Wedding Ceremony Vantage points

I have a wedding in September at this park: http://www.waymarking.​com …89-4965-be40-95cc2b11d1a7

There will be chairs placed facing the gazebo for the guests and the wedding party will be under the gazebo. There isn't an "aisle" so the bride will be coming in from the right (groom's side).

This is the view from the water. http://www.waymarking.​com …38-4310-97fb-00609eb00f52

There are only 70 guests invited so there will likely be room behind the chairs for me to go around without having to go on the knoll. I mentioned to the bride to build in an "aisle" in the chairs to provide a line of site for me. That may not be entirely necessary depending on the height of the gazebo but I thought I'd suggest it in case. Anything else you might suggest that won't be intrusive?

I don't see an issue with going anywhere there. You have easy access to the left and right sides of the gazebo and the ability to shoot downwards from whenever on the terraced area.

Thank you for your input, Peter. I guess I am being overly concerned. It's hard to tell from the pics, but I guess I was paranoid that if the wedding party is tucked under the gazebo too far and I am shooting downwards that I might not have a complete view of them or that the guests might be in the way. Also, if the chairs go too far to the side, I might night be able to get down the sides. Does that make sense? Again, it's likely just me being paranoid. I will scope it out for myself later this summer.

Personally I wouldn't shoot a ceremony from just one spot down the back. But that is just me. I move about a lot. There is a huge scope for different angles and perspective there. I think I'd quit if I had to stay way back and not move all the time.

Well, I will just have to guide the bride so I don't have to stay in the back. I certainly don't want to shoot just from the back. But if the only option would be to go in front of the guests to get to the other side because of how they set it up, I was thinking that would be intrusive.

I am just diving into the wedding photographer pool. I am studying and practicing TONS. I have four other free or second shooter wedding jobs prior to this one, but this will be my first solo so I am going to put my all into it...including all my nerves. lol

Thank you again for your input.

NewCreation wrote in post #16889364
But if the only option would be to go in front of the guests to get to the other side because of how they set it up, I was thinking that would be intrusive.

That's a fear you'll naturally get past as you shoot more weddings. Obviously you don't want to be a distraction but the vast majority of guests understand that you're there to do a job and they're paying more attention to the B&G anyway. If you have to walk in front of people just be quick about it and if you block someone's view for a few seconds, so be it. Like Peter said, you don't want stay in one place for too long anyway.

Thank you for that. I was just thinking that was my inexperience showing. I will just be sure to communicate clearly with the couple beforehand.

As you look at the locale, would you go around the back? Would you go in front of guests? Would you go into the gazebo? I'm sure some of this will come to me as I do my other weddings before this one but it doesn't hurt to think things through now.

For those cringing at me just starting...I am being mentored by a well-educated and seasoned wedding photog, as well.

Shooting from either side of the front row (end of the chairs) will give you this kind of view with the 70-200

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Perfect! I can do that. Thank you.

Sometime these outdoor ceremonies are REALLY short. You do not want to be caught out of position to miss the kiss.

Yes, that is one of my concerns. I went to a wedding a few years ago that didn't even make it to the 20 minute mark - and it was a big church wedding.

NewCreation wrote in post #16890420
Yes, that is one of my concerns. I went to a wedding a few years ago that didn't even make it to the 20 minute mark - and it was a big church wedding.

Most of the civil ceremonies I shoot (60% of all I shoot) are 20-25 minutes. You need to know the order of the ceremony (what comes after what etc). You will never be in a position of missing something if you plan properly and know what is happening.

memoriesoftomorrow wrote in post #16890483
Most of the civil ceremonies I shoot (60% of all I shoot) are 20-25 minutes. You need to know the order of the ceremony (what comes after what etc). You will never be in a position of missing something if you plan properly and know what is happening.

An excellent reminder, Peter. That is one of things that I made sure was on my bridal questionnaire and will make sure I have "in hand" before stepping into any ceremony. I am a planner to a fault. But I do make a point to "roll" with things that don't go according to plan.

memoriesoftomorrow wrote in post #16890483
Most of the civil ceremonies I shoot (60% of all I shoot) are 20-25 minutes. You need to know the order of the ceremony (what comes after what etc). You will never be in a position of missing something if you plan properly and know what is happening.

Any other tips that you'd be willing to share? I definitely want to learn.

The shooting is the easy part. The organisation is what really matters. Full timeline of the day. What is happening when. Being organised means you can roll with changes so much more fluidly.

Family groupings you want a fully itemised list of each grouping from the client. Names not just "and cousins". Reorder the shot list for minimal changes of people between shots. I turn around group shots in an average of less than 1 minute per grouping. Fastest I've done was 55 groupings in 35 minutes. It ONLY works that well with a list.
e.g.

1) B, G, MOB, FOB
2) FOG, MOG, B, G, MOB, FOB
3) FOG, MOG, B, G

That is three groupings in a minute if you do it right.