Now, before I hear from all of my photographer friends about my "Not being a photographer, how can you presume to give me a tip", let me say that this has nothing to do with shutter speeds and F-Stops, but planning speed and less stops.
Quite often, on the day of the big occasion, we bring the entire bridal party, in full regalia, to a park, bridge, gazebo or some other "majestic" setting. This takes time, coordination and perhaps several pairs of shoes. I have come up with a package that has made both couples and photogs happy. We offer our brides a separate "sitting" with our photogs as part of the wedding package. Usually, family and wedding party shots have more to do with the people in the shot, than the locale. We recommend that we take these in a picturesque part of the church or even the reception location. That way we eliminate what could be several hours of downtime between the ceremony and the reception. There is little travel time and a production walkthru of these sites has already been conducted. Now the bride and groom have fantastic photos, with less stress. But now comes the reasoning for the second seating. The photog can now focus on the couple, on a more relaxed day, when everyone can look their best. I've seen couples redress in their wedding attire, but most have enough of those photos and now want them taken in a "special place", perhaps where he proposed, or where they take weekend walks, and it can even lead to further sales add-ons for our photogs.
So, next time you are pitching your brides, consider a new plan for their day, one with less stress for all involved. For that alone, you might become the most beloved vendor of the day.
