Comments on Souris Mariage: Mouse's Adventures as Bride, Newlywed, and Best Woman: As I've mentioned, our wedding venue comes with a...

i totally agree on the short list of posed photos....

2010-03-12T09:34:05.015-06:00

i totally agree on the short list of posed photos. i'm a lot late catching up on blogs this week, and just commented at a los angeles love. we're not good at the posed stuff so we're going to take a few to make family happy and get that out of the way as soon as possible, and then it's photo-journalism style the rest of the night.
Brandy's comment just made me feel so much better.

All my personal opinions, feel free to take and le...

2010-03-11T14:21:54.194-06:00

All my personal opinions, feel free to take and leave what you wish.

I would not drive. If it's a 5-10 minute walk, it'll be fun surrounded by the people you love and will provide ample material for the candid photos you want. Have face blotters and water bottles (aluminum — possible wedding party gifts?) on hand for the heat. Driving that short of a distance just doesn't sit right with me. Think of the fossil fuel you'll save.

When you get back to the venue, give yourself 10 minutes to freshen up. Bring a washcloth to pat yourself down with cold water and have makeup touchups on hand.

And take the biggest group photos first, allowing those who are done to leave first. And get the grandparent shots done first so they can get back to the air conditioning/seating if they need it.

And smile your ass off. I promise they will go faster than you think. Just tell your photographer what you want to get on the same brainwave.

Jasmine Star had a great piece of advice on shooti...

2010-03-11T13:13:51.101-06:00

Jasmine Star had a great piece of advice on shooting family formals here(http://www.jasminestarblog.com/index.cfm?postID=796&faq-shooting-family-formal-photos-at-weddings). Basically, her approach is to take the big group photos first and then peel people off as you go along. Seemed smart to me just because it's easier to let people leave than try to find them in the middle of shooting.

Yes, having someone to run interference is hugely ...

2010-03-11T12:48:13.120-06:00

Yes, having someone to run interference is hugely helpful. Glad your site comes with one!

I think making a short list of posed photos is smart, and just emphasize to your photographer that you want them done neatly and quickly so you can get onto the good parts. Wedding lady will be good about making sure correct people are rounded up at the right time. That's usually part of the job.

I'm assigning a friend (who does PR and event ...

2010-03-11T12:12:44.829-06:00

I'm assigning a friend (who does PR and event planning on the side) and a family friend (who is an interior decorator-i.e. in charge of the details) to be wedding orchestrators. I like the idea that I can be off somewhere sipping champange because I too am a worrier, planner and will be a bundle of nerves.

my photographer is also a photojournalist but my mom is super traditional and her one request is that we spend money on photos, good ones that include everything, because when memory fades they'll be all we have from the day. I'm still hammering out the "posed photo" details. I'm not a huge fan, even though I tend to like the outcome and guarantee that everyone is included. I just feel so awkward being told where to stand and taking time away from chatting with people.

I was wed two and a half weeks ago. I kid you not...

2010-03-11T11:16:58.402-06:00

I was wed two and a half weeks ago. I kid you not, our formals were.....five minutes, I think. Definitely no more than 10. We did it in an alcove of the indoor atrium where we were wed. All of the bridal party, all of my family, all of his family. Us an our officiant (my uncle), then just us. Done. They're [mostly] gorgeous and retained a spur of the moment quality since we were not "lined up" but bunched all together in this little grove of trees. Honestly, they were evertyhing I hoped for and more. And candids rock way harder than any posed photo could dream of rocking it. Just sayin'.

Wedding Lady and photographer both sound great! I...

2010-03-11T09:22:52.099-06:00

Wedding Lady and photographer both sound great! I'm trying to figure out how to get one of those!

About the posed photos, I don't like traditionally posed photos but we'll probably cover the basics that you listed out. Smaller group photos before the crying and the ceremony and then extended family after ceremony and probably with more crying.

And from there I'm thinking quasi-posed-more-candid-than-not photos should cover it. We'll just hang out, have fun, chat, laugh, and let the photos snap! Those are the ones I want to have in a frame on my (someday) mantle.

First, I am so happy you have a Wedding Lady! G...

2010-03-11T08:03:13.075-06:00

First, I am *so happy* you have a Wedding Lady! Good ones are worth their weight in gold, exactly because you won't have to worry about any of the annoying stuff that might arise on the wedding day.

Second, we did something pretty close to what you're thinking of doing re: posed photos. We did bridal party, couple, and immediate family (parents/siblings) photos before the ceremony, and then larger extended family photos after the ceremony. I am also not a fan of posed photos, but I'm happy to report they weren't nearly as painful as I'd feared!