Wedding Photography: New Trends and Expert Advice

Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life… which means it is often a whirlwind and over before you know it! You won’t want to miss a thing, so the wedding photography is arguably one of the most important parts of the day.

The photos from your special day are what you will be looking back on for future decades, hanging on your wall, sharing with friends and family, and showing your future children and grandchildren. This is why it is so important to find a photographer that you trust to capture every moment. Great wedding photographers know this and will do anything to ensure you get the best possible photos of your wedding day.

There are a lot of old traditions vs. new trends that are popping up which can change the way your wedding is photographed. These days couples are becoming more adventurous with their weddings and we are finding more couples ditching the old traditions and doing things their way!

Some of the most notable new trends that are becoming more and more common are:

TRADITIONAL CHURCH WEDDINGS vs. OUTDOOR GARDEN WEDDINGS

This will play a big part in your wedding photos as the whole setting is changed. In a church you are indoors, and it is typically quite formal. If you are having a backyard, garden, or beach wedding then you are outside with the more casual setting and the natural light. If you are opting for an outdoors wedding, it is important to think about how you will have the ceremony spaced out, where there will be shade or direct sun, which way the wind will be blowing, and your wet weather plan, as all of these factors will affect the ceremony photos!

UNPLUGGED CEREMONIES

This is another new trend which we got some experts to weigh in on! Adam and Kim are the award-winning photographers who make up Cavanagh Photography. They have been shooting weddings for over 10 years and their amazing talent, photography style, experience and great reviews have attributed to their excellent reputation in the industry. Their local area is Newcastle and the Hunter Valley but they also travel anywhere and everywhere!

Here’s what they have to say about Unplugged ceremonies:

"An ‘unplugged ceremony' is when you ask your guests to turn off their cameras, phones and devices during your wedding ceremony. We love unplugged ceremonies because it allows guests to be fully present and actually watch the wedding ceremony without the distraction of trying to take photos or videos. From a wedding photography point of view, we get much better photos of the ceremony when it is unplugged. We aren’t competing with guests to capture moments, and no one is unintentionally blocking shots or stepping into the aisle at key moments. We also love taking photos of your family and friends faces as they watch you get married. Which can be tricky if everyone is watching the ceremony through their phones.

So our advice, if you want to have an unplugged ceremony, is to hire an awesome wedding photographer and tell your guests to sit back, relaxed and really watch the ceremony. You want to be looking out at a sea of smiling faces, not a sea of phones taking your photo."

FIRST LOOK

Another tradition vs. trend is not seeing your partner before the wedding vs. the first look. This can affect the way your wedding photos are done as traditionally you would not see your husband/wife to be until you are at the aisle, then after the ceremony you would traditionally leave the wedding for 60-90 minutes for photos. Your guests will wait at the wedding for you to return while these photos are getting taken. With the new trend of the ‘first look’, you and your partner have a private and intimate moment before the ceremony where you see each other and get photos done then, meaning you either don’t have to leave the wedding at all, or your photo time is significantly lessened.

This is a big thing to consider when planning your day as it is only something that you and your partner can make the decision about.

Let’s check in with another expert in wedding photography, Lauren Anne Photography and see what she has to say:

"First looks provide such an intimate & authentic setting for you and your partner. With everything being so public on wedding days it’s nice to have such a special moment just between just the two of you, taking some of those pre-ceremony jitters away in the process. The emotions captured during a first look are so raw and real, it truly is a beautiful moment.

From a photography perspective it’s important to note that if your photos take place earlier in the day (before the ceremony), the lighting isn’t as ideal as it would be around sunset, where the light is soft and more complimentary. In saying this though, would you rather leave your guests for 1-2 hours after the ceremony OR party on with them, having a few drinks and not missing a minute of the fun!?

For couple photos that take place earlier in the day before the ceremony, I suggest finding locations either inside or under shade. I also highly recommend asking your photographer to steal you away for 15 minutes during the reception for gorgeous, warm sunset photos. It's a win-win for everyone!"

Lauren Anne Photography is run by a team of wedding photographers who pour passion and creativity into each and every wedding that they shoot. They are mainly focused in Newcastle, Hunter Valley and Sydney but are happy to travel across Australia and even the world. They believe in candid photos and capturing real memories.  If you are a couple who reads the next tradition vs, trend and thinks that it sounds appealing to you, then we recommend getting in touch with Lauren Anne Photography to see how they can help you achieve this on your special day!

More ways that modern couples are straying from the traditions of weddings are more and more couples are opting for more candid and casual photos, instead of the more posed and formal photos. Instead of everyone lining up and smiling for the camera, more couples are choosing to have the photographer blend into the wedding and snap photos of you, your family and your friends talking, laughing, dancing and capture the real moments, instead of the posed.

NO BRIDAL PARTY

It is very traditional to have bridal parties, however there is nothing wrong with deciding to not have a bridal party for your big day! You can still call on friends and family to help with the planning, but deciding against a bridal party can save on wedding planning stress and on photo stress too, as it can avoid the photographer having to juggle an extra 10 people there for the photoshoot.

Neither the traditional or the trends are right or wrong, it is simply up to each couple to determine what they like best and what suits their wedding!

As you can see, there is a lot that goes into picking the photographer that is the best fit for you and your wedding, and you need to consider your style, budget, and expectations. Make sure you do your research, check out photographers’ websites and portfolios, set up meetings, have open discussions about your preferred style, ask questions and get quotes. This will help you make your decision and ensure you find the perfect photographer for you!