I have decided to write a blog on my top 5 things I think that all couples need to take into considering when thinking about wedding photos and what their venue has on offer for them. You might be surprised ...

"Yeah yeah, Stu I got enough to worry about!" .... 

Just hear me out.

Windows during the ceremony and speeches. 

Ensure that the light during your ceremony and speeches is on you and not behind you. More often than not wedding venues will put the speeches in front of the window. I'm not entirely sure why they do this... but it's not a good look.

You want to be facing the natural light coming from the window, not have your back to it. Many couples also think that by having the window behind them its great for there guests to see the view while they are having their ceremony and speeches, which is nice of course.. But, it is often results in blown out highlights and and creates highlight fringes. You become a shadow at your own wedding. It's much easier and bares better results recovering details under exposed images than it is recovering them from over exposed images. Something that needs to be done at this point to ensure what ever inside the room is actually exposed properly.

Some photographers may need to use flash at this point to balance the light coming through the window and that of the ambient light in the room. Flashes are great...but they don't give the photographer as much flexibility for quick images.. catching all those laughs and smiles. Most flashes have a refresh rate of about a second and this is the difference between a moment missed and a moment captured.

Windows behind you in your wedding images - is not a good look. You want the light to illumnaite you and isolate you like a spotlight. This is fundamentally one of the most import tips can give you when looking around venues, does it have good light. Just because a venue is bright... doesn't mean its good light either. Barns venues are probably the worse for natural light and then tend to use artificial light to compensate which brings a whole other set of issues... which I will speak about later in the blog.

Cake:

Venues always tend to protect the cake - rightly so. You don't want it getting knocked over while Jim tries to do the moonwalk to MJ ( Jim is so bad at the moonwalk! ) thing is having your wedding cake up against the wall makes for only pictures of you guys and a wall. Pull it out from the wall for the cutting, let your photographer get the other side of it and have your guests watching you cut - it will add context to the shot.

Sunset: 

Love sunset images? Yep, I do! But you need a sunset! The sun will set in the west; we all know that. But ask your venue, where does the sun set here? Does it set behind your venue? Or over their car park? Might seem silly but if you want an epic sunset shot with the venue incorporated, or beautiful landscape involved, it's probably not going to look that great with a Transit Van in the frame. If this is the case, be prepared to do some walking. I'll trek where ever is needed to get this shot! But remember if you are getting married in the winter months, you may need to be prepared to stop eating and get outside. The sun goes in early in the winter and this beautiful light doesn't last long in any month. In the winter if you get a sunset at all we will need to get a wiggle on and have enough time to get to the spot that looks amazing!

Bridal Prep.

Windows, windows. Windows. Make sure the light is on you while you are getting ready. I have known brides to ditch the bridal suite because it just doesn't give them the light required for their MUA, let alone the photographer. Don't sit in the corner of a room. Light, light, light! Pockets of beautiful light! If you are getting ready at home, ensure the same principles. Put yourself in the natural light coming from the window, not the corner of a box room or the kitchen with those halogen downlighter things in the ceiling. Not all light is good light.

Yes to dark walls!

Your dress will look fantastic against dark walls! Think about your venue's decor, what are the rooms decorated like? I always think you don't want to be blending in with a bright white wall. It would be best if you stood out visually popping against colours. Think about how the colours pop against your skin tone and dress. Also, Think accents, can you accent the colour of venues decor with the bridal party's clobber? Some of the best wedding images I have seen are styled shoots; this is because they have thought about what looks good together from the venue's decor; to ushers ties. Blend your wedding attire with the venues tones. I mean you chose it for a reason, right!?