Being an experienced Boston wedding photographer, I have learned that planning your day and communicating with your photographer will help produce the best possible images. The last thing anyone wants is photos that aren’t their style or not what they envisioned.
Therefore, I have put together a shortlist of the most important things to consider when planning your Boston wedding photos:
1. Timing is Everything for a Boston Wedding
You need to organize your wedding event and consult your Boston wedding planner regarding this one. Since the day will pass by quickly, you should be allotting time for each event from the beginning until the end. Discuss it together with your wedding planner and photographer so you will all be on the same page. It will also help your photographer to determine their timeline.
The standard coverage for Boston wedding photographers is 8 hours of photo coverage. This amount of wedding photography coverage allows us to photograph 90 minutes before your clients are ready for the first look, wedding ceremony, and through to about an hour left of the open dance floor.
My typical Boston wedding in the peak wedding season will start at 2pm and end at 10pm. The allotted 8 hours allows my clients to have 90% of the day photographed. Clients have the option to add additional hours if they would like as well.
2. Make a Photo List For Your Boston Wedding
The day is going to fly by fast so a little pre-production goes a long way on the day of your wedding. The best Boston wedding photographers will always ask for the essential photos you want.
Besides the classic photo list for family, make a list of photos you want for the bridesmaids and groomsmen, specific areas of your venue you would like to be pictured at, etc. Communicating this with your photographer is the utmost importance because not only will they know what you want, but they can help you realistically achieve your goal and do it in a timely manner.
3. Pick a few Boston Wedding Photo Locations
Boston wedding photographers have a long list of photo locations. If you're not sure where to go, ask them for their recommendations. It is important to have a location for your Boston wedding photos before the day starts. You will also want to know a couple of different locations because it will help you if the weather decides to take a turn for the worst.
Keep in mind to have your photo locations close to each other. The traffic in Boston can be unpredictable, so if you can have the locations close together, that will help you stick to your wedding timeline. The more we are traveling around, the less time we have to take photos, which results in fewer images in your final collection. If we stay in one place, it gives you ample time to adjust and make the most of your chosen location.
4. Choose Experienced Boston Wedding Vendors
While it is good to help other people build up their business, you will want to hire the best vendors possible for your wedding. Experienced vendors have been through the best and worst. They know how to handle every situation based on their experience.
Search each vendor by reading their online review. Take a look at sites such as The Knot, Wedding Wire, and Google. There, you will find what past wedding clients had to save about their experience. Do your research, ask you are friends who they used, and utilize your venue and see what their preferred vendors are.
To enjoy the wedding to its fullest, I recommended hiring a wedding planner so you can make the most out of your wedding day. With them, your wedding is bound to go smoothly, leaving you relaxed, and therefore, you looking relaxed and beautiful in your photos!
5. Take a Night Photo at Your Boston Wedding
I always enjoy stepping outside for a creative photo at night. Ask your photographer to see if they can come up with something once the sun goes down. These photos will not take very long, and they will add variety to your wedding collection. They are something that I always offer to my clients during their wedding day.
6. Take a Few Photos During A Golden Hour
Photographers will try to take a few portraits during the golden hour. Golden hour is about an hour or 45 minutes before the sunset as the sun gives out its final golden glow. In my experience, I have found that some of my best portraits have been taken during this time. Clients are the most relaxed during this part of the day and the responsibilities of hosting a wedding are almost always over.
I recommend stepping out of the wedding reception for a few minutes. You won't need much time to take photos at this time of the day. Before the wedding, discuss with your photographer to see if a few golden hour images can be worked into your timeline.
7. Large Group Photos At Your Boston Wedding
One frequent request I get is large groups of extended families or college photos during the wedding. Over the years being a Boston wedding photographer I have found that the best time to do this is right before your wedding band starts. The reason being the band works hard to get everyone out there dancing, and asking them to stop playing and take a photo in the middle of their set will kill the energy of their dance floor. You'll want to mention this to the leader of the wedding band you hired during your final meeting.
8. Sparkler Exit at your Boston Wedding
Your exit is just as exciting as your entrance! If your wedding reception is ending during the night, plan a sparkler exit. I recommend using the 3 foot long sparklers. These always have a lot of energy and make for great photos to complete your story. If you are planning on doing it, give your Boston wedding photographers a heads up about this event. They can be tricky to photograph and planning is involved.
Lastly, make sure you check with your venue if they allow this. Some venues will have to hire someone from the fire department due to insurance reasons.
There's a lot you can do to ensure to have some fantastic photos of your wedding. The best piece of advice I can give you is to hire a Boston photographer you trust and who has years of experience so you don't have to micromanage the day.
