Wedding pics as a wedding gift?

[Claire]

Ok, I'm just toying with the idea so far. My friend is getting married April 30 2005 and of course I'm brining along the 300D. There will be a professional wedding photographer at the wedding, and most likely he/she will take the usual official shots. I'd like to take candids during the day.

Would you think it'd be an ok wedding gift (or addition to the wedding gift) to give her an album/CD with the pics?

I'm not sure this is feasible yet as the bride might kick my ass for taking pics instead of just being the Maid of Honour... :wink:

/Claire
P.S. Been reading some of the wedding photography threads. Wow, it's expensive stuff in the US! Over here the normal price is app. $625. Weddings in the US seem expensive and big in general... (not to mention for me! And I'm just the bridesmaid...

[robertwgross]

Would you think it'd be an ok wedding gift (or addition to the wedding gift) to give her an album/CD with the pics?


Yes. You do the photography, then make up a small photo album to give to the couple after the event. Enclose a CD-ROM of the image files in some convenient format (e.g. JPEG) so that they can have more prints if they choose.

The main thing to watch out for is this. Find out what the pro photographer is supposed to be shooting and avoid getting in the way. You shoot the less formal stuff, like little candid scenes as the bride is getting ready. It will be more personal that way.

When my niece was getting married, old Uncle Bob was there to "work around" the paid pro photographer. In the hours before the start of the ceremony, when she was getting tucked into the bridal gown, I was able to get the only shot of her stuffing a cheeseburger into her mouth. They liked that one.

---Bob Gross---

[iwatkins]

I've never done the "Main photographer" bit at weddings, even after friends have asked. I say no, mainly as I don't want to screw it up and fall out for life.

However, I always say I'll do other shots during the day for them.

So I usually turn up and get shots of the bride/bridesmaids getting ready (usually get good shots here), then I'll go find the bridegroom, and do the same.

Also get good shots before and after the wedding itself and again at the reception. The "pro" is usually only around for the wedding and post wedding shots anyway. I find if I stick to candids when the main post weddings shots are being done by the Pro, I'm automatically out of the way and not standing on his/her toes.

I'll then go to town on making up a nice album, using quality materials, put in a CD-ROM of the shots as well and present that to them once they get back from their honeymoon. I usually do just this and no other present.

Usually goes down very well and some of my best shots ever have come from friends wedding days.

Cheers

Ian

[lucasdigital]

Would you think it'd be an ok wedding gift (or addition to the wedding gift) to give her an album/CD with the pics?

I'm not sure this is feasible yet as the bride might kick my ass for taking pics instead of just being the Maid of Honour... :wink:

/Claire


For sure!

I took photographs at my cousins wedding, being the only guest with a tripod, I was frequently mistaken for the professional guy.

You hit upon an important point, the photographer delivers a pile of beauty shots that tend to be about the most "forced" photographs you ever wish to look at. Being there to capture a bit of truth can be very valuable.

After the reception, my slightly drunk self formatted and uploaded a pile of the shots for viewing. The bride and groom were able to see the shots from their honeymoon, many weeks before seeing the official shots.

Also...how else is anyone going to remember what the photographer looked like 8)

http://www.lucas-digital.com/bloghouse/howelse.jpg

[Claire]

Thanks for you input guys. I really do like this idea, but you guys were just regular guests, right? I've never been a bridesmaid, so no clue what's expected of me, and I'm not sure if this will make it slightly trickier for me to take pics. Eh, I'm guessing I'll end up being in heaps of pics too!

Ok, so if I go for this idea I should probably tell the bride and groom, right and say that will be my gift to them. But what if the pics come out horrible? :shock: It'd feel weird going "oh, I'm sorry they are terrible, here's another gift instead!"

[robertwgross]

But what if the pics come out horrible?

Now you know why many people should not be professional wedding photographers.

Between now and the wedding, practice, practice, practice.

---Bob Gross---

[Claire]

Now you know why many people should not be professional wedding photographers.

Between now and the wedding, practice, practice, practice.

---Bob Gross---

I once told a friend how much wedding photographers charge. He went "damn, that's expensive!" Then I told him about the expenses of shooting digitally AND what shooting a wedding would be like. He still didn't get it, just thought I should give it a try and that I'd earn back the expenses within a few weddings. :roll: Yeah, and I'll probably be sued even though I would be working in Sweden! lol

Eh, what should I practise on? It's not like I have any weddings to practise on... I'm taking a portrait photography course this weekend though. :)

[redbutt]

I've done this for 4 friends and my brother, where I was the Best Man. IT's a great gift, and if you work it right, you can claim it as part of your Bride's Maid duties...you know...official documentation of the "real" story. Seriously though...it's great fun and if you make friends with the hired photographer first, it will be much better for you.

[redbutt]

Eh, what should I practise on? It's not like I have any weddings to practise on... I'm taking a portrait photography course this weekend though. :)

Anything you can...take you camera with you when you go on outings with friends, take it shopping, take it everywhere.

BTW...where do you live in Sweden? I bought my Volvo from the factory in Goteborg 2 years ago, and drove around the country from two weeks. It's a beautiful place. I made it as far north as Ostersund, but didn't go much further south than Kosta Boda.

That's the Volvo Factory in the background and me in my new C70 Coupe :lol:

http://image.pbase.com/u15/redbutt/medium/4606873.IMG_0143.jpg

[Claire]

I told my friend's mom about my thoughts around this, she liked it. She told me to do it and gave some more ideas too. Said she thinks my friend will find it really nice and special coming from me. Told me I can just give her a card saying "your present will wait for you after the honeymoon" or something, so to spike their curiosity.

I did tell her now in a reply that I'd love to do this because I find it both personal and fun. Did tell her though too about my worries that it might go terribly wrong. But, it's not like I think they expect pro-style pics anyway. Another friend just told me I should just do it and not worry so much.

I can't find that old sticky thread that had compiled all the wedding threads on the forum. Does anyone know where it is?


Redbugg, I live outside of Gothenburg. :) I know people who work at Volvo. My dad used to work a lot with them too. We had Volvo all the time until my folks sold their company. Now we have a BMW. :D

[robertwgross]

Claire, you can start your early preparation now. Take the class. Learn your equipment. Make a list of proposed shots for the prior to the ceremony, at the ceremony, at the reception, etc. Depending on what you want to do, you might have a list of 20-40 shots and poses that you want to get. Make it into a checklist, and either get a helper to check them off or else make yourself a miniaturized checklist that you stick on the side of your camera.

As you further your study, add more shots to your list. By the time of the wedding, you will be all ready to go.

The pro photographer is getting paid well for his time, and it is his profession, so try not to get in his way. For one thing, the B&G are paying dearly for his time, so whatever you do that slows him down, somebody is paying for that. That's why it will be nice if you stay out of the way and shoot the cutesy candid shots that the pro will not bother with. Those will be more personal.

---Bob Gross---

[Claire]

Robert,
I will definitely have to think through what type of shots I'd like to have and make a list, but to be honest I'm more the type who observes and shoot on impulse. Will be good to have a list of possible shots for this occasion though.

I definitely will stay out of the pro's way! Of course I'd like to talk to him/her, but will not be in the way when he/she is shooting. I don't think they have decided on a photographer yet, so they don't have details of what exact things will be in that package. I'll find out when they know more. I will probably stay away from "official shots" as a photographer, but as a bridesmaid I'll most likely be in them anyway. :)

[chris.bailey]

Claire

I have done a similar thing on a couple of weddings and christenings and have always tried to get some shots that the pro would not (the father asleep towards the end of the reception, the bride touching up her make-up, 6 guests in full wedding attire trying to get into a Mini to get from Church to reception all spring to mind) as well as some candids of the guests. The pro will do all the usual shots so its nice to give them an album of something a little different.

Chris

[clorich]

Don't forget about the other wedding-related shots you will be able to get given your position: finding a dress, bachelorette party, rehearsal dinner, etc.

[robertwgross]

Usually, it isn't too hard to sort out the wedding photos afterwards, even if you are the photographer and you don't really know the families that well. Last October, I shot a wedding that was difficult. Follow along:

There was the bride, and the bride's mother and stepfather. Then there was the groom, and the groom's father and stepmother. Then there was the bride's father who was married to the groom's mother. Three families!

Needless to say, the formal family poses had to be very carefully choreographed. We did not want to try to pose ex-spouses together. It was further complicated since the bride's father was getting drunk before the ceremony ever started. I kept shooting the red-eye problem until I finally realized that it was not from my equipment. It was the true eye color on the bride's father!

---Bob Gross---

[MT]

that is getting married in April. There are always extra opportunities - and it's a whole lot more fun than doing it as the 'pro'.

[Claire]

Chris and Clorich. Thanks for your input. As I'm living in Sweden and won't arrive until a week before the wedding, all the picking out dresses thing has past me by. She got her dress months ago and I'm sending her my measurements for the seamstress.

I will be planning a bachelorette party, so definitely will take pics during that. The rehearsal is the day before the wedding her mom says, and she also said that'll be a good photo op for me.

Are there any other American traditions to weddings that I should take into my planning? Otherwise I'll try to just observe and click when I see something I like. (yes, awfully amateurish, but heck I am one!)

[TSEE]

En till SVENSK! Ok! Gud vad jag saknar Sverige ibland (Stockholm's född och uppvuxen).

To be polite to the english speakers/readers.
I've done this thing for several of our friends and family that's gotten married.
This was of course before I got my 20D, I just had a regular 35mm camera, and I only took B&W images. But those turned into VERY cherished gifts. I made a collage frame for one of my husbands cousin's who got married (see attached photo - excuse the bad quality, taken with a cheap digital camera and poor lighting, but you get the idea), and apparently it ended up being on an honor wall they loved it so much. A lot of people around here like the more personalized gifts more than a toaster or another coffeemaker that they already got 3 of. Ya know?

Good Luck!

[Claire]

En till SVENSK! Ok! Gud vad jag saknar Sverige ibland (Stockholm's född och uppvuxen).


Nej men hej! Kul med en annan svensk. :D

Love the collage you did. It looks really nice. I probably won't be trying something like that out (too difficult for shipping from Sweden), but I'm hoping to get some decent shots for a personal album for them. They've hired a guy to do PJ style shots, but I should be able to sneak a few shots. ;) Also emailed the pro that I'd be glad to offer any help on the day. Also, Bloo Dog and many others have given me tons of advice. I hope I can remember some of it on the day! :lol: At least I'm not the bride. I have a feeling she'll be very emotional and delirious.

Hm, got the bridesmaids skirt in the mail today. It's...red. Quite bright red. We'll all look like red stop signs. LOL But at least we'll be cute stop signs! ;)

[TSEE]

Trodde faktiskt det var mest Amerikanska och Engelska användare, så kul att se en till Svensk. :)

Ok I thought the wedding was also in Sweden, where is it gonna be?
Thanks, I liked it too, the two text "squares" had their names and wedding date in it and the second had a saying they had in their wedding program "Today I married my best friend....", they really enjoyed that. I'm thinking of doing one just like it for a wedding we're going to in August, my husbands co-worker is getting married and I really starting to hate getting toasters and towels for people, I'd rather do something like this. I'm pretty artsy I suppose and this gives me an outlet for it since I don't have time to paint anymore (2 kids running around these days).
The album will be nice I'm sure, get a nice album and spend time on the photos making them into something special, it will be a very nice gift. :D

LOL, bright red huh? That's an odd color, but hey....its all about what the bride wants right? I picked up my future sister in laws bridesmaids dresses Thursday so she didn't have to make a 4 hour round trip to pick them up (the shop she got them from is 10 mins from me), I brought them to her bridal shower today and teased her saying the dresses were a deep purple (they were suppose to be navy), she almost started bawling. I felt so bad, I just wanted to tease her! :confused:

Oh well.....Good Luck anyways, I'm sure it will be a nice gift, show off some of the pictures when you get a chance, I'd love to see them!

[Claire]

Sue,
The wedding is in Minneapolis. It seems to become a very traditional American wedding. I'll probably be half dead while over there. I arrive on Wed evening, then probably running around trying to both do some quick sight-seeing, as well as help with last minute stuff. Then it's the bachelorette party on Thursday. We're renting a room and have a girly night in to start off with, then go clubbing. I'll be sooo tired. Then on Friday it's the rehearsal dinner, Saturday the wedding, Sunday opening presents and sleeping. lol

As she will have a PJ pro there on the wedding day I'm going to try get extra shots during the bachelorette party, rehearsal dinner, gift opening and what ever else might happen. Hopefully I can sneak a few shots throughout the wedding day too.

[TSEE]

So you'll be traveling over here.
Yowsa, sounds like a busy itinerary! LOL
Sounds like a good plan, if she's got a hired pro already, I'd take photos of what the pro isn't, the bachelorette party, rehearsal dinner, I dunno if she's got the pro shooting her getting ready on her wedding day, ie. putting on makeup, the dress etc. If not I'd take pictures of that, I loved the photos I took of the bride during this time more than the actual posed photos during my first shoot, becuz of the nature of the photographs. I just showed the true emotions etc.

The reason i was asking was you could prepare that frame gift a little ahead of time, the frame I used didn't have a "opening" in the mat bigger than 4x6, so basically, I bought the frame, did the text and put it in two of the smaller openings, then developed the photos as soon as I finished the roll (can be done in an hour, for about 5 bucks a roll here in the US) and put them in the frame, instant gift. Technically it could be done before you leave and go back home, unless you want to spend a lot of time editing the photos, tinting etc (I couldn't edit mine as they were 35mm for the pictures in the frame). Anyways...it was an idea for ya, but I like the album that's gonna be a treasured gift since the pro won't be shooting the rehearsal nor bachelorette party etc.

Happy shooting!

[TSEE]

While you're in Minnesota, listen to Minnesota Public Radio. There's a weekly live show broadcast on Saturdays (and replayed on Sundays) called "A Prairie Home Companion." Garrison Keillor's stories are wonderful, and the featured music will give you a good feel for middle America.

Oh no another PHC fan, my husband tunes into it each weekend, he loves it. There was one time I sat and listened to it with interest, when they broadcasted from the town I spent my exchange year. =o)
Its a good show, lots of good scandinavian music (most of the times we've tuned in to it anyways), scannie jokes etc.

[TSEE]

My hubby's got that book too, not sure if he ever finished reading it or not, but he seems to be of the same opinion as you.

It is a good show, a must to listen to at least ONCE. I'm sure she'll like it. Aside from too many norweigan's its a good show. LOL :lol:

[Claire]

What's wrong with Norwegians??? Norwegian sounds adorable and the men are cuter than the Swedish ones! The Swedish ones are good looking, but not cute like the Norwegians. The Danes though...hmmm....that needs further investigation! ;)

[TSEE]

What's wrong with Norwegians??? Norwegian sounds adorable and the men are cuter than the Swedish ones! The Swedish ones are good looking, but not cute like the Norwegians. The Danes though...hmmm....that needs further investigation! ;)

In my family we've always picked on norweigans, got norweigan jokes and all of that, not sure where it came from but its a standing tradition in my family to pick on them.
Not sure about who's cuter, I prefer American's as it would seem (married one)...I never cared for Swedes or Scannies myself, too....I dunno...they're not my type. How's that?! LOL
LOL if you find out about the Danes let me know! ;)

[Claire]

If you're Swedish then you're bound to pick on the Norwegians. It's in our genes! ;) Same way they pick on us. hehe

American men are cool. :)

[poke]

From the look of your galleries... I'd say they would appreciate a present of this type from you.

[Claire]

Bloo Dog, Björk has never been my favourite. Just couldn't get her music I'm afraid.

Poke, thanks!

[TSEE]

If you're Swedish then you're bound to pick on the Norwegians. It's in our genes! ;) Same way they pick on us. hehe

American men are cool. :)

Born and raised in Sweden. ;o)
LOL that's a good description, its in our genes. And you're right, the NOrweigans do the same to us, they got dumb Swede jokes and the whole 9 yards. :lol: :D :lol: