To help you prepare for your questionnaire, here's what I'll be asking...
General Information
- Your names, Contact numbers and confirming email and your wedding date
- Two emergency Contacts – one for who’ll be with each of you in the morning
- Did you book a second shooter? This is something you’d have to organise with me prior to the questionnaire – get in touch if you want to add one on!
- Did you book a Videographer? I just like being nosey!
Locations
- Is your wedding in one location or several?
- First Location for second shooter, if you booked one – Full address and if there’s parking!
- First Location for Me – Full Address and if there’s parking!
- Distances between locations
- Ceremony + Reception Locations – Full Addresses and if there’s parking!
Schedule
When it comes to your day working at the most smoothest of smooth days, information is key!
Give all your suppliers your full schedule and we will work together to create magic. Include everything, even if you don’t think I need to know it!
10 hours is my typical coverage, I recommend starting about 1.5/2 hours before the partner in prep being covered is due to get dressed, if no prep is being covered, about an hour before the ceremony begins. Please consider timings that allow me to get to different locations without stress, I’ll be leaving earlier than you to get to your ceremony, park and set up ready for your arrival. Ensure you are getting dressed and first looks take place with plenty of time for me to still leave on time.
- What time would you like me to start coverage?
- Ceremony Time
- Full Day’s Schedule – This is where you’d enter your full day’s schedule, there’s a big box to allow for this.
- Speakers information – These are for those having people speaking during their ceremony or during any speeches in the reception
- Are you having first looks? – Perhaps with a parent, bridesmaids or even your other half prior to the ceremony
- Are you having confetti, Cake Cutting, First Dance or Sparklers/Fireworks
Group Shots
To ensure we make the most of your time during group shots, and to help ease the stress of gathering people, here’s some helpful hints!
How Many? – A list of about 12 group shots is typical, but you can have as many or as little as you like, just keep in mind you’ve got to stand and smile longer for more photos! (Please sure you make enough time in your schedule for it too!)
How to list them? – Typically, larger to smaller groups work well to keep the flow going quicker, however please take into consideration these bits – Priority – if for some reason, the day runs over, making me aware of your priority shots will help me work with you and your guests to give us the best chance of capturing these!
Guests – Keep in mind any guests who are hard of walking, children who may get fed up quickly resulting in grumpy faces!
Rolling photos – Avoid making guests step in and out of multiple photo’s by grouping your shots together (for example, members of one family who can stay still for multiple photographs)
Typical groups you may like to consider;
- Partner 1’s extended family
- Partner 1’s immediate family
- Partner 2’s extended family
- Partner 2’s immediate family
- Partner 1’s friends
- Partner 2’s friends
- Bridal Party/Bridesmaids/Groomsmen
And lastly, please write them out so I can work with the list on ease during the session… here’s an example of the perfect group list for me;
- Bride + Groom with bride’s family Hannah, Steven, Laura, Paul, Yasmin, Fred, Rochelle.
This includes the name of the shot (Brides family) as well as names of each person in the photograph, which also gives me an idea on how many people are in the photo too!
- When will we be doing group shots? – this is to give me an idea if it’s straight after the ceremony, or just before sitting down for example.
- A group shot list – A big box for you to enter your group shot list.
- Who can I get help from? – Ideally a groomsmen or bridesmaid who know a lot of people!