I discovered a great blog the other day: A Practical Wedding. Practicality is something I really value. What’s more, I don’t feel like it has to be in opposition to having a luxurious wedding! My work in Philadelphia wedding photography is all about balancing practicality and luxury.
This week, I’d like to talk a little bit about the practicality of organizing formal photos. A Practical Wedding published this great article that addresses an issue I see a lot with engaged couples: Your Wedding Is Not An Imposition!
This problem is almost the opposite of the Bridezilla effect. Couples don’t want to ask too much of their guests, I get it! You still shouldn’t end up compromising your day in the process of pleasing everyone. Your loved ones want your wedding to be amazing, and they want to help out. If they don’t, well, suffice it to say they might not be A-list material.
Here are a few handy tips for organizing your guests for formal photography. Use them to avoid feeling like you’re imposing, while still getting all of the Philadelphia wedding photography that your heart desires:
Send an E-mail
Invitation inserts are a good way to identify who you want to be in portraits. However, if your invitations are going out a few months before your wedding, it’s almost guaranteed that your guests will forget their obligation. No worries! All you have to do is send out a reminder e-mail the week of your wedding. You can even draft your note and set it up to send out automatically!
Ask to Stay
One option for getting your family photos done is asking everyone to stay after the ceremony. This has its downsides, however. Even if you send out a reminder e-mail, people can still forget and depart for the venue. Try to be flexible on who is in your portraits, or go for another option.
Ask to Come Early
The moment when your family sees you in your dress is a magical one. If you want to have an informal, family-centered first look, try having your family portrait session before the ceremony! Simplyscope out your portrait spot ahead of time, and ask if everyone can get there about 20 minutes early. This will give us plenty of time to execute multiple portrait configurations (and compensate for latecomers).
Personalize Your Thank Yous
Guests who came early or stayed late for portraits deserve extra thanks! When you’re writing your notes for your gifts, don’t forget to mention how much you appreciate their help. Showing appreciation is important, especially for those who went out of their way.
How will you go about organizing your loved ones for formal portraits? Tell me your ideas in the comments!
