Destination Elopements
These types of weddings are very much on the rise and can be very appealing for some couples. I worked with one couple who said their family just couldn’t agree on anything (partly because they were located in different countries). So they planned an elopement and in the end there were just 7 people at the wedding excluding celebrant and photographer. But it was one of the maddest, most fun, stylish weddings I have been to. So if it feels right, just do it.
Unplugged Wedding Ceremonies
Want to see your guests faces as you walk down the aisle rather than seeing them buried in their phones or trying to capture images of the ceremony themselves? It’s becoming commonplace for couples to ask guests not to snap and share images of the marriage ceremony, in favour of leaving it to the professionals to capture every moment and emotion more naturally – while guests offer their undivided attention. What could be more perfect.
Reportage
Taking a photojournalistic approach is much more common these days. The photographer becomes more of an observer and shoots opportunities during the day as they unfold. This does not mean that there is no room for the creative, styled groups shots of even the Vanity Fair styled images as they all work together very well. It just adds an overall feel of genuineness to the final set of images.
Vanity Fair Imagery for Bridal Party Portraits
With a little time and attention to detail it is possible to create stunning Vanity Fair style images of the bridal party. Some planning is of course needed for location, lighting etc and this is certainly becoming more popular.
Dramatic Locations
Lets face it, we are spoiled in New Zealand for dramatic locations. Some couples even book a helicopter to take the party into hills or mountains to provide an an amazing backdrop for that extra special image. If you can dream it you can do it.
Not Caring About Wedding Albums
We get less and less requests for wedding albums as time goes by. Most clients want to get their images as quickly as possible and the reliance on a traditional wedding album is not there like it used to be.
Brides & Grooms Pay For Everything
This is pretty common these days and it means that the bride and groom can get exactly what they want for that special day, which allows them all of the planning freedom they desire. This often results in break in tradition and removes the annoying feeling of ‘I would never have done it that way’.
Creative Imagery
It is always possible to plan a few creative shots beforehand but sometimes this just happens on the day, thorough opportunity. The main thing is to be open to trying things on the day and just going with the flow.
Social Media is Here to Stay
Creating your own hashtag and posting instantly to Instagram using a predefined hashtag (i.e. #MrandMrsSmith) is becoming quite a trend and underlines the move by many people away from Facebook and towards Instagram. Some couples though, prefer to put a ban on social media posts until the first images arrive from the photographer. In some cases though this can take a few weeks and this leads us into our next trend.
Teasers
Its great to get a few killer images ahead of the main body of images, so that they can be posted to social media. Lets face it, if you want to see how a friends wedding went it’s nice to see something on social media pretty quickly, so a few early images from the professional photographer can be a real bonus and really keeps up the interest around the big day.
Drone Wedding Photography
Purchasing aerial wedding photography was once the domain of the wealthy but with drones now being mainstream, this option has now been opened up to many more people. And it’s being well utilised. Just don’t get married too close to airport!
Breaking with Tradition
These days there are more traditions than ever being broken: bride and groom getting ready together, walking down the aisle together, photos before the ceremony, unusual venues. There are a host of things being done now that our parents would not have dreamed of. Lets face it, if something feels outdated or even awkward, then why do it? Its better that everyone is relaxed and enjoying the day– in the end the photos will be much better for it.