Wedding Tips

The *Practise shoot – FAQ

January 23, 2019 By Deirdre Langan

(*aka engagement or pre-wedding shoot). Also, for the purposes of this post I’m going to assume I’m your wedding photographer.

Is it important to do a practise shoot with you before our wedding day?

It’s not compulsory but unless you’re both really comfortable & confident in front of the camera it’s a really good idea.

Why?

Practise makes perfect. And I’ll guide you with poses, making you feel more comfortable & relaxed in front of the camera. It’s also a good opportunity to build rapport between us & it’s all these little things that will make your day go smoothly.

What happens with the photographs afterwards?

I’ll edit all images & I’ll send them to you in high resolution. You’re free to use on your wedding invitation, as a decoration in your wedding venue or print & frame them for yourselves.

What if I don’t love all of the images?

The practise shoot is just that! It’s the day to experiment & try stuff. I’m not into cheesy shots but if I suggest a pose that you’re not entirely happy with, then don’t do it. Say “Nah!” & we’ll move on. It’s not a one-size-fits-all. In fact, if you’re not comfortable with a pose, it’ll show in the photo. And when you’re reviewing your images, you should be able to see what works best for you.

Do you give us any other tips?

Yes, I’ll demonstrate & show you how holding your limbs completely straight is awkward looking in a photo & I’ll show you how to avoid doing it. You may forget again on your wedding day, but once I remind you, it should come back to you!

What should I wear?

I’d recommend smart casual & comfortable. Something you’d wear going out for dinner on a Friday night. And ideally, if you wore colours that were complimentary, it would work well in the photos. I’m not suggesting you wear matching Aran sweaters but similar tones are good. Avoid loud colours & logos or text/slogans on clothes that may date.

When can we do our shoot?

You can do it day or evening Monday-Friday* anytime between your booking & your wedding. If you’d like to use any of your images for your invitation bear that in mind, time wise. Otherwise you could do it as close to your wedding as you like! Allow me two weeks to deliver your images in the busy season.

(*I’m not usually available Saturdays, but if I can fit you in I will)

How long will it take?

About 20 mins.

Where do we do the shoot?

My studio is close to the grounds of NUIG. The Quad(rangle) is a lovely quiet area within the grounds, so we usually go there. It’s sheltered, the quality of the light is always good in there & there are natural props; pillars, benches, lampposts, doorways & steps, which makes the experience more relaxed, fun & less contrived than a studio shoot. But, if you’d rather the studio then that’s an option too.

What does it cost?

At the moment I’m not charging. I’ve found that it’s worked so well for couples & for me on their wedding day that I’m offering it with all packages.

Start the day as you mean to go on

November 13, 2018 By Deirdre Langan

On your wedding morning, it’s typical for more people to be around than on an average morning when you’re getting ready. And the more people that are around, the longer things take to get done & the more craic & chats to be had!

It’s a great idea to have your makeup artist (MUA) & hairdresser come to you. If so, they’ll arrive very early, especially if there are several other “faces” – bridesmaids & mothers to get ready.

In my experience there are 2 very good reasons to be ready early. And they both have the same benefit of ensuring you have a good morning. And if starts well, it’s likely to go well!

Reason 1.

Let’s assume you’re having a 1pm church wedding & the church is only down the road. You won’t need to leave the house until say 12:50pm but your photographer/videographer will need to leave your house at 12 noon for the church, to do some setting up & get some shots of the groom & his groomsmen.

So, if they need to leave your house at 12noon, they will arrive to your house at approx. 11am. Ideally you’ll be fully dressed by 11:30am for some lovely bridal portraits & some with bridesmaids & family. It needn’t take long, but you will need to be fully ready.

Remember, if your dress has a bustle then it could take as long as 20 mins to dress. Also, allow time for toilet breaks, lippy top up & a chat with the girls. It’s great to leave enough time to enjoy & take in everything that’s going on.

Note: And it’s you alone that really needs to be ready for the photos. Everyone else can be got later if not now.

Reason 2.

Assume you have no photographer or videographer coming to your house. Okay, so that gives you a bit of extra time & you don’t have to be ready quite so early.

But if you’re having your hair & makeup done say second last, you may start to get a little anxious when everyone else is ready & you aren’t. Invariably the schedule will slip & you could end up clock watching instead of enjoying the banter going on around you.

If you’re last to get ready, you may end up feeling rushed & not enjoy the morning preparations to their fullest. And if you’re stressed, you’re likely to remember less later.

TIP: Ensure you’re no later than second on the hair & makeup schedules. Once hair & makeup is done, you can relax knowing you only have to put your dress on. This should give you ample time for chats, packing your hotel bag, wearing perfume, deciding on jewelry & all those other little odd jobs.

P.S. It’s a good idea to allow time too for eventualities like stubborn zips & buckles.

A perspective on your wedding budget

May 10, 2018 By Deirdre Langan

I’ve often seen articles with such a long list of wedding must-haves, that it almost makes me feel anxious & I’m long since married.

When I was in my twenties I started to organise a holiday with my then boyfriend. During the planning, my sister & her friend somehow wrangled their way onto our holiday & before I knew it, I was organising a 3 week train trekking tour through Europe & beyond. My sister & her friend then dropped out of the holiday. So now it was just back to the two of us, my boyfriend & I going on holiday. We literally raced (he was on a tight schedule & had to get back home a week sooner than me) by train all the way through Europe & into Yugoslavia & it was there we wondered how had we ended up in this place, when all we’d wanted was a short flight to a week in the sun.

All that racing around made it a pretty miserable holiday but it did teach me a lesson & that is – not to get diverted by other people’s plans. Decide for yourself what it is you want & it will be easier to stick to your guns.

I’m still learning but I’m better now at recognising when I’m being diverted away from my original intention or plan. People usually mean well but when they’re offering ‘advice’, what they’re really often doing is describing how they would do it for their own wedding or party or whatever. And you are not them.

So, I’d say:
• Decide what your priorities are, not what you feel is expected or what your friends did or what someone on a forum recommended. Unless you have an unlimited budget you’ll probably find it difficult to do everything you’d like to do. But the good news is that when you stop & think about it, you’ll discover that you’re not really all that concerned about a number of items. There’s no right or wrong & each couple will have their own “must have” list.
• For instance here’s our own wedding spend breakdown
o 25% Venue
o 20% Photographer
o 17% Flights & accommodation on honeymoon. €k’s spent while there not included in calcs.
o 7% Bride & groom wedding rings/bands
o 6% Priest donation & church fees
o 5% Flower girl, pageboy, shoes, bridal accessories
o 3% Bride’s dress
o 3% Groom’s purchased suit
o 3% DJ
If it’s not on the list we either didn’t have it, else it came in under 3% of total spend.

So, my advice is, decide what you both want for your wedding day. If you make a list of things you do & don’t want it may be easier to stay focused & not get distracted by others & their plans for your day.

Wedding Planning Tips

January 10, 2017 By Deirdre Langan

These are a few tips that I’ve learned along the way & I hope they can help you:

• Bride – don’t wear a bra on the morning of your wedding – the straps will leave a mark.
• Groom – arrive at your ceremony venue at least 30 mins before scheduled ceremony time – to greet guests & meet celebrant(s).
• Bride – Don’t be the last in line for makeup and hair. If the schedule slips, you may end up feeling stressed & are less likely to enjoy the morning preps & conversations.
• Allow at least 4hrs (plus travel time) between your ceremony start time & your meal time.
• There will always be last minute guest cancellations – due to illness & child minding issues, so bear that in mind when estimating meal numbers.
• Allow ample time for preparations. The more people that are involved, the more interaction there will be, and the longer everything will take.
• Bride – If the dress has lots of hooks & loops, it will take 20-30 mins to get dressed. Allow time for it!
• Bride – Try & adhere to the time plan that you’ve discussed with your photographer. If you’ve promised to be dressed by 11am, but you’re still having your hair done at that time, chances are you won’t get (all) the shots you wanted.
• If you’d rather not have your wedding images posted to Facebook/Twitter before you’re seated for your meal, think about communicating it to your guests beforehand.
• You’ve invested in professionals on the day, so don’t fret, sit back & let them get on with it.
• Allow time to chat & relax on the morning. So leave gaps between each task. e.g. Her: hair – makeup – getting dressed. Him: showering – car ribbons – getting dressed.
• Remember to Eat! It’s a long time from breakfast until dinner time! So if it’s practical, pack food to have after the ceremony.
• Have realistic expectations about your images. If your venue or house don’t have a sweeping staircase, then you won’t be able to get that shot!
• Consider doing an engagement shoot before the big day. As well as giving you an opportunity to work with your photographer, it will be a practice session for you both & should put you more at ease on your wedding day.
• If you’re having a winter wedding, chances are it will be cold even on a sunny day, so your time outdoors will be limited.
• It’s okay to be emotional. A lot of energy has gone into planning this day, so expect tears. Allow yourself some time & space.
• Groom – wearing a suit of your own or a well-tailored & fitted suit looks very smart & will look great in your images.
• Groom – remind your best man to take possession & care of the rings!