Weddings are a big day for sure, they are probably the most important day of your life! Being a wedding photographer is not something that most of us take lightly either. So here it is – let’s break the ice right up front and let you in on 5 things your wedding photographer wishes you would do.

#1 Allow us to tell your story…actually trust us to tell your story

Yeah, you may have a photo lists. I used to actually have a blog post on my website called, “The Wedding Shot Lists.” Ha! I used to have couple go through it and check off the photos they wanted to make sure we captured. Those days are gone. Trust that we have done this more than a few times and we will be sure to get those photos. Trust is not giving us a Pinterest Board of photos you want for the day. We want to capture the photos that make you stand a part and really capture your own unique story. Our goal is to capture the emotion and special moments of your day, so that you can look back after the busy-ness is over and relive those moments. And the art in being a photographer, is ultimately, we want to make other brides pin your photos on their Pinterest board.

#2 Trust us with manipulating light in the camera and helping you nail down that final timeline

Listen, we know the best time of day for lighting so if you want to center your whole wedding around the couple photos after the ceremony – we’d love for you to ask us about it. Want to adjust your timeline according to light, we will love you even more! We would love to help with your timeline, too. In fact, when you book a wedding with Memories by Candace, you’ll receive a full wedding guide with timeline tips.

#3 Give us an actual spot at the table with a name card

We want to be your friend, like seriously. You have chosen us to photograph the biggest day of your life. During the wedding reception, vendors are usually grabbing their food right after the couple so that we can scarf it down to be fully ready for any moments after the couple is finished eating. We never photograph while everyone is eating because who wants photos of people taking bites. But having a table with our name on it truly does help us make sure we don’t miss any moments. Sometimes vendors are given food and then tucked away in a backroom or even outside and we are on high alert making sure we aren’t missing anything. Plus, if you happen to seat us with any guests, we get to learn more stories of the couple from a different perspective which we absolutely love! And ultimately, that’s helps more with telling your story with photos.

#4 Text us the deets

We are seriously so stoked for your wedding day! Seriously, we are! So if you want to show us colors or decorations or even your wedding dress, we would love to see it! Again, we want you to be just as stoked and comfortable working with us, so why not start getting to know each other now. Want to run ideas by us to? Yaaass! You can never give us too much information. We actually do care about your wedding day and this helps us connect on another level.

#5 Send us an invitation

Not only does this give us an idea for the style of what you are going for on your big day, but hey – there is nothing like getting mail as your photographer, because we get just as excited for your big day too, even though we already know the date (Duh!). But seriously, we love receiving these.

So besides these 5 things we wedding photographers wish you would do, here’s another thing that helps us get comfortable together for your big day.

Did you know? With every wedding booked with Memories by Candace, your engagement session is included. Why? Well, because I find that the engagement session is a great time for us to come together and get to know each other so that it seems like I’m just one of the bridesmaids hanging out with you come your wedding day. You have NO IDEA how much it actually makes a difference. I haven’t always done this and it’s come with experience for me. It is totally different showing up to a wedding of a couple you haven’t met versus already having spent time together. It truly makes the day run so much smoother and we so know how to tell your story better after having already spent time with you. You are so much more comfortable in front of the lens too on the most important day of your life! And really, who wants a stranger following them around on their wedding day? I want to boogie on the dance floor with you because sometimes we get some GREAT photos that way too!