Wedding Photographer’s Wedding Planning Checklist

Putting together a wedding planning checklist is what most brides and grooms do as they start preparing for their big day, but it is also vital for photographers. As such a checklist helps photographers create footage that exceeds their client’s expectations. We delve into the importance of such a checklist, and how we use it to cater to the specific needs of clients and create beautiful footage of weddings.

Leading up to the wedding – Initial meeting, contract, and shot list

Before we create a checklist for a wedding we schedule a meeting with the bride and groom. During the meeting, we discuss whether or not the engagement is scheduled to happen before the wedding. We then check what the bride and groom want in terms of videos and photos for the engagement, the wedding and post-wedding rituals. Once we finalize the footage required and tools, lights, and cameras required for creating it we sign a contract that outlines the approximate price that will be charged. Importantly, we leave room for footage and prices to be changed down the line.

Photographers know what shots best showcase clothes of different colors and venues, and so we discuss these with the client as we create a shot list. As the wedding progresses this shot list can be expanded when there are unique shots to be captured or it can be shortened. After this, we print the checklist for the wedding and give it to our staff and assistant. Checking all the spots where photos and videos will have to be recorded is also an important part of the wedding planning checklist for photographers, and we also provide the bride and groom with suggestions during this process.

Day of the wedding – taking shots and videos

The day of the wedding and the night before it, is when we are busiest. Once the shots of the rehearsal dinner and special moments before the wedding have been taken photographers can concentrate on the ceremony. The wedding day revolves around capturing; the dressing of the bride and groom, the decoration of the venue and the place where the reception is to be held, and the marriage ceremony. A checklist allows for all these important details to be captured in time and with the right cameras and lighting. Flowers used for the wedding, table pieces, ornaments, and dresses sometimes require special lighting and need to be shot from specific angles and a checklist ensures that all these elements are recorded beautifully.

After the wedding – editing and printing photos

A wedding photographer’s job does not stop once the wedding is over as they have to ensure that the photos and videos are edited and processed. As part of our photography service, we also take the wishes of the bride and groom into consideration during the editing of photos and videos. Creating CDs and composing wedding albums is also offered by photography service providers.

Shaadi Capture has packages that are created according to the specific needs of the bride and groom and, therefore, they differ from one wedding to the next. We also create a unique checklist for each wedding as per the wishes of the bride and groom. Our checklist ensures that the bride and groom’s wishes are taken into account at each step and the final footage brings them a lifetime of happiness.