Community Over Competition

I’m starting a new series this April where I get to introduce the people in the Feathered Arrow Community. I always get to meet some of the most creative and raddest people with unique stories. We all share a passion for what we do, and a love for our clients and the art we create. So I decided to I wanted to create a community around that through blogging and sharing their stories and advice. I wanted to create a platform for the people in this industry to connect, collaborate, and create together. I mean in the end, community is better than competition and we all have a story to tell.

First up, the lovely + kind-hearted gals from BE in Love Photography, Becca + Emily. They’re sharing their story and some wedding photography tips. Check them out + say hi! {+ hire them}

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Hi! We’re Becca + Emily – best friends and photographers of BE in Love Photography. And we are super in love with love, and the unique ways couples express and display it. When Kari invited us to share on her blog, she suggested that we share some tips to looking for + working with a wedding photographer. We loved the idea. So let’s get to it! Brides+Grooms-to-be…we’re talkin’ to you!

Finding Your Wedding Photographer

Finding your wedding photographer is hard. The struggle is real. The first thing most look for is a style that they like. But there is more to finding “the one” than that.  When you’re hiring your photographer you are hiring someone with either experience or no experience. Someone with specific wedding packages and pricing, someone who is either passionate about wedding photography…or not. Most of all, you’re hiring a person with a personality – do you like them? Do you want to hang out with them? Do they make you SO FREAKING EXCITED to marry the love of your life!? Because they should. If you’re unsure, it never hurts to ask the person with whom you’re inquiring to meet for coffee. Make sure they know you are looking around, but are interested in their services. But let’s be real….style is of the utmost importance – you really need to love the style above all else. But look to have a photographer with excellent style AND that offers an amazing overall experience. It’s worth it.

How To Make Your Photos Even Better

Fact: the photographer that you hire wants to get amazing photos just as badly as you want amazing photos. In order for your wedding photographers to capture all that they and you want photographed, there needs to be time. Time & Scheduling is everything. It’s so important that we spend hours working with our brides & coordinators to make up a detailed schedule. When our clients first hire us, we send them a little guide on “How to Make Your Photos Even Better”. Inside it discusses what our clients can do to help as they begin preparing for their day. Because scheduling is such a big factor in wedding photography we decided share 3 tips from our guide:

Tip 1: Set A Specific Time For Putting On Your Dress

Ladies, this might seem unnecessary, but as Nike says…just do it. Hair and makeup come before putting on your dress, and leaving for pictures & the ceremony come right after putting on your dress. Dress time is right in the middle, so if you stay on schedule with putting on your dress, even if hair and makeup don’t go according to plan, you’ll be all good.

Tip 2: Have A “First Look”

You’ve probably heard of this! It’s when the bride and groom have a private moment before the ceremony where they get to see each other – all the while we get to photograph your sweet reactions! If the groom isn’t set on seeing his bride for the first time as she walks down the aisle, then this is a great idea! If this path is chosen, then the only photos we will have to take between the ceremony + reception are family photos! This makes for less stress and more party time! If you want to do a First Look, we recommend putting aside 1.5-2 hours for this. Keep in mind, this time will be used to cover the first look, bridesmaids photos, groomsmen photos, bridal party photos, and bride+groom portraits…so it’s time very well spent.

Tip 3: Schedule Wedding Party Photos Before Ceremony

If you aren’t interested in doing a First Look, at least make sure to schedule the groomsmen + bridesmaids photos before the ceremony. These photos can be so much fun if we have time to enjoy them! Schedule about a half hour each for the boys and girls to take photos separately before the ceremony, and you won’t have to worry about those afterward! Go to the ceremony venue (or wherever you want) – ladies will go first for a half hour and then go hide/get ready for the ceremony, and then it’s the gents’ turn!

And there you have it! We had such a blast writing this post and we hope it was a helpful read!

with all our love,

Becca + Em {BE in Love Photography}

Thanks for spending some time in the Feathered Arrow community, friends! For more community posts, check back for updates, including this post! I hope you learned some great tips + tricks! If you’re ready to start planning your dream wedding with these tips in mind, contact me on my homepage here and let’s chat!