Every bride has lots of things to think about when she’s planning her wedding, but so many tend to forget about taking care of themselves on the day of their wedding. And it’s important that those small, but mighty, details not escape even the most well prepared bride!

The top of every bride’s list on the day of her wedding is to relax and enjoy it! Whether you’ve been working with a wedding consultant or have done all the planning and preparation on your own, it’s now the big day and you deserve to have at least as much fun as any of your guests.

1. Make-Up

Two weeks before the wedding, do a complete test of your wedding-day look (make-up, hairdo and shoes)  Put together a little make-up bag for touch ups that you can take along with you the day of the wedding to keep you looking your best.  On the big day, have a friend, bridesmaid or family member hang on to it or stash it somewhere handy so you can get to it when you need it. Be sure to use waterproof mascara, and don’t forget to pack the hairspray!

2. Emergency Kit:
Fill a small bag with items such as a travel size sewing kit (you’d be amazed at the magic tricks just one safety pin can perform), clear nail polish (for panty hose/stocking runs), an extra set of panty hose or stockings, throat lozenges and aspirin. Other ideas for the “emergency kit” include tissues, breath mints, tampons, hand cream and band-aids.

3. Eating
Since most brides don’t get to enjoy the meal served at the reception, you really should consider having something to eat before the wedding, no matter how worried you are about how the dress fits!

While food may be the last thing on your mind on your wedding day, it’s nonetheless important that you start the day with some healthy and filling nourishment. It’s going to be a long (and wonderful) day and you’ll want to have plenty of energy so you can keep dancing and socializing for hours!

4. Shoes:

You know those stunning, sexy, strappy, ultra-high heels that work perfectly with your wedding gown? They’ll be great for the ceremony and for the formal pictures, but if you’re planning to kick up your heels at the reception, you’ll be better off kicking off the heels and settling into something more comfortable. So get a pretty, more practical pair of shoes that you can change into to keep your dogs from “barking” the entire week after the wedding!

5. Pre-Plan with your photographer- Photo tip

Make sure to work out all the details before your wedding day. If there’s soemthing particular your wanting as a memory, it’s important to share the info with your photographer. When working with a photographer,  share what you have in mind, it’s ok to show them images of what style of photos you want on your day.  You may want to have some traditioanl photos of family and friends and of your ceramony but, then want to ad a creative fliar to your wedding photos. Tear out photos from magazine, make a colage and show it to your photographer. Plan out your day in advance so nobody is running around last minute to find someone that’s suposed to be in the photo. Perhaps give a list to each person as to when and where they are suposed to meet witht he photographer.

There are several approaches to photographing couples. As with all portraiture, you can pose the two people for a more-formal look. Or you can shoot a more-candid portrayal that will convey the strong relationship between them. For example, just watch through your viewfinder and click the shutter when you see a special look or gesture that passes between them. Whichever approach you choose, there are several steps you can take to increase your chances of taking successful couple portraits.

Careful Planning
You can improve your results by carefully planning your family photo shoot in advance.

Tip 1: Plan Your Photo Shoot In Advance
Spontaneity is usually a good thing, but you’ve got to do some planning before shooting portraits. The best location for photography, your subject’s clothing, what camera(s) to use, and how you want to pose your subjects are all decisions you must make in advance..

Tip 2: Shooting Posed Pictures
As opposed to shooting candidly where the subjects are nearly oblivious to the camera, it’s up to you to make some effort to arrange your subjects to create a dynamic composition.
Posed vs. Candid
Try shooting both candid images of your couple, as well as posed portraits with a more formal appearance.

Tip 3: Supplementary Light- A reflector is especially useful when you want to bounce light back into the shadow areas of your subject’s face. You may also want to experiment with fill flash for adding a little extra light. Again, however, be careful when lighting two people, as illumination on both faces should be even.

If you’re taking candid pictures of a couple, you’ll want to capture moments when your subjects are most involved with one another. Ideally, they should be relaxed and oblivious to the camera’s presence. The rapport between the two people can make it possible for you to photograph them at close proximity, or you can give them some space by zooming in on them with a moderate telephoto lens (I used one in the 80–105mm range). To increase your chances of capturing a special, fleeting moment, be ready with your camera. Preset your camera’s exposure (be sure to use a relatively shallow depth of field to separate your subjects from the background), and watch through the viewfinder so you won’t miss a thing. Take lots of pictures—some candids will undoubtedly turn out better than others.

Tip 5: Try Different Camera Angles
Once you shoot a variety of pictures at the couples’ level, try some different vantage points. Shoot from above or below. Position yourself on one side of the man and photograph the woman’s face looking at him. Get behind the couple and photograph the backs of their heads together. We don’t always consider all these choices when taking pictures, but give it a try. You have nothing to lose, and you may get some creative couple photographs while you’re experimenting.

Behind The Lens Photography- Maui Photography