Being chosen to photograph someone's wedding is a great honor, and something that should not be taken lightly. You are responsible for capturing the most breathtaking and exciting moments of the biggest day of two people's lives. With that being said, you should know exactly what to do, not only during the wedding day, but leading up to the wedding day as well. Following a wedding photography timeline is a great way to do your job to the best of your ability as well as show the bride and groom that you are taking their day most seriously. This timeline starts off 4 to 12 months before the wedding actually takes place. At that time, you should have initial contact with the bride and groom via phone or email. You should also meet up with the bride and groom at some point to show them your portfolio, discuss the different packages, and provide any other necessary information. It is also important to discuss the wedding, as it helps you to gather initial information about things such as the location, and the number of bridal party members.
When it gets to be one month prior to the wedding, you'll want to get in contact with the bride and groom and double check the information you gathered before. Be clear and precise about the expectations, priorities of the day, and the formal family photos. This includes an exact shot list of the formals they'd like to be taken. It is also vital that you get this information in writing for future issues or concerns. Once you are at the one week countdown, you will want to acquire emergency phone numbers from the bride and groom and confirm all the information that was given to you. Despite what many people may have thought, wedding photographers really do have a big job when hired to capture such a momentous occasion, so you must be as organized as possible and make sure that nothing falls through the cracks.
When it finally comes down to the day before the wedding, you will want to make sure that you charge all cameras and batteries, as well as make sure you have extra batteries on hand, format all your memory cards, clean your lenses, pack your camera bag with all the necessary gear, review all the pertinent information you wrote down, and make sure you have accurate directions to the ceremony as well as the reception. When the wedding day finally shows up, you will be as prepared as you could have ever been. Just like anything else, if you prepare as best you can before the actual event, you will have less to worry about during the event.
As you can see, being a wedding photographer comes with a lot of responsibilities, but knowing that you are the Philadelphia wedding photographer that someone chose to help make a memory of their special day, is something that is fulfilling and worth it in the end. Learn all you can when going into a photography job and capture the moments that people will remember the rest of their lives.