“All the ladies please”
There are wedding planning websites, and Facebook groups, circulating crazy lists of 300 must-have shots for wedding photography. These are the last thing you want to use. The lists are impersonal, and not the slightest bit practical, especially for weddings on hot days.
You want to have a very smooth day, and we do not want your guests to be uncomfortable. We always try to do group shots as quickly as possible, and especially so in Cyprus, as is usually hot.
Think about your list of must-have wedding photographs in three parts. Individual shots that you just must have through the day, traditional group shots, and personal couple shots of just you two.
Specific photographs throughout the day
You want photography that reflects your characters, includes your besties and particular members of your family. You have been planning your wedding for years, so sometimes you will want a memoir of a particular detail or something that is really meaningful to you. Either way, let us know. 
Create a Pinterest board
Simply jot down what you are thinking, and let us know. Some couples put together about ten to twenty photographs on a Pinterest board for us. While we will not copy these, we will use your ideas, and build on them to provide you unique photographs that really capture the mood of your day.
We love surprises, but we do need to know about them! Let us know your plans in advance. We will not say a word, but we will be ready for you.
Traditional group wedding photographs
Wedding group shots, or family shots, are the bit that guests tend to moan about. They want to go for a drink, the loo, or they do not want to be photographed. People are used to them at previous weddings taking ages, usually because Aunt Maud has gone missing, and the kids that just will not cooperate.
Before we get onto lists of must-have wedding photographs, let’s look at making the whole thing run smoother.
Enter the loud Bridesmaid
Your Bridesmaids, are there to make your day run with ease. Pick the loudest one, the one great at bossing people about, the one that knows everyone, and enlist their help. We will work with them. This will speed things up tremendously. The actual photography takes a few seconds, it is the organising that takes the time.
The great news is that the way we work, deals with nearly all the group shots quickly and efficiently, allowing most people to quickly slip away for a cold drink. We start with big groups, working down to the smaller groups last. This means we are finished with most of the guests in about ten minutes, and for the closer family between fifteen and twenty minutes in total.
In this short amount of time, we will have shot: Everyone, all the men, all the women, all of the friends, Groomsmen, Groom and Best man, Bridesmaids, Grooms family, Groom with mum and dad, Groom with mum, Groom with dad, Brides family, Bride with mum and dad, Bride with mum, Bride with dad and siblings, etc.
We can do this very quickly, because we are starting big, and peeling guests away from each of the big group shots, leaving the next smaller group shot ready to shoot. The guests love the way we do this.
Elderly, infirm or young children
Let us know about anyone we need to take extra care with, we will make sure we photograph these guests first and get them in the shade as quickly as possible. We will chat with you about this in your pre-wedding meeting.
The list of must-have group shots
Now we have done the main group shots, we then shoot your personal selection of must-have group shots.
These are the photographs that will be personal and meaningful to you and your family. For example, your mum and her sister from Australia she hasn’t seen for 15 years.
Keep this list short – what you absolutely must-have. It usually takes about five minutes per shot or less if you are super organised. Remember through the day you can grab us to shoot any photographs you like, that is what we are here for.
- Give your “Loud Bridesmaid” your list in advance, so you do not need to think about it on your wedding day, let them know they have a job to do!
- Tell the people in your must-have list, that they need to be available, just after the main group shots
- Get the list into the logical order, so individuals are not back and forth
- Get your “Loud Bridesmaid” to help organise the next shot on the list
- If any of the must-have shots involve elderly or infirm guests, we can shoot right at the beginning.
OK, that is the plan. Now let me tell you what then also happens on the day…
…It all goes to plan. Yay!
And… It is absolutely fine and normal during the group shots to ask us to take extra groupings of guests and family, we have a can-do attitude. Simply collect the guests together and ask us. Remember we are also working to your schedule of the day as well!
Must have couple shots
There is a big element of trust here. You want awesome shots of just you two. We know the best locations, and what the light is doing at different times of the day.
Some shots are totally planned, most shots are spontaneous.
We work with what you want, but we also take advantage of what we see unfold around us, reading the light and elements in the locations in real-time, as we are shooting.
Additionally, we will take you two, your personalities and interests into account, and sometimes work in a surprise location or idea, unique to you.
Before the schedule of your day is drawn up, speak to us, to ensure we have enough time, at the right times to give you the shots you really want.
You will need
- Time for us to work with you, properly scheduled into the day
- Time to get you on location, if that is what you want us to do
- Depending on your dress, a bridesmaid to help
- No guests about, this is your personal time
- Several slots for couple shots in the schedule at different times of the day
- A shortlist of four or five ideas and shots that you really want
Typically, we shoot some couple shots with you alone, after the group shots, during the sunset, and later in the evening in the dark. Let us know your ideas and requests. We are happy to work with them.
