She’s in a dress, he’s in a suit – but it’s not the wedding day. In the past few years formal sessions have become a normal part of the wedding photography world. A few weeks ago me and my couple lucked out. We had perfect light, perfect weather and a beautiful setting for the session. On top of that, Andrea and Remington did everything a couple could, to get the most out of their session. From their sessions here are five tips to get the most out of a formals session.
1. Be down to get dirty…
I don’t think I’ve ever had a bride treat her dress as refreshingly-cavalierly as Andrea did. Often there are sheets hiding underneath the satin to keep the fabric clean. I know that cleaning a wedding dress isn’t as simple as throwing a couple tide pods in the washer. So when a bride budgets for dry cleaning it really allows us photographers more flexibility and time to get the right shots.
2. Practical shoes…
I LOVE it when brides wear flats; especially because most formal sessions take us off even ground. The faster a bride can move, and the less I have to worry about her falling off her heels (or a cliff ) the better. So if the dress is floor length and the couple’s heights allow, consider a comfy pair of flats. And Andrea can definitely rock a Birkenstock 😁
3. It’s pronounced “bouquet”…..
If you got this 👆Brit-com/PBS reference, You probably grew up without cable just like me. Rgardless bouquet is nearly a third person in a formal shoot. What’s the bride doing? What’s the groom doing? What’s the bouquet doing? I know they aren’t cheap, and forking over the scratch for a second bouquet might not be in the cards. But, a fistful of arranged flowers can really legitimize a session, turning two people in wedding clothes into a bride and groom.
Plus bouquets are great at hiding weird wrinkles in the dress whilst giving the bride something to do with a hand ✌️💐
4. Chill moms…
It’s always nice when clients bring a little moral support along. Often during a formal session that help comes in the form of a mom (or two). I’m so fortunate that most my clients are super chill, and chill clients usually have chill moms. Unfortunately, there are few things scarier than a pissed off mother. If a mom is less than pleasant during a session a fair bit of my attention is spent making sure she doesn’t have a reason to go full mama-bear. Luckily Andrea and Remington’s moms only yelled at me when I tried to take a picture of them – Hence their absence in the photo above 👆
5. A good attitude and a bucket of patience…
(I mean, that’s generally good advice for anything.) This session lasted three hours, at least an hour more than most formals. I usually shoot till I’m tired and the groom’s smile looks like it was ripped off a batman villain. The sunless sky had to tell us we were done, because Andrea and Remington weren’t complaining and I had drank five Dr Peppers.
So those are my tips for baller formal sessions. If you know anyone in need of a photographer this season don’t be afraid to send them my way. In the meantime follow me on the social medias and enjoy some more loverly pictures of these two.
@wyatt.human | @wyatt.photos | ⓕWyatt+Photo
Wyatt+Photo 