Pt 2: Emma + Jamie’s Wedding at Netherbyres House
What to expect from me during your wedding
The second in my series of “What to expect from your Wedding Photographer” series. So I’ve chatted about what to expect from me before your wedding and on the morning of, which you can catch here. Now to the real deal, the ceremony.
Do you need a second photographer? How best to organise a big group shot organisation? Oh and why you should let me know if you are planning on using confetti!
Need a second shooter?
For weddings with more than 120 guests, I recommend adding a second shooter to your full day photography but for smaller events you’ll just have me. It completely depends on the space you are using for your ceremony and the views of the person officiating for you but I tend to come and hang out with you down the front during the ceremony and try not to move around too much.
There are some spaces where there will be a specific spot that officiants prefer photographers to use (some churches and university chapels are quite strict about photography during religious ceremonies) so it’s always good to check in advance. But mostly it’s all good to do whatever works. There are some traditions you might want to include in your ceremony, like a handfasting or drinking from the quaich where it can be good to shoot from the back of the room but I usually figure this out when I get there and say hi to your celebrant. When the ceremony is outside its even better as it’s far less distracting to move around.
The Confetti shot + The Group Shot
Some folks like to use confetti after their ceremony. It’s great if the celebrant can holler that this is about to happen outside so we can direct everyone. Then we tend to line folks both sides of a path and I’ll walk backwards trying not to fall down any stairs or trip over any small children while everyone chucks it at you. The guests’ big moment to get you back from all the times you’ve got them in trouble/very hungover.
“We try to do it while folks are being moved from one space to another as part of the day, like speedy boarding onto an easyjet flight to speeches and dinner. ”
The best time to shoot this is as they’re leaving your ceremony space or as they’re heading into dinner — this is also a great time to capture a group shot of your guests. Full disclosure this is the most dreaded part of the day all round but I appreciate why couples like it. We try to do it while folks are being moved from one space to another as part of the day, like speedy boarding onto an easyjet flight to speeches and dinner.
Oh, you’ll find some more stellar examples of both on Geoff And Neil’s big day, Oh and Frankie and Chris, who got hitched at the Lookout on Calton Hill.
And the rest, I’ll save for part three of this V informative trilogy!
Supplier Love
Sarah & Mike at Netherbyres House, Eyemouth | Claire at Those Were The Days Bridal, Stockbridge, Edinburgh | Paula at Mill Pond Flower Farm, Scottish Borders | and the lovely Claire Watt from Humanist Society of Scotland who officiated the ceremony (and is based in East Lothian).
**we don’t deal in off-the-shelf
Specialising in capturing human connections and wingwoman for the camera shy, Solen’s unobtrusive, natural and artistic approach to photography is highly coveted for weddings, elopements, portraiture and events.