Tip 1 – Plan out the timing of your wedding thoughtfully.

If you do not have your heart set on not seeing each other until the ceremony, I highly recommend shooting all of the formal portraits before the ceremony. I generally require an hour and a half for portraits (30 min. for bride & groom alone; 30 min. for bridal party; and 30 min. for family). If you choose to see each other before the ceremony, the time that I spend shooting you as a couple can be a special time for the two of you to interact before the craziness of the day. After the ceremony I find that brides and grooms are not very excited to do portraits but would rather spend time interacting with their loved ones and guests. This is why I recommend getting the portraits out of the way ahead of time. If you choose the traditional approach of shooting the portraits after the ceremony, make sure to time your ceremony so there is sufficient light available. Natural light makes all the difference in the quality of your photos. Always plan at least 15 minutes after the ceremony to interact with your guests or family before even beginning the portraits. So overall, make sure the ceremony ends at least 1 hour before sunset to be safe. In addition, I recommend planning in extra time between different events of your day as there are always unexpected things that come up and this will help to reduce stress and allow you to enjoy your day.


Tip 2 – Communicate to me any "must have" shots in the weeks before your wedding.

I will typically shoot the following formal portraits:

-Bride & Groom
-B & G with Bride's family
-B & G with Groom's family
-Bridal party all together
-Bride with bridesmaids
-Groom with groomsmen

If there are other photos that you would like to have, simply email them to me. I encourage you to not get too carried away with the list. I will be shooting constantly and am sure to get a wide variety of shots that you will like. As an artist it is important for me to be able to stay in the creative zone and shoot moments as they happen instead of being tied to a long list of shots that need to be checked off. I do want to accommodate your desires so please make them known.


Tip 3 – Prepare your family and friends for the style of photography you have chosen.

As you know, my style of photography is photojournalistic with a touch of portraiture. This means that I will follow you throughout the day and shoot all the details and special moments as they happen, and take the time to shoot portraits of your family and bridal party.  It is important to communicate your excitement about your choice for photography to your family and friends. Write them all an email and include my website www.katewall.com and encourage them to take a look. When they see examples of my work they will better understand what I am doing on your wedding day. They will feel more comfortable around the camera. In the email also encourage them to ignore me as much as possible. I try to be unobtrusive and invisible as much as possible. This way I get much more natural shots. Preparing your family and friends will help everyone to enjoy the day and will insure that I capture the best images of your day.


Tip 4 – Trust me.

It is my hope that you hire me because you trust that I will do a fabulous job documenting one of the most important days of your life. I promise to do my best for you. What I want most for you is that you will be able to enjoy your wedding day, free of any worry that all the right shots are being taken. So determine ahead of time to enjoy your day and to relinquish control over the photography on the day of your wedding.