Dealing With Amateur Photographers at Your Wedding

The day she has been waiting for since she was just a little girl is now reserved on the calendar, and her dream is about to come true.  She has pictured this in her mind, and she is now contemplating that those pictures will soon become reality.  One day soon, the day will be over, and the result will be engraved in her mind and that of her groom, but forever, there must be priceless photos for all to see.

Technology is not like it was in her mom’s day.  Huge advances now.  With all those smart phones everybody carries, how will she handle picture taking without it getting completely out of control?  One thing is a must and that’s to have a professional photographer to capture the essence of the bridesmaid dress.  He will know exactly how to capture those certain moments. Then, there are not only special moments to be considered, but special things too. The picture of a bridesmaid dress must be perfect.

The planning process must begin, and decisions must be made.  Maybe it’s time to talk to her future husband and get his thoughts. Does he have an opinion on the gold bridesmaid dress? How is he going to feel about the budget? Will he welcome all those extra free pictures of the gold bridesmaid dress, and what if the single most important moment is ruined by an overzealous guest who accidently steps in front of the professional photographer? Here’s some picture taking options:

Option #1 – Open Assess – All the guests will be told that picture taking is fine.  The more pictures that are taken, the more the chance of incredible, one of a kind, unforgettable moments being caught by someone, if even by accident. And looking through all those pictures is going to be so much fun.  Of course it will be very important to tell each guest to remember that the professional photographer will be taking pictures, and he should always receive priority and unhindered access to capture those pictures he knows are important or even priceless.

Option #2 – Limited Access – In this situation, a great idea might be to allow guests to take pictures, but only at certain times and locations, and of course, either before or after the professional so that he will not worry about their interference.  Naturally, all the guests will be informed of this decision ahead of time, so that when they show up, there won’t be any misunderstandings or confusion. This will result in a taking of the middle road on the issue, and hopefully everyone will be happy.

Option #3 – No Access – Since choosing this option might offend some of the guests, it may be a good idea to provide everyone with a request not to take pictures well in advance. This will ensure the professional will shoulder all the responsibility to provide an array of pictures, which has been discussed beforehand with the bride and groom.  In this instance, the bride and groom will have full control of what gets leaked out and onto social media, and careful thought can precede the decision.

At the end of the day, most everyone will understand that the day belongs to the bride. This is her day. How she decides to plan it will be what she believes will make this day one of the happiest days of her life.

Article was written by John Hawthorne | You can reach Him on Linkedin