The Bride's Guide Blog

You know how important photography is to any wedding, and so do others in the wedding industry. Each year, the Wedding Company holds The Captured Moment, a national contest for professional photographers. Storey Wilkins this year's winner, sent us her portfolio to show off some of her prize-winning work. From left to right, that's Associate Photo Editor Joanna Dufour, myself, Deputy Photo Editor Mary Cahill and Special Projects Editor Anthony Luscia.

Storey Wilkins

Over the years, Storey has developed a process that works to make wedding photos personal ones that you'll enjoy for years to come. Here's a little bit of that process. (I especially love the idea of writing a letter to each other.) What it all boils down to is listening. Like Storey, your photographer should ask you lots of questions to get a feel for what's important to you, that way he can capture the moments you'll cherish forever.

And if you're getting married in Canada, check out The Wedding Company and their annual bridal show in January

I always try to remind the bride and groom of the big picture, the reason they are planning their wedding day. In our initial interview, I ask them to think of their fifth wedding anniversary. I ask them to imagine curling up on the couch together and looking through their album and tell me what they see as they turn the pages. They love this question because it helps to elicit the moments they are most looking forward to, and the relationships that are most important to capture. It also helps them to think about the emotion (expressions, glances, exchanges, etc.) they will likely share with each other and their family and friends that day. This in turn helps them become even more excited about the day they get to share with their nearest and dearest. As their photographer, if I know what is most important to them, I can capture that for them.

A few weeks before the wedding, I get together with the bride and groom for a practice session. Ideally located in an outdoor natural setting, this portrait session gives my couple a chance to practice being photographed, to see how fun it can be and how quickly it moves. It also gives me a chance to study the way they move together. That way on the wedding day we are all very comfortable around each other and the formal portraiture part of the day moves much more quickly.

During the wedding day, I find a quiet moment where I ask the bride and the groom to write a letter to each other. I slip them a piece of stationary and ask them to write a quick note to their beloved to explain how it felt to marry that person on that day. I then ask them to seal the envelope. About a month after the wedding, I deliver the sealed notes back to the bride and groom, which are protected in a sealed outer envelope that has one of my favorite photographs from the day. There is a note attached to the outer envelope that asks them to open the notes to each other on their first anniversary. This is a little touch that helps a day that is famous for going by too fast to slow down for just a few minutes and gives them a written record of their emotions that day. What a wonderful accompaniment to a beautiful set of photographs.

Right after the wedding I get to work designing a beautiful Artist's Album for the newlyweds. I pick the best photographs from the day, including lots of beautiful details and moments, and I create a design to fit the style of album they chose beforehand. I ask the couple for copies of their wedding invitation, service bulletins, and speeches. I then scan these documents and blend the key parts throughout the album. That way they have a beautiful record in their wedding album of the vows they exchanged and the lovely thoughts expressed during the speeches. On a wedding day, I have the privilege of being able to tell a story through a series of natural, thoughtful and emotional photographs. These photographs will show a great deal about the spirit of the bride and groom's personalities, their love for each other, and the love among their family and friends. For me, it isn't about the grand sweeping portrait, the fashion edge or the over-romanticized scene. It is about a real love story where the couple commits to a lifetime together in front of their family and closest friends. What an honor for me to be able to capture that for them!

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Posted by guestblogger on November 24, 2008 in Expert Advice