Photographers can take a wedding to another level as far as preserving the memories of the Big Day. However, their services are typically pricey, and if you are trying to create your wedding on a very tight budget, hiring a professional photographer might be out of the question. Here are some tips for getting the pictures you want without draining your wallet.
1. Ask a friend or family member (that isn’t already serving in some capacity during the ceremony) to take pictures. Realize, though, that these will not be professionally done. Don’t set yourself up for disappointment thinking you’ll be handed a stack of 8 x 10 glossies with varying gradations of lighting and color. Also, let this person know if you prefer no cameras at the ceremony or not. Many brides (and grooms) choose the “no photos” route during the ceremony simply because the photographer seems to interfere with the focus of the moment. Or, ask more than one person to snap photos for your day. It can be their wedding gift! And, in this digital age, it is easy to see which photos are “keepers” and which are not.
2. Do plan your own poses! Look through wedding photos of friends, family and even online services to see the different ideas. Write a list of pictures you want: the bridal party, the groomsmen with the bride, the families, the ministers, the parents of the bride helping the bride prepare…get all your ideas on paper, then allow some time either before or after the ceremony to take the pictures.
3. Make photo-taking part of the fun at the reception! Leave disposable cameras out for guests to use (with a sweet note asking them to leave the camera in a designated area to be developed when done) at the reception. No one photographer can capture everyone during a fun-filled reception, so putting the power of the lens in the hands of your guests can make for some memorable shots! Make sure you do designate someone to be in charge of picture-taking during times such as the cake-cutting, the bouquet-tossing and the happy-couple-leaving, though.
Taking a DIY approach to photography sometimes mean compromising what you perceive to be the “perfect” wedding photograph, but it is an easy way to cut a part of the wedding budget down by simply asking for a bit of help from your friends.
