Why Do I Always Attend The Wedding Rehearsal

The wedding rehearsal is deceptively important.

As a wedding photographer, I've been through many, many wedding ceremonies, almost knowing the vows by heart, having a Sony A1 perpetually stuck in my hand, and mumbling First Corinthians in my sleep. So why on earth would the rehearsal matter?

Almost without question, at some point in the rehearsal, the officiant will ask “Is the photographer here?”. The question itself suggests that the photographer should be there. Suddenly the bride and groom are wondering why you didn’t come. This would be a pretty bad look.

Even though I know the structure of most ceremonies and have a good idea of how things go. There are bigger reasons for attending.

First off, it helps with “the zone”. Rehearsals usually happen the night before the wedding. Showing up helps me to get comfy again with the couple, seeing their anticipation, and getting pumped to photograph their big day. Weddings require a lot of emotional presence from the photographer, so the rehearsal is the perfect kickstarter.

But, perhaps most important is being there as support for the clients. The bride and groom are going through this for the first time. They need help. They want help. They want their photographer to step up, and offer advice, insight, and that expertise they’re paying so much for. This is why I attend the wedding rehearsal.

BRIGHT AND AIRY WEDDING PHOTOS

Creating Bright and Airy wedding photos is more than just a “shooting style”. It’s also an editing style. Consider it also a “mood”. I love this style because it promotes cheeriness and happiness! It’s also classic and will never go out of style.

Bright and Airy (and Light and Airy) is referring to photography that is the opposite of “Dark and Moody”. And below are a few of the common characteristics that you can expect from a Light and Airy Photographer.

• Colors in the photos tend to lean more Pastel.

• It’s shot in Natural Light

• It often will be “less colorful”, by incorporating a more subtle color pallet.

• Skys and Landscapes will not be as dramatic.

ROCESSING

I often shoot hundreds or even thousands of wedding photos in a single day, trying to capture unique moments. As a result, there is often a lot of photos to go through at the end of the day. That being said, I am most interested in images that show my clients in their best light. This means I narrow down the selection to only the very best images.

Once selected, I often edit the photos in batches, allowing them to tell a story with a consistent style.

The real joy comes from capturing and sharing heart-warming moments with minimal editing. I excel at capturing photos that look true to the people and scenes you captured.