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My approach to weddings

From booking to delivering the images this is how I work in the run up, on the day and afterwards

Approach and style

My instinct as a photographer is to document in a truthful and artistic way. I don’t want to change anything about your wedding day because it’s perfect as it is and for that reason I spend about 90% of the day itself quietly observing and snapping moments as they take place. There are a few moments when I will be directive (group photos and portraits for example) but on the whole I want to impress as little of me onto your day as possible and document you, your friends and family as you are. If you are on the quiet and introspective side then your photos will reflect that; equally if you are outwardly rejoicing that’s how the photos will look. I feel uncomfortable committing to any particular kind of style of wedding photography for this reason; because it’s not about me it’s about you. 
 
bride getting ready with sister at town hall hotel london

Booking stage

As days go wedding days tend to be pretty intimate, important days and if you choose me as your wedding photographer I’m going to be very present during that day in a way that not many other people will be. For this reason I encourage us meeting for a coffee/drink in advance of booking so you can find out if I’m someone you will feel comfortable being around on such a big occasion (and it’s also a good opportunity to ask any questions you might have about the process). You’ll have a good idea by the end of the hour if you want to go ahead or not and I won’t take it personally if you don’t want to. I really honour how important a decision it is so I want you to be comfortable in your choice and confident that I’m the person for you. Chances are if you like my pictures and what I’ve posted then we’re on to a pretty good start but still, let’s meet to be sure!
 

Three months before the wedding day

At this point I will get in touch to send you my day in detail form to get all of the logistical information I need from you for the day. Then we either meet up again or speak on the phone to run through it all so we both know what to expect on the day. I can help you with things like making sure you’ve got enough time set aside for the kinds of photos you want and assist you with things such as how best to structure your day and your photos. It’s also just another excuse for us to catch up and get to know each other a little better which only makes things easier on the day. 
 

The day itself

By the time the day comes around I’ve got everything I need to be getting on with my job and aside from saying hello and introducing myself to any of your VIPs I’m pretty self sufficient. If you have me during your getting ready period I try to find a balance between getting shots I know you’ll love and not overwhelming you or anyone else. I might advise you on where the best light is or if we need to clear some space but other than that I’ll just do my thing and let you know if I need anything. You’ll have other things on your mind and I don’t want to detract from that!

 

 

In the ceremony

I am a lot more reserved in my photo taking during the ceremony. I am really conscious of not being distracting but I also want to make sure I don’t miss any important moments. Again it’s a balancing act but I think I’ve got it down. I try only to move when someone else does which tends to be between parts of the ceremony. 

a wide angle shot of a wedding at Devonshire Terrace London

Post ceremony

At your reception I will take a great many photos and this is probably where I get the most shots of you and your guests having fun. There’s more room for movement so I might get a bit closer to the action here and dare to be a bit more creative. 

Group photos

The beginning of the reception is also usually when we’d take some group shots. In order to make this famously clunky part of the day as efficient and painless as possible I will have already discussed with you which groups and formations you want in our meeting and I give you some guidance as to how long these take so you can make an informed decision as to how many you have. I have a fairly straightforward formula for these photos which means they are lovely and nice to look at but also don’t take very long. It’s a win win.
 
a bride lined up with her bridesmaids holding flowers

Portraits

We might also use some time at the end of the reception to take some photos of the two of you alone and this is also a nice opportunity to take 10-15 mins away from the crowd and get some air (weddings can be overwhelming, especially your own). I will usually have done a recce before this point to find some spots that I think will work well and I take you on a route around them. I try to keep things as natural as possible by giving you something to talk about or somewhere to walk to and then I take pictures of that. I like to take a mixture of portraits that make use of the context and also some simpler closer up images. I talk you through what I’m doing as I do it and people often say this is a far less uncomfortable experience than they were expecting. I take this as high praise!
 
a wedding couple walking down a street in London

Dinner and speeches

Usually then it’s time for eating and speeches if you are having them. No one looks good while they’re eating so while I try to take pictures of the food as it comes out plus a few snaps of people chatting I usually take this time to also eat and recharge a bit. In speeches I try to get lots of reaction shots of friends and family in addition to photos of those speaking. I love this part of the day as people are generally quite relaxed and speeches can often take an emotional/hilarious turn and this is so much fun to photograph. 

The evening

At this point you might have your first dance or a band or DJ playing and at this point I like to get really involved. I find the pictures look so much better when I’m in amongst the crowd so you may find me popping up with a flash now and then. I will probably also do some dancing too. I usually find about 30 mins of dancing shots after the first dance if you’re having one works out well but sometimes you might want me to stay longer if this part of the day is important to you.

The week after the wedding

The week after your wedding I will have backed up your photos and picked out some favourites. You’ll receive these in a private online gallery much like the one you’ll eventually get your full set in and you’ll be able to share them around as much or as little as you like.
 
a night time shot of a wedding party at Trinity Buoy Wharf
 

4-5 weeks later

About 4-5 weeks after you receive your previews I will send you the full gallery from where you’ll be able to download, send on to friends and family and share as you like. You can also order prints, albums and thank you cards directly from the gallery.

After the job is done

From this point onwards my job is done but I still love to hear from my clients and see what they’re up to so please keep in touch! I feel really lucky to have made some really wonderful connections over the years in this way and it’s one of my most treasured outcomes of having this job. 

an old lady holding two young boys at a wedding reception

 

Still got questions?

Check out my FAQ page!

How much can I expect to pay for my wedding photography? How many hours should I book? Do I need a second photographer? Is travel included in the cost? All of this is covered here.

FAQs

If you think I might be the photographer for you please get in touch here and I will send you some more info

@alicethecamera

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©2023 Copyright Alice Boagey / Alice the Camera
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©2023 Copyright Alice Boagey / Alice the Camera