A great photo is priceless, especially when it comes to weddings. Most brides- and bridegrooms-to-be book the best photographer their budget will allow to capture priceless memories from their wedding day.
But many couples also realize that it is important to capture the special moments leading up to and following the big day — such as engagement, bachelor- and bachelorette parties, showers, the rehearsal dinner and honeymoon.
Although a professional photographer may not always be on hand for these happenings, newlyweds will probably want to make certain that after the honeymoon, they have a variety of photographs to fill their albums. Here are a few simple tips to help preserve the memories from this special time:
• Capture the preparations. Some of the most entertaining moments occur days, weeks or even months before the wedding. Many brides, relatives and friends find it essential to bring a camera to capture the preparations, such as dress-shopping excursions and hair/makeup sessions. Photos of such occasions can be part of the formal wedding album (and also will help the bride compare wedding gown options and select those she likes best).
• Battery power. With the mainstream popularity of digital cameras, shutterbugs take a lot more pictures than ever before, especially at a special event like a wedding. As guests snap away during the ceremony and cocktail hour, many will end up with a dead battery before the first dance. That’s why it is always a good idea, whether at the favor table or in the vanity baskets, to provide guests with plenty of disposable batteries to keep their cameras powered when there is no time to recharge. Because professional photo proofs often take several weeks to arrive, guests’ photos are typically the first the bride and groom will actually see, so it is in their best interest to keep their guests ready to capture their best moments.
• Instant albums. Another growing trend among coupes today is not only that of documenting their wedding experience from the engagement through the honeymoon, but preserving those moments in personalized scrapbooks or albums. An instant album is easily created by pre-decorating album pages, then bringing a portable photo printer to the engagement party or bridal shower. Friends and relatives can snap digital photos, print them and instantly affix them to the album pages along with personal notes. With this option, no time is wasted — each section of the photo album will be complete before the champagne runs dry!
• Colorful choices. There are many options when it comes to wedding photography: Should photos be sepia, color or black-and-white? Digital or 35mm? One simple solution is to arm several members of the wedding party with a variety of cameras, pre-loaded with different types of film, and ask them to shoot away. Not only will the new couple get more varied and candid images, but they’ll also have a greater variety of styles for their album and for framing.
• Cyber sites. Many couples are creating their own Web site to serve as both a pre-wedding information center (for R.S.V.P.’s, directions, gift registry, etc.) and a cyber-album for uploading photographs, complete with captions, to share with family and friends. One of the most popular and modestly priced hosting sites is www.ewedding.com, which was rated by The Wall Street Journal as No. 1 in wedding Web site design.