic brides are finally starting to come around to the idea of. It seems that in the world of weddings, videography is one of the last things to be budgeted for, if at all, while photography is one of the firsts. I’m obviously not going to tell you that a wedding photographer is something you should skip, but I’m saying mayyybbeeee rethink your budget to also fit in a videographer. Photos are amazing tools to relive your day and document those special moments, but there are moments in a day where not just seeing but being able to hear those moments could mean so much more. For instance, dad gives a welcome speech and tears up talking about his baby girl, or your handwritten vows to one another. Sure, I’ll document the shit out of them and catch every tear I can, but there’s something so special about being able to hear dad’s voice crack as he tells you how much he loves you.
It’s your wedding day, don’t you and all our bridesmaids want to be pampered?! I assume that’s a big hell yes. On a real note, hiring a professional makeup artist allows everyone to feel pampered causes less stress on the bride. Makeup artists know what they are doing, but it is a must you schedule a trial so if there is anything you don’t like they can fix it for the big day! Consider doing your makeup trial on the same day as your hair trial so you can check timing and see your entire look come together. Of course the perks are endless to this one, but when you hire a makeup artist they use professional products and know how to apply so it looks good in photos and videos. They also know all the tips and tricks to make things laaaaast. When correctly applied, I can wear lashes for DAAYYZZZZ (ok, not “daaayyzzz” but at least until bedtime.) I mean, it’s your wedding day, you should look absolutely fire behind that lens, so splurge a little.
You know where I got dressed on my wedding day? The fracking church library. So in every photo I have, the clutter of a wall of books behind me and all of the girls’ crap scattered throughout the tiny room is in my pictures. Every. Single. One. Last year, I had a bride on the hunt for a church with an actual bridal suite to get ready in. This was genius! But whether you’re getting ready in a church, at your venue, or in a hotel, a bridal suite (or just a suite in general) can make a huge difference for your photos! Distraction free walls, a beautiful atmosphere, and room for all the ladies can not only allow your getting ready photos to really stand out but can minimize stress! Also, natural lighting is a MUST, so if you’re planning to get ready in the window-less church library, think again. I’ll move you to a CLOSET if it’s got a window in it! G
etting ready in the church or ceremony location can also lessen travel time between locations which means you won’t have worry about wrinkles from sitting in a car!
Pro-tip for you photographers // Listen, I GET that you aren’t always put in the prettiest of locations to get ready in. Whether it’s the church library, a nursery, or a cry room, I’ve seen some awful spots that feel cramped and can have crap lighting. If the room is cluttered, don’t be afraid to ask the bridesmaids to tidy up a corner with good light so the bride can slip into her dress. If the men are to get dressed in the equivalent of Harry Potter’s cupboard under the stairs, simply ask him to step into a room with better light as he puts on his vest/tie/jacket/etc. You can and should take control of a crappy situation and still produce gorgeous photos. IT’S YOUR JOB.
LISTEN UP!!! This part is crucial,
especially when you don’t do a first look. Yes, it takes some planning and time but it is so worth it! Family pictures are the most chaotic point in every wedding day day, but let me tell ya, creating a list makes a world of difference. It allows everything to run smooth (or as smoothly as possible LOL)! But anyways, nuff said – just do your homework đŸ™‚ As one of my brides, you’ll not only have a questio
nnaire to fill out prior to those dreaded formals, but I provide a sample list to ensure that no wires are crossed on the day of!
At the end of the day, all that really matters is that you’ve officially married your best friend. The rest is really just in the details, so is it going to make or break your MARRIAGE? Nope. But if you’ve dreamt about this day since you were a little girl, then I’m here to help make it a little less stressful for you. So as your photographer I’ll play coordinator (and have), I’ll sew up your bustle (almost every weekend), I’ll play makeup artist when your lashes fall off in the heat (done it more than once), I’ll show a newbie videographer where they can get the shot with me (this is huge), and I’ll even make a church library look damn good for your photos, but it would help TREMENDOUSLY if I could just focus on capturing your day and leave the rest to the pros. đŸ˜‰Cheers!
© 2019 - MAGER IMAGE PHOTOGRAPHY - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED - PRIVACY POLICY - BRAND + WEBSITE DESIGN CREDIT