When I got married in September 2005, I had a list of five absolutes for my wedding:

1. The groom (obviously)
2. The ring
3. The dress
4. The photographer
5. The honeymoon

While there are clearly varying degrees of importance, thankfully, even with a wedding on a budget, I didn’t have to sacrifice on any of these absolutes.

I knew exactly what I wanted from my wedding pictures. After asking around, I was referred to Sandra Leung. Sandra is the owner of the Yaletown Wedding Gallery in the trendy Yaletown district of Vancouver. After visiting Sandra’s studio and seeing the caliber of photographer she was, she was the natural choice. Didn’t she do a beautiful job?

Here are some things to consider when preparing for your wedding and bridal photos:

1. Wedding Photo Tip #1: Try the photo-journalistic approach.
   This is the newest trend in wedding photography. As you can see, Sandra didn’t use the “cheese!” approach, rather allowed us wander ahead and captured the natural moments as they came. As my sister Stephanie said when she first saw Sandra’s website, “It looks like something from a magazine!”
   
2. Wedding Photo Tip #2: Wear more make-up than usual.
   Much like when on stage or in theatre, the make-up you are wearing will look like less than it is. It may look like a little much, but it won’t in your photos. You may want to consider getting together with a make-up artist to learn some new techniques, or, hire one! Might I recommend Enizio, who do on-site hair and make-up for weddings or Redefine Your Image in the Salt Lake City area.
   
   
3. Wedding Photo Tip #3: Take your photos a day other than your wedding day.
   We did our bridal and wedding photos several days before the wedding – by the time we were married, we were able to focus on the ceremony itself and not be distracted by the other details. After the luncheon, we just drove off into the sunset!
   
   
4. Wedding Photo Tip #4: Be willing to pay more than you anticipated.
   While I had a particular price range in mind, it was definitely worth the stretch to get quality, lasting photographs. Trust me – when you are old, these photos will live on and you’ll be able to say to your grandkids, “Didn’t I look amazing!”
   
   
5. Wedding Photo Tip #5: Lead the camera lens through the process of getting ready.
   Our photographer, Sandra, snapped a few shots during the make-up process before the dress was donned. In addition to some lovely photos of the dress, some of my favorite pictures of the whole afternoon are the ones of my mom lacing up my corset.
   

Here are some wedding photographers we highly recommend in the Salt Lake City area who will definitely have some amazing wedding photo tips of their own:

• Justin Hackworth Photography – www.justinhackworth.com
• Melissa Kelsey Photography – www.melissakelseyphotography.com
• Images by JaNae – www.imagesbyjanae.com
• Green Apple Photography – www.greenapplephotographyonline.com
• The Color Blue Photography – www.thecolorbluephotography.com
• Molto Bella Photography – www.molto-bella.net

Wedding Photographers we recommend in the Vancouver area:

• Sandra Leung, Yaletown Wedding Gallery – www.ytweddinggallery.com
• Melia Sorenson, Lucida Photography – www.lucida-photography.com

Hope you’ve enjoyed these wedding photo tips.  Best of luck with your wedding planning!

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