This guide is meant to serve as a handy resource for you, full of tips, advice and supplier recommendations!
Client Guide
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Phoebe Jane photography
Hello & Thank You
Chances are if you’re reading this, you’ve
booked me as your wedding photographer. For that, I
want to thank you! I’m truly honoured and I can’t wait
to spend the coming months getting excited and hearing
the details as your day comes together. In my eyes,
this relationship is a two-way street and that mutual
understanding of one another is what will help create
amazing photos for you to cherish!
What To Expect
Yay! You’ve booked. That means you’ve already signed the contract and
sent the deposit. In between, find me on Instagram if you haven’t already, I
love to get to know my couples before the big day! Around one month
before your wedding date I’ll send a digital questionnaire for you to fill
out, this is vital for me to learn all the important details of your day. We’ll finalise your timeline too including your where to slot photography timings in.
In Between
Finally, the big day is here! You can relax in the knowledge that
all your hard work and planning has paid off and you can be fully present and embrace the day, and of course the most important
part - you get to marry your soulmate! I’ll be there to document everything, all the most important parts and the little in between moments.
ON THE DAY
After your wedding I'll send a lovely little selection of previews for you to share with friends and family. Within 8 weeks of your wedding date, your full gallery will be edited to perfection, uploaded and sent
to you via email. You'll then be able to select ten of your favourites to be printed on beautiful fine art paper and sent to you in the post. Exciting!
AFTERWARDS
Getting Ready
The getting ready portion of the day is such a fun and memorable part of a wedding because that’s where all the nervousness and excitement happens!
However, the thing that is often forgotten about this part of the day is how chaotic it can be. How cramming the bride, 8 bridesmaids, the make-up artist, the hair stylists and the photographers into a single room filled with make-up, hair straighteners, hairspray, water bottles, food, and clothing can start to feel over crowded and look a bit cluttered. The key to classic and elegant getting ready images is space & light. Airbnb’s can be a great option as you can often find super interesting spaces with unique looks! The most important thing is having a good amount of natural light and enough space to fit everyone. The decor will be in your final images, so remember to consider this too. Have someone on hand who will be able to clean up any clutter before any photography starts so that your photos will turn out just as you envision!
Choose your getting ready location wisely. Natural light and space are the two biggest factors to consider. Have someone on hand to tidy away any clutter before your photography coverage starts so you can get the best images possible.
Tips and Tricks:
Couple portraits are one of my favourite parts of a wedding day. It’s the perfect opportunity for the two of you to sneak away from the rest of your guests and have a moment to yourselves to take it all in. I’ll gently guide you with prompts and poses, but it will all be very relaxed, informal and fun! It's important to the quality of your images that we aim to get these done at the time of day with the best light. If you’re having a summer wedding, usually this is later in the day around an hour before sunset. If you’re having a winter wedding it will usually be a lot earlier so we can catch the best light before it disappears. This will be discussed when we chat over your timeline so we can decide what will be best depending on what time of year your wedding is taking place.
Group portraits are usually relatively straightforward and done straight after the ceremony. It’s always helpful if you can provide a list of family photos you’d like, as well as having a bridesmaid or best man on hand to help round people up. It’s great to set aside around 3 minutes for each shot and keep your shot list to around 8 maximum.
Group Portraits
Couple Portraits
It's no secret...
It’s important to consider what you would like to have captured during your ceremony and how close you’d like your photographers and videographers to be. There can often be restrictions as to where photographers are allowed to stand and if we’re even allowed to move around. This is especially true for religious ceremonies, in stricter cases, the photographer sometimes isn’t even allowed to be in the room where the ceremony is taking place. It’s super important to check this well before your wedding to see if your venue/church/location has any restricitions regarding photography.
The most sacred part of your day.
Ceremony and Reception
• What will the available lighting be? Is
there any natural light or is it all ambient/
artificial light? If it’s all artificial light,
perhaps we can improve this with hanging lights, candles or spot lights.
• Does your venue/church allow flash photography?
• If you’re getting married in a church,
what are the photography restrictions?
If you’re holding an indoor ceremony:
• What will lighting be like during the
time of your ceremony? Will you both be
in direct sunlight? Only one of you in the
shade? Maybe before the wedding you
can take a look at what the light is like
or research some imagery to see what to
expect. Perhaps it means moving you both
into the shade or tilting the ceremony setup
slightly so you’re not both squinting
into the sun.
• Will there be anything above you or
behind you? A gazebo, an arch, standing on
a stage? Sometimes these things will play
a part in what to expect with your images
and if they are casting shadows or not.
• Is there enough space for me to walk
around the perimeter of the ceremony
space? If so, this will allow for a lot more
variety in your final images.
If you’re holding an outdoor ceremony, there
are a few things to consider:
• What lighting are you providing during dinner? Hanging lights?
Candles? All of these impact mood and photos because they
change the temperature of images. Candlelight & hanging lights
usually allow skin tones to feel warmer.
• Where is the head table and what is behind you? i.e. is it a full
set of speakers, a catering table or is it a nice clean background?
Double checking this just to see what will be in the majority of
your images is always a good tip.
• When people stand for speeches, will they be near you or standing
at their seat? If they’re near you, it’s easier to capture reactions of
the both of you.
• P.S. Don’t let this section stress you out, just a few details you can
share with me regarding your ceremony location and lighting etc
will be so useful! It will help me feel prepared and earn you great
images in return.
Reception spaces are important too:
Make sure to double check with your church or venue whether they have restrictions on photography in advance of your wedding so we can plan accordingly.
Tips and Tricks:
So, you can probably now see how much thought goes into your wedding day coverage. Of all the weddings I’ve shot, there are a few other little tips and tricks throughout your wedding day that not only improve your photography, but that will allow you to enjoy it that much more.
If you’re having a wedding of more than 50 people, consider hiring
a planner or at least a day-of coordinator. He/she will
be able to curb all questions and concerns so you can be fully present and enjoy your day. Having
a dedicated person whose job it is to help make your day run
smoothly is an amazing idea!
The Wedding Planner
1
Consider asking guests to put away their phones, iPads, cameras
and electronics during the ceremony. Without all those distractions, your guests will be
able to focus solely on the two of you, and the reason they’re there.
2
Unplugged Wedding
Your wedding day can be a hectic one — consider starting your
day with a dedicated breakfast or time with your partner, it will be a
peaceful and fun way to calm your nerves and start the day.
3
Starting Your Day
Staying hydrated is always number
one! Keep a bottle of water and some
cereal bars or fruit aside to snack on
throughout the day to keep your energy
up for all the dancing!
5
It’s always recommended to have a hair
and makeup trial ahead of your big day.
They play a huge role both in how you
feel during the day, but also how your
photos turn out. Professional makeup
artists know how to create makeup looks
that will last your whole wedding day as
well as showing up great on camera!
4
Hair and Makeup
Snacks and Water
Your wedding day goes by in the blink of an eye and there’s lots
of people vying for your attention. Consider setting aside a little
bit of alone time with your partner, just the two of you, to take it
all in!
7
Rain happens - especially if you’re
getting married in the UK. Don’t let this
worry you! Usually there’s at least a little
break in the rain where we can run out
for portraits, and if not, we can usually
utilise inside space next to a window or a
covered area outside.
6
Rain
Set Time Aside
Every once in a while, STOP and look around. Take a mental
snap shot of what is going on. Breathe in, breathe out. You’re
getting married!
And Most Importantly...
This would be massively appreciated as wedding days are long and we usually don't have the capacity to store our own food at venues. Venues usually offer a less expensive supplier meal option and my second shooter and I usually use our break to eat and backup all the images taken so far. Please note that I'll need the vegan option. If no food is provided, we may need to leave the venue to find food.
Do we need to feed you and do you have dietary requirements?
No later than one month before your wedding date.
When is final payment due?
FAQs
I usually deliver a minimum of 500 fully-edited images, however the amount totally depends on the specifics of your day and how much there is to cover. You will receive anything and everything that meets my standards, I don’t leave anything out.
How many images do we receive?
Yes absolutely! This can all be done super easily through your online store connected to your gallery.
Can we order prints and albums?
When do we receive our images?
You’ll receive your stunning final collection of images within 8 weeks of your wedding date.
Supplier Recommendations
Videographers
Florists
Make-up & Hair
Bridalwear
Invitations
A few of my favourite people & businesses in the industry. All of these individuals I have either personally worked with and/or admire their work and process. I’m always updating this so if you have a personal experience with someone, I’d love to hear it!
Congratulations for finishing up that entire guide. I know it’s a lot of information to take in, thank you so much for taking the time! I absolutely can’t wait to capture your wedding day for you - beautifully and authentically.
