We want to show you, through these wedding ideas and tips that we love to work with you to capture your day as beautifully as possible.
How we work
Our working method is to be present in the background as much as possible during your wedding day. So we won’t make a complete charade of the day, because that might be nicer for the photos. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t influence your wedding reportage a lot beforehand. Think of small styling elements, a tidy bedroom or making a frame for the group photos.
Tips, tips, tips
We hope that we can give you some new tips and if you have any useful wedding tips for us or would like to ask a question please let us know.
What should you book first when you get married?
A little summary? The wedding location, independent wedding official and of course your wedding photographer. Possibly a wedding planner or stylist. At least think about the people who need to be present on your wedding day themselves. We’ll give you a few individual blogs below that go into these topics in more detail. Use it to your advantage.
The first steps...
Informative blogs on booking your wedding photographer, wedding venue and wedding officiant.
Preparing for your wedding day
Usually our wedding reportages start with the preparations of the day. We are on time, so we can start quietly. It’s helpful if you’d lay out all the details. Think of: earrings, bracelet, wedding dress, wedding card, wedding rings, perfume bottle, cufflinks, tie, wedding suit (or whatever applies to you of course). We have been in touch beforehand about the details that are extra important, but if you think of anything else during the wedding day, please let us know.
We can then alternate between photographing some of the details during your preparations, while at the same time keeping an eye on you. For example, you may have photos of your make-up and hair done, but also of your wedding dress. If you put everything in clear sight, we won’t have to ask you “where are the shoes”. So start your day in a relaxed way. This seems pretty obvious for the bride, but we often see grooms putting their cufflinks and such in a different place.
If necessary, discuss together what would be a good place to collect everything.
Another wedding tip: Hermine always takes the ring photos, so if possible it’s a good idea to place the wedding rings at Hermine’s starting location. That way you are sure to get some great shots.
Want to see more wedding tips?
We have all our informative blog posts in one place.
Location for the preparations
When we are allowed to photograph the preparations for your wedding, it can help to already think about the location. A bright, tidy room makes for calmer photos than a messy attic room with the curtains closed. By the way, we don’t care where we start, as long as you have chosen for it ; )
Occasionally, couples also rent a hotel room, so they can spend the morning relaxing with breakfast in bed. An additional advantage for us is that these rooms are often light and tidy. In addition, the bride and groom are often near each other or the hotel room is even part of their wedding location.
And do you doubt what is more beautiful to have recorded: preparations or a large part of the evening party? Then definitely choose the preparations! After all, these are moments that you do not experience together and so it is nice to enjoy them together afterwards.
Starting time of the photography
We usually start about an hour and a half or an hour before the dress goes on. Ramon often drops me off at the bride’s house and then drives on to the groom’s. Usually the groom is done with half an hour, but the big “waiting moment” is also nice to capture. Especially when you slowly see the groom getting a little nervous.
Photos of the preparations or not?
If you are still in doubt whether or not to have your picture taken at this moment, please read this blogpost about the preparations of bride and groom.
Tips for the First Look
Yes and then you will see each other for the first time, that day… In the Netherlands it is customary for the groom to ring the bell at the house where the bride is. The groom rings the bell and the bride opens the door. Another variation is that the father of the bride opens the door, the groom walks in and then stands by the stairs. The bride then comes off with loud applause. This, of course, can be…
… but… a nice alternative is seeing each other for the first time in the backyard! If you have a large and bright garden, this way you will have enough space for your family. At the same time you will get great pictures this way, because we have lots of light and lots of space to choose the perfect angle.
Another option is to choose a special setting. You go, separately, to a certain special location. For example, a beautiful park nearby, or the beach. The groom stands with his back to the bride. The bride approaches and taps her betrothed’s shoulder. Or the bride indicates when the groom may turn around, the moment she is fully ready. Then the groom turns around and at this location they have a quiet moment to admire each other from head to toe! Sounds romantic, doesn’t it?
Photo shoot on location
If you would also like a photo shoot on location, then that might also be possible right now. And of course it is also possible to see each other at the wedding ceremony. The advantage is that this moment often has an extra impact, because you are not only seeing each other for the first time, but also getting married right away. The disadvantage is that in this case you can only do the photo shoot after you are married with the result that your guests have to wait for you. Another disadvantage is that you go directly from one highlight to the next and therefore may experience the moment itself less consciously.
When do you meet?
You see… there are a lot of ideas here. If you are in doubt about what is best for you, please consult with us. And we are also happy to think along with you if, for example, you have a logistical challenge.
Photo Shoot Tips
Do you guys actually want a photo shoot on the day? We notice that more and more couples choose for a very short shoot or no shoot at all. It takes some time to get a relaxed, romantic and pure photo. In any case, know that a photo shoot is certainly not an obligation.
Sufficient time
The photo shoot is when we will take two pictures with you. We recommend that you plan enough time so that we can capture you in a very relaxed and “real” way.
There may be a traffic jam and you may spend more time travelling than you had thought. In addition, it takes a few minutes to get in the car when you need to take extra consideration of wedding attire.
One and a half hour photo shoot
We recommend that you reserve at least an hour and a half for your wedding reportage (including 60 minutes of photo time). We can then work on one or two different locations. If you have more travel time or special needs, schedule a longer shoot. Read here about when it’s best to schedule your photo shoot.
Or just a mini photo shoot?
If you only want a few photos of yourself and don’t want to “have to” too much on the day, plan for 10 to 20 minutes, for example right after the group photos. Then you’ll have pictures of you two, head to toe, anyway.
More Photo Shoot Tips
Check out more blogs about the photo shoot here.
Finding a Photo Shoot Location
In principle, we can take photos at any location: think of a factory hall, the city centre or a rough nature reserve. Our preference is for photo shoot locations that you like, or that suit you well, because that is where you met, for example. And quite frankly? We are fans of open and rough nature, preferably in a place where not too many people are. We advise you not to opt for a perfectly landscaped park, as this will not do full justice to our style. If you still want to go to a park, plan a second, totally different, location.
Long walk in heels?
When choosing a beautiful photo location for your wedding, think about whether it’s all walkable with wedding shoes on. Walking five hundred meters in the forest on high heels is totally different than walking on sneakers.
In addition to outdoor venues, it is also advisable to start looking for indoor venues in the weeks leading up to your wedding. Look for places with lots of (natural) light, for example old factories, country houses, monasteries, museums, greenhouses, a cinema, grand cafes, zoos, etcetera. You can always send us some self taken pictures of the locations, so we can see if they are suitable. And here too: if you have any doubts, we are happy to think along.
Any questions?
We like to share our knowledge and network with our couples. Do you have any questions about wedding photography or your wedding day?
Extra tip: choose a maximum of two different locations. It is much more fun to have your picture taken in 2 different places than driving from one place to another, because you want to be photographed in all different places. In that case, choose to do a “Day after” shoot, in your wedding attire, or a loveshoot before your wedding day.
What time's the photo shoot?
Sunshine is always great, but if there is a clear blue sky, we recommend that you look for a few shady spots as well. This way you avoid having too many hard shadows in your face. The most ideal time for the photo shoot is in the evening, when the sun is low. The light is then beautifully soft and warm. If it is difficult to do the entire photo shoot in the evening, we can also split it up; an hour in the afternoon and another fifteen minutes in the evening. This is also a moment for you to wind down.
Click here to find out what time the sun sets on your day. The ideal time for the shoot is 1 hour before sunset, but this also depends on the weather and if it is a wooded area or not. And would you like to know more about whether you should hope for sunshine or clouds? Then take a moment to read this blog post about “clouds are better, right?”.
Relax!
And another tip for your wedding: did you know that many couples see the photo shoot with us as a relaxed moment on their day? In advance it may seem a very scary moment, but that is not so bad. Just think: just the two of you, looking at how pretty you look. It’s almost a mindful moment!
So go into your reportage relaxed. Just be yourself and chat with your soon-to-be about anything and everything. Enjoy each other, because a lot of things happen on a wedding day. We will give the occasional small clue or hint (e.g. “can you give each other a kiss?”), but actually try to be as invisible as possible, so that you can be you. Posing might be a bit part of it, but we try to limit it as much as possible. We want to photograph you as you really are, in a loose and relaxed way.
Tips for your Ceremony
Many couples get married around noon. The photo shoot is often done by then and the rest of the day is all about relaxing, having fun and partying.
Exclusivity
It may sound a little territorial, but we would love to be the only wedding photographer (or photographers) on your wedding day. It’s fine if guests with a compact camera or mobile phone take a picture here and there, but unconsciously we take into account everyone holding a camera and so it limits our space and creativity. For example, we won’t easily stand in front of someone else with a camera, and this ingrained politeness works against us. I really don’t dare to stand in front of a mother or father of the bride and groom with a camera.)
Invisible
We will always be in the background as much as possible during the ceremony. However, when there are all the photographing family members, the whole thing can seem rather chaotic. You’ll get as many photos from us as possible, so let your family and yourselves enjoy. Besides, your family will experience the day in real life and not from behind a camera. If they really want to take pictures they can still do so after the ceremony, right?
Because we think it’s really important that we can photograph you in the best possible way, we created a blog post about unplugged weddings. In brief? We totally understand that we can almost feel like something didn’t happen if we didn’t take a picture of it, but that’s why you have two wedding photographers. So that your guests can perceive the wedding with all their senses. Later you will complete their memories with our pictures ; )
Church ceremony ideas
Taking pictures during the church ceremony is not always allowed, so be sure to discuss this with your minister or pastor beforehand. Also during this ceremony we are always as inconspicuous as possible. If, for example, we are not allowed to flash or take pictures during certain moments, we will take this into account. During prayers or a possible speech we will not photograph and during chants or “moments of movement” we will photograph.
Should the pastor have negative experiences with photographers, it may help to tell them that we work together and are as respectful as possible of the service. We have experienced over 100 church ceremonies and know how important this moment is to you and your guests. You don’t want any distracting photography with that and so we are as quiet (but effective) as possible.
Tips for the Reception
The reception often takes place in the afternoon. When we are present, this is a good moment for us to record the congratulations. Because we are together we can often photograph both of you. In addition, we often take a lot of casual photos of your guests at this time. Do you want the congratulations to happen spontaneously or do you want to plan a moment for this? Your master of ceremonies can make this announcement right after the ceremony, for example, so that all the guests take your wishes into account. You can also ask your family to congratulate you immediately and the other guests later.
And did you know that congratulations take about 30 seconds per person? This is of course different for everyone, but it can give you some guidance when planning your reception: really take enough time for everything, because 45 minutes of reception for cake, toast, congratulations and group photos is a bit short.
If you have a toast, it often takes place at the beginning of the reception. We always try to capture both your reaction and the reaction of your guests at this time.
If you have the opportunity for speeches and pieces, please let your master of ceremonies know, so we can determine the best position for us beforehand.
The cutting of the cake is often done after the toast. Also during this moment we will take some spontaneous pictures. Generally, you are the ones who get to cut the cake, after which someone from the venue will cut and distribute the rest of the cake.
Group photo ideas and tips
If there is a time when you want to take group photos with your family and friends on your wedding day, it is helpful to think about this beforehand. We advise you not to choose more than ten combinations, because otherwise you will be photographed at least ten times the same (but with different people). We prefer to take candid photos, because then you can capture real moments. The advantage of group photos is that you can be sure that everyone has been photographed at least once. We cannot guarantee that we will capture all of our guests, every single one of them.
Another idea is to hire a photo booth for your reception or party, so you can be sure that everyone will get their picture taken, alone or in a small group. An additional advantage is that your guests often get a print to take home. You could also, for example, make two prints, on the spot, and then have one of them pasted in a guest book.
Wedding photos of the dinner
When we take wedding photos of the dinner and if your dinner location is in the same place as your reception location, one of us can already take some detail photos of the dining room. The tables are often beautifully decorated and really add to the reportage. The other photographer can stay with the wedding guests and search for beautiful moments.
Of course we make as few pictures as possible of people eating, but we can make a nice impression. Besides that the food is usually on the table after 15 or 30 minutes so until that time we take some nice pictures of guests who are chatting with each other. Dinner is a good time to give a speech. We always make sure that we are as close to you as possible to take some pictures.
What about the wedding photographer?
We often get asked what happens to us when the wedding party goes out to eat. Do we go into town or go home or do we stay at the location? Ramon and I always want to stay as close as possible. It is possible that we have an artist meal in another room, but even then we want to be as close to you as possible. The DJ or band often has an artist meal beforehand, so we can get acquainted right away.
Party tips for your wedding
Time for a nice party! Does it make you nervous to think about having your first dance? Great! Extra much emotion on the photo ;) We see more and more that there is no first dance anymore, but it is always fun to photograph when there is.
When we photograph the party, we always recommend to do it only for a few hours at most. It is always beautiful to capture your entrance and the reactions of your family and friends. Of course we also take pictures of the (possible) first dance. Often there will be a dance with the parents, or with those dear friends who do their best to make it a great party.
One hour of the party is enough…
After a good hour, we captured most of what was happening. As soon as Ramon and I have made an impression, it is time for us to go home. If you have any extra activities during the evening, for example speeches, throwing a bouquet, sparkler or a crazy ‘exit’, we can of course stay a bit longer to capture this as well.
Maybe good to know that we can also be booked extra hours on the night itself. It would just be that your dinner runs out and you therefore miss a part of the party in terms of photography … We will not leave before we have had a little consultation with you.
Send in your schedule
You probably made it anyway, so if we can read it too, then we know exactly what takes place when. You can also pass on our contact details to the master(s) of ceremonies. You never know if a surprise is going to be arranged for you. If you would like to have a look at the schedule with us, please mail us, because we like to think along.
Photo gifts ideas
We do not recommend making photo prints to hand out to guests during your day. It’s nice to give your guests a photo to take home, but we prefer to deliver a well finished set of photos a few weeks after your wedding day. Besides that it is a lot of stress for us and it takes a lot of time on your day (that we can also spend on photographing). Is it very important that you have a picture quickly, please let us know in advance and we will discuss whether a mini-review is possible.
If you really want a photo thank you, have it made by a nephew with a camera. Or hire a photo booth. They can often arrange for a printout right away. One for you and one as a gift for the guests.
Videographer
Maybe you haven’t really thought about it yet, but chances are you also want a videographer. We are happy to advise you on this choice, so that your photographer and videographer are completely in tune with each other in terms of hot they work. We have experienced that we were as invisible as possible, while the videographer constantly asked if certain actions could be done again, or if “the kiss” could be repeated… Please send us an email if you have any doubts and we will be happy to advise you.
Master of Ceremonies
Do you find that you can’t actually ask anyone for the ceremony mastery? See the list below of professionals who will be happy to take this work off your hands. Some wedding planners can also be hired as a stylist, so that you don’t have to spend the morning of your wedding arranging the garlands, tables and flowers yourself. There’s a lot of options, so if you want any more tips for your wedding, let’s hear it.
Corona and your wedding
Are you getting married this year and could use some tips on what to do with corona? Then be sure to check out the blog posts below. They all give ideas and tips for getting married in times of corona. We will inspire you with a styled shoot, show you how to get married small and how to arrange your wedding last minute.
Corona wedding tips
Blogs about marrying during Corona
Any questions?
We like to share our knowledge and network with our couples. Do you have any questions about wedding photography or your wedding day?
Tips for great places to go
Bloemenservice Nederland
