Are you ready to Start planning your wedding photography?

As a small wedding photographer in the Carleton Place and Ottawa Area, I hope you find all kinds of tips and useful information in this blog post to help you make your day picture perfect!

When it comes to planning a wedding you will come across so many different options, styles and ideas. The best advice I have received while planning my own wedding that I continue to share with couples… It’s your wedding, do what makes you happy and just because it’s trendy doesn’t mean it’s for everybody.

Who are we?

I’m Véronique a wedding, family and business photographer in the Carleton Place and Ottawa Area! I’m the lead photographer and operator of Now Forever Photography. My husband Andrew is my trusted assistant and second photographer on your wedding day!

Getting The Planning Started

Once we’ve gone over basic details by email about your wedding plans and confirmed your wedding day is still available we usually schedule a phone call or meeting in person! If you’re local to Carleton Place like me it’s fun to take the time to meet up at one of our local coffee shops and go over all the fun wedding details! Here are a few topics we will chat about!

Wedding Inspiration, colours or theme - This will help us bring your vision to life through your photos. As you know our job is to tell the story of your wedding day!

Bridal Party Details - If you have a bridal party of any kind or not. This helps us get ready and know what to expect on your wedding day.
First Look - Are you hoping to have a special moment together before the ceremony or choosing to wait until you walk down the aisle to each other? (Pst. you DO NOT have to have a first look if you don’t want to.. We didn't!)
Wedding Photos You Love - It’s always great when couples share with me photos that they love to give me an idea of what they envision for their wedding photos.
Surprises! - If you are surprising your guests with anything, WE WANT TO KNOW! This will help us make sure we are ready to capture the moment for you.

Picking the Right Venue - For You!

So many factors come into play when picking the right venue and photo locations. Here are things to keep in mind that will influence your photos.
- Lighting (Natural lighting is best)
-Venue look and Aesthetic (Theme, Colours, etc.)
- Scenic Locations (Beautiful areas to take your photos)

Timeline tips

Creating a timeline for your wedding day may seem like a daunting task but it is so important to make sure the day goes smoothly! For all of us vendors, it keeps us on track and on the same page while avoiding confusion on the big day. For you, your family and friends, this will help everyone know where they should be and when! A timeline doesn’t need to be very complicated it can be quite simple.

Don’t rush through your day, give yourself extra time.
If you’re choosing to do a first look, take a moment together before rushing to the ceremony site. When couples do a first look, it gives us the opportunity to take bridal party photos and even family formal photos before the ceremony instead of after if you’d like. This will give you more time for couple portraits and gets you to the cocktail hour/reception faster!
Don’t miss the opportunity to sneak off and watch the sunset together as we capture a few golden hour photos! Those photos are almost ALWAYS my favourite!

Moments you want included in your timeline!

During your wedding day, we will photograph a variety of photos, candid moments, the details, posed portraits and everything in between. I always tell couples to sit down together and go over what is truly important to them when it comes to wedding photography because not everyone wants photography coverage to start with “Getting Ready Photos”. Once you’ve determined what photos matter the most and your budget then it’s time to pick which package will fit best.

Detail Photos

Here are a few ideas of things we suggest putting aside for your photographer.

The Rings (all of them if possible)
Veil or Hair piece
Your Invitation and Save the Date
Special Wedding Day Perfume/Cologne
Important Family Heirlooms
Jewelry or Accessories (Ex. Necklaces, earrings, tie, cufflinks, shoes etc.)
Flowers

*Many florists will include loose flowers/petals for detail photos but you can always double check during your meeting with them if it’s something you would like.

Keep in mind this is only a few ideas, remember to make sure to tell us about any meaningful detail to ensure they are photographed. Other wedding day details we will include are location photos, details of the decorations, hair and makeup close ups and outfits.

Getting Ready Photos

If you’re choosing to have a few “Getting Ready” photos taken, we will take these when you’re just about ready to put your dress on. Before getting in your outfits we may capture your makeup artist doing the final touches, you and your family/friends sharing a special moment, etc. Some bridal parties choose to coordinate outfits for everyone such as robes or special shirts to wear.
Make sure to tidy up areas we will be taking photos in.

First Look

If you’re choosing to have a first look or moment together, we will find the perfect location for you and coordinate how we will proceed together.

Ceremony

Before your wedding day you will likely meet with your officiant who will go over the details of the ceremony. This will include a wedding ceremony order and length of the ceremony!

Family Formals

You might be wondering, what are family formals? These are the photos taken after the ceremony with your close family members. This includes photos of the couple with family members.

Depending how the wedding timeline is planned, we can usually take a few of the individual photos before the ceremony to shorten the time it takes for these photos after. (Ex. Bride with her parents, groom with his parents, photos with siblings, etc.)

Wedding Party Photos

These photos are taken typically after the Family Formals however if you’re planning on doing a first look we can also plan to take a few of the wedding party photos before the ceremony.

For these photos, you will want everyone in the wedding party to be present.

Couple Photos

During your portrait time, relax and enjoy a few moments together away from the crowd. As we take photos of the two of you, take the time to be present with each other. Although we will be taking a variety of pictures for you we always make sure to take a few timeless portraits too.
*Bonus if you can find the time to sneak out for a few golden hour photos as the sun is setting.*

Speeches

During speeches we like to take candid photos of the speaker, your reactions as well as the reactions/emotions of your guests.

First Dance Photos

First dance photos are always so fun and full of emotions. The key is to forget about everyone in the room, keep your eyes on each other and live in the moment. As you two enjoy your first dance, let us take care of the rest! We will capture all the emotions, love and joy shared between you two. During this time, we take close up photos of just the two of you and full frame photos which include the setting to tell the story of your first dance.
*If you’re choosing to have other special dances please let us know and we will make sure to document it for you!

Ready To Pick The Right Wedding Photography Package For You?

Fill out our inquiry form and let’s get the planning started! I can’t wait to hear all about your wedding plans!

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Wedding Photography Planning