How we work with your florist, planner, hair and make-up on the day
A wedding day is a team effort. Your photographers are only one part of it, alongside your planner, florist, hair and make-up artist, venue staff and more. After nearly twenty years of weddings, we have learned that the days which feel calmest are the ones where everyone is pulling the same way.
Start with the hair and make-up
Preps are usually the first thing we photograph, and they run to the stylist’s clock. We arrive when the hair and make-up is well under way, so there is something to photograph, and we stay out of the chair. If you tell us who is coming and when they finish, we can plan the details and the getting-ready shots around that.
A tip for you: ask your stylist to leave a little time at the end for a few photographs with the finished look. It makes a lovely set, and nobody is rushed.
Flowers and styling
Your florist and venue stylist have spent weeks on the room, so we want to do it justice. If the flowers are delivered before the ceremony, we take the details shots early, while the room is untouched. The bouquet, buttonholes and table centres all look their best fresh, and it means we are not asking guests to move things later.
If something is important to you, such as a particular arrangement or a hand-made sign, tell us beforehand and we will make sure it is in the gallery.
Planners and venue coordinators
If you have a planner or the venue has a coordinator, they are our best friend on the day. They know the timings, they know when the speeches are really happening and they can nudge a late guest along. We are happy to follow their lead, and in return we will tell them what we need: a few quiet minutes for portraits, or a little extra time if the light is doing something special.
Without a planner, we help where we can. We have worked at a lot of venues, so we know how a day usually flows and where the awkward gaps tend to be.
The ones you might not think of
Your celebrant or registrar, the band or DJ and the caterers all affect the photographs too. A quick word with the DJ about the first dance, or a chat with the registrar about where we can stand during the ceremony, makes a big difference. Two photographers help here: one of us can talk to the people who need talking to while the other keeps shooting.
What you can do to help
- Share your timings with us a couple of weeks before, and tell us if anything changes.
- Let your suppliers know that we are there, so they are not surprised.
- Pass on a contact number for someone who can answer questions on the day, so it is not you.
None of this takes much effort, and it means you can enjoy the day rather than managing it.
You can see how we cover each part of the day on our weddings page, and the FAQs answer most of the practical questions we get asked.
Thinking about your own day?
If you are planning your wedding and would like to talk through how the photography fits around everything else, we are always happy to chat, with no pressure at all. Send us your date and venue through our check your date page and we will come back to you.
Big love
Nick & Nic
