First wedding in a while and it didn't exactly go smooth

First wedding in a while. Had done a bit of scouting before and found some nice shots. Tried to meet with the B&G twice but both times they cancelled. It was also an outdoor, evening wedding which had me nervous.

I did the wedding on Saturday and everything ended up running late. I was on time, but the bride/bridesmaids were late getting back from their hair/makeup place, and then everyone took a fair time getting ready. We were supposed to shoot formals before the ceremony but it put a real time squeeze on. It's also middle of the afternoon so lighting sucked and a few of the places we'd choosen just didn't work. We were rattling through all the combinations they wanted until someone realized, hey, time to head off for the ceremony. Still missing the most important formal, bride and groom.

The church was small, unlit and crowded. I did the best I could but the photos from there are average at best. Everyone then migrated around to the reception. The plan was to finish the formals then, but with lots more people arriving the B&G pretty much vanished. Still no bride and groom photos. Then food arrived, everyone sits down to eat, a few speeches and stuff. By now its getting fairly late, light is fading rapidly (outdoor wedding in the country). The groom then disappears off with some friends and by the time everyone is back and ready to cut the cake there are stars in the sky.

About this time the band leaves and the DJ takes over for the dances under the moonlight. Well except for the fact his rig no longer works. He'd showed up earlier, tested it all and it worked fine. No though, when its really needed, not a sound leaks out from his dead speakers and nobody can figure out why (it later turns out something had fried the entire, expensive, control board).

I finally managed to get the B&G for a few formals really late on. Alternating between flash and some wide open/high iso shots lit only by the few lights that were on around the tables.

Having reviewed the shots sunday I did get some good ones early in the day, but the later ones of most of the events that occur during a wedding I'm not very happy with. Circumstances were not that great though and that is understood. I guess I could have been more pushy about getting shots done, but its their wedding and the last thing they are going to want is a nagging photographer.

Oh yeah, and a few shots were done with camera in one hand, and B&G's 6-month old baby in the other. I've got kids myself so I was fine with that balancing act but it did make for some entertaining challenges.

I guess this is why I've not been jumping at the chance to do weddings.

Ouch!

But weddings that do turn out well are a lot of fun. For us, there's nothing like the feeling of being part of a couple's special day. Many of our couples have treated us like family, which has really added to that feeling of being part of the event.

As long as you learned something from this experience that will help you be more prepared for the unexpected next time, you're making progress. Becoming tight with the wedding planner to help get people where they need to be on-time, and bringing extra ligiting gear (and an assistant) even if you don't think you will use it are good things to aim for next time.

Good luck!

i cant see any pics !!

i wanted to ...

waiting for pics...

You gotta be pretty assertive around what you need to get good pictures. I know they are the customer but they are distracted and will only remember they didn't get the pics they wanted, not that you were a litle bossy.

Stan43 wrote in post #2004379
You gotta be pretty assertive around what you need to get good pictures. I know they are the customer but they are distracted and will only remember they didn't get the pics they wanted, not that you were a litle bossy.

I think you are right. I didn't want to be too pushy (I did suggest to the bride that the cake wasn't going to cut itself - she took it the right way) but I think I was definitely too hands off.

It's not the B&G I'd be worried about annoying, its the brides mother.

I'll get some photos up soon, haven't done any PP yet, just had a quick skim through them. Enough to let me see that the ones I thought would work did, and the ones that I was worried about were weaker. As you said though, problems will automatically become the fault of the photographer and nothing to do with the fact it was all done on a compressed schedule and half the stuff done at night.

And at least I got results. I really felt sorry for the DJ. He tested all his stuff, it worked fine, and then when it was his turn in the spotlight, nothing.... Not a good feeling.

It also sounds like your making the best of it! Good attitude that will allow you to learn and get right back on that horse.