A look into how we work on a wedding, fast, fun and exciting!
What to expect!
At Photo Graffiti Newport South Wales we strongly believe that you should expect a wedding photographer to meet all your needs. After all it’s your day not ours. A wedding photographer should provide a service that is bespoke to each individual bride. Don’t get us wrong, if we had it our way we would love to turn your wedding day into one big fashion style photo shoot, but we understand that everyone is different and has different needs. Wedding photography is unique in the sense that we have to capture everything from telling a story to creating unique moments that only ever happen once in a life time.
Wedding photography is all about PLANNING, we love to build up a good rapport with our couples long before the wedding, spending time in the studio discussing as much as possible; we also like to go and check out your chosen venues and locations beforehand so we can get a good idea of all the possibilities on your big day.
The beauty of wedding photography is that no wedding is ever the same; every location, every venue, every couple, every mode of transport chosen all helps create a unique story of images that only you will have and treasure forever.
As a wedding photographer it is important to have a good understanding of what each individual couple likes. This again all comes down to prior planning and building the rapport we have already touched on.
What can you expect beforehand?
It generally starts with a consultation at the studio, here we find out all the little details of your wedding day, talk about what special requests you may have and what you have already got in mind for your wedding photographer. Discuss what group and formal photos you may require, look through our sample wedding albums and generally get to know each other.
Our second meeting is optional, we like to do this at your venue/venues, this way we can have a good look around and talk through all the great opportunities that we’ll have on the day at these locations. It’s also a great time for us all to get excited about your wedding. This day can also incorporate a pre-wedding engagement photo session which is becoming more and more popular with today’s wedding couples. These photo sessions are included within some of our wedding collections and can also be purchased separately. Pre-wedding photo sessions make excellent gifts and look great with your wedding invitations.
What you can expect on the day?
We cover your whole wedding no matter which collection you choose. This generally starts with the bridal preparations and goes through to when you sit down for your wedding breakfast.
You will have two wedding photographers helping to tell the story of your day, myself and one other member from the Photo Graffiti team. The whole process is about helping to create a fun experience which really captures the story of your day.
Having two photographers on your day lets us create a big mixture of natural shots and work quickly and smoothly through the more set-up artist shots and group formal shots.
I generally like to come to cover the bridal preparations while our other team photographer will meet the guys. During this period we’ll be capturing candid photos and will often set up some cool contemporary group photos. The guys love to strut up to the church ‘Reservoir Dogs’ style.
It’s then on to the Church or venue, this is again a great time for there to be two wedding photographers at your wedding, one of us will be at the front of the venue and one of us at the back, this way we get the biggest variety of your wedding ceremony possible. During the wedding ceremony we act as stealth-like as we can making sure that photography isn’t disturbing one of the most important and meaningful days of your life together.
After your ceremony is finished and we have created some photos of you signing the register and leaving the venue we try to capture the big group photo of everyone, this usually involves me climbing a tree or just about anything to get the height required to not only get everyones faces in the photo but to save time and make it as painless as possible for you and your guests. We are strong believers in group photos and would never shy away from them (unless requested to of course) however, from our own experience as guests at a wedding we understand they can be a little tedious and take up far too much time on the day. We have developed a great system for the group photos and working as a team we can make them quick and fun.
At this point the day depends on what you will have planned; will you be going on to another venue from the Church? Or is everything all based at one location? At this point after you have had some time to mingle with your guests we will begin with the other group photos, parents, close family and whatever else we will have discussed before hand. We treat these no differentlyt to the big group photo and like to run smoothly and quickly through them, not forgetting to have fun!
That’s the traditional side of things finished, we now like to move on to the creative photos, fun with the bridal party, romance with you both and all the ideas we will have discussed before your wedding. This is where the real fun begins and we get all of the artistic photos, which not only hold the lovely memories of your big day forever but will also be beautiful pieces of art that are unique to you. Again having two photographers means that you’ll have large variety as we can be two places at once. If I am up a tree, our other team photographer will be at ground level capturing the shot from another angle.
After we have finished with all the creative photos with you both we’ll move on to the details of your wedding, photographing everything from the cake through to the table decorations and everything else that we feel is needed to build up the story of your day in the wedding album.
After we finish these detail photos we will take some lovely natural photos of you and your guests entering the room for the wedding breakfast. We’ll capture the speeches and all the great moments of laughter that will be lined up for you.
This is where we generally leave you to relax and enjoy your evening party (unless otherwise requested of course)
PLEASE NOTE – All of this is just to give you an insight into how the day can usually run in terms of the wedding photography. We totally understand that it’s your wedding day and that each wedding is unique. Our service is bespoke to each individual couple and with prior planning we will have a system worked out in our heads for your wedding. Making sure we are helping to make your wedding day as perfect as it could ever be and create beautiful imagery that you can treasure forever.
What you can expect after your wedding
It’s takes us around five days to process and edit your wedding photos, in this period we use our artistic skills to edit every photo from your wedding, applying some of our special techniques that just add that final touch to everything. We also design your sample album which will give you a good idea of how everything will/can look in your finished wedding album.
As soon as you have been over to the studio to view your photos and sample album, chosen your final images that will make the album and tell the story of your day, we get the order sent off. All of our albums are produced out of the studio, depending on which album you have chosen your photos will be sent to the desired country where it will be hand made and sent back to us within two weeks.
Don’t worry we won’t let you leave the studio without some photos to keep you going while you wait for your album!
Thanks for your time, I hope your wedding plans are exciting and fun.
Richard P Walton
(If you chose the C.D only collection your photos will be processed and ready for you to take home after the five days)
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