Preparation, the morning of the wedding and the bride's arrival

Preparing for a wedding shoots starts many months before the event. Make sure your equipment is ready for action and functioning correctly, look after your kit and it will look after you!

If possible have a second camera and make sure that it is ready to be used if required. Service and look after your equipment frequently as it is fundamental to the success of capturing beautiful images. If your equipment is working well, you will work well and be able to focus your complete attention on the bride and groom, and capturing their big day.

Annabel's routine hasn't changed in over 20 years. The day before every single shoot she does she empties her whole camera bag, checking everything and places each piece of equipment back in her bag carefully thinking about the next day and what she might need, what spare equipment to pack, just in case, hoping the 'just in case' never actually happens.

Information

From the moment that you book a wedding, start to create a pack, as we do, which contains details of every conversation you have ever had with the couple. Re-read the information in the run up to the big day, start to look at the wedding through the clients eyes, think about the location, think about the type of wedding images they have asked for contemplating the wedding ahead.

Location

If the wedding is over an hour away always travel to the location the night before, as you never know and the last thing you ever want on a wedding day is to be late or stressed. Annabel never goes out the night before, nothing is on her mind other than the wedding ahead. If a wedding is based in two locations, travel to both the night before so you are familiar with the route. Plan where you might park the car at the church as you need a quick get-away to the reception in order to capture the images of the bride and groom arriving. Your goal is to be right behind the wedding car, to greet the happy couple as they arrive at the venue.

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