North Carolina Wedding Photographers

When your wedding is over, the gifts unwrapped and the guests departed, your worries about the color of your manicure, the selection of hors d'oeuvres and seating arrangements at dinner will be no more, and you'll suddenly develop a much keener interest in the work of your photographer. Be careful and methodical in your choice, and you'll enjoy the memories of your wedding -- through your photos -- for years to come.

Classic Wedding Shots

While you and your photographer can choose any kinds of shots you like (candid or posed, formal or informal) there are a few classic shots that most traditional wedding photographers will take:

Engagement photo session
Bride's preparations
Wedding dress closeup (often hanging on door)
Family group pictures in any combination
Bride's walk down the aisle
Vows
Ring exchange
Bride and groom kiss
Spotlight dances (bride/groom, father/daughter, mother/son)
Cake cutting and sharing
Bouquet toss
Couple leaving

If there are certain shots you definitely want, make sure to let your photographer know.

When Should I Take Photos?

Common superstition has it that it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding, perhaps based on traditions of arranged marriages where the bride and groom had never met before, and a skittish groom might run if he discovered his bride were unattractive. If you don't mind scrapping this old-fashioned superstition, then your best bet might be taking your posed photographs before the wedding.

Some advantages of taking photos before the wedding:

You will all be fresh, and your hair and clothes pristine.
You can get the group photos out of the way before the guests arrive, instead of making them wait after the ceremony.

If you're hiring a photographer, it's crucial for him or her to be present at your ceremony, but it's up to you whether you hire your photographer's services for other events, such as your engagement, hair and makeup sessions or reception.

How to Select a Photographer

Above all, make sure you interview a few photographers in person, thoroughly check out their portfolios, and contact previous clients. Other things to bring up during an interview:

What kind of photo packages do they offer and what does each package include?
Do they offer an online photo album?
Do they use film or digital cameras?
When will photographer arrive and how long will he or she stay?
Do you get your negatives? In case you want reprints, how long will they store your negatives? (With digital cameras, this does not apply.)
Will the photographer you meet actually be doing your photography, or an assistant or other person?
What's the photographer's style? Romantic? Traditional? Artsy?

Trends in Wedding Photography

Some recent trends in wedding photography include:

Photojournalism: Abandoning the usually carefully posed photos for a journalist-style documentation of your wedding, capturing what actually happened and telling the story of your event through photos. Candid photography follows a similar approach, but is less focused on creating a story.

Disposable cameras: If you leave disposable cameras on tables at your reception and encourage your guests to take pictures, you'll get dozens of souvenirs from different perspectives and capture moments you would have missed otherwise. Disposable cameras are cheap, but make sure to factor in the expense of having the photos developed, and keep in mind that you might not get all the cameras back.

Special effects: Ask your photographer if he or she offers fisheye photos (an effect like looking through the view-hole in a hotel door), infrared photography (surreal glowing images) or 3-D photos.

Trash the dress: A popular trend based around the idea that if you're never going to wear your wedding dress again, why not have fun with it and get it dirty rather than packing it away in a closet forever? "Trash the dress" photo shoots involve posing in your dress in rugged locations like a beach, a mountainside, or a forest, and often end with the bride lying in the sand, wading in the ocean or otherwise getting her dress dirty.

Online photo showcases: Many photographers will offer to host your photos online, which makes viewing and sharing easy and also provides the perk of an online backup of all your photos. You can also put your photos online through one of many online photo sharing services, such as Flickr or Picasa.

Wedding Photography on a Budget

Some lower-budget photography options:

Shop around for photographers to make sure you've found a high-quality but economical option.
Put together your own album rather than having a professional do it.
Hire a photographer for formal, posed photos, but rely on your shutterbug friends for candid shots.
Stick with color photos; they're often cheaper than black-and-white.
Take a chance on an advanced photography student instead of a professional.