We can remember back to how we felt on the day of our first wedding. We were a mixture of emotions! We were nervous and excited (mostly nervous)! We shot 7 weddings in our first year of business. By doing those 7 weddings, we picked up a few tips and tricks that make the day so much easier! If you are about to shoot your first wedding or hope to shoot a wedding someday, then we hope these 5 tips will be helpful to you!

01. Prep your gear the night before. 

The first thing I want to mention here is when prepping your gear, it will make your life a whole lot easier if you make a list of everything you need for the wedding day. We always make lists the night before a wedding. From our camera equipment to our flash equipment to our snacks to props, there is a lot to keep track of! Lists help us make sure that nothing is forgotten. We are list people through and through, and it is just one way we stay organized.

The night before the wedding we always fully charge all of our camera batteries and clear off our memory cards (back up the images that are already on there before clearing off the memory card for a wedding). Also, check your gear and make sure all the lenses are clean.

We also pack all of our bags so they are ready to go in the morning, and we re-check everything again right before we leave!

02. Dress professionally.

When picking an outfit out for a wedding, we always try to dress like a guest (within reason). We will typically wear a dress with pockets and a pair of comfy flats. We always make sure our dress is long enough so we feel comfortable getting up and down off of a stool and bending down to get a shot. To learn more about our wedding day uniform, click here to read our blog post!

03. Arrive early

We always plan to arrive an hour early to the venue. We love arriving early for many reasons. The first reason is because the extra hour gives us more time just in case of traffic. Also, if we arrive early, we get extra time to shoot and to look for shooting locations. The extra hour helps us stick to our timeline, and it is a nice surprise to the bride when we gift her extra time for her day!

04. Always keep an extra memory card, batteries for your flash, and a camera battery on hand.

The main reason we make sure our dresses have pockets is so we can carry an extra memory card, batteries, and a camera battery. The last thing you want on a wedding day is for your battery to die or your memory card to fill up right before the bride and groom are about to cut the cake! If you have these items in your pocket, then you can change them out without having to run back to your camera bag and miss losing the shot.

05. Smile and take a deep breath! 

Remember to give yourself some grace! It is your first wedding, so don’t expect it to go perfectly. Just smile and keep a positive attitude. Also, remember it is your bride’s one and only wedding day, and the way they feel comes first. Don’t stress out. Just do your best, and be honored that she asked you to be a part of her day!

You will learn something new each time you pick up your camera. Enjoy the process. One day you’ll look back and be able to see how much you’ve grown! We are cheering for you, friend!

-Chelsea and Hannah

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