My first beginning-to-end wedding day shoot. Thoughts?

I have never done more than 6-8 hours for any wedding, and I am wondering how the day is going to be when I shoot this wedding for (up to) 14 hours. I know it will be extremely long...but I am curious just how much you get to know the people you are shooting when you spend that much time with them. Do you feel like you know them a bit at the end? Do you get more and more creative ideas, or do you run out of ideas? What else happens that's different from a 6-hour wedding?

I prepared for this wedding by picking up plenty of extra camera batteries, another 24gb of memory, and replaced my 20D with a second 5D (so I still have 3 cameras), since 2009.

its a good idea to get to know the main players, it also is a good way to break the ice while shooting...

i would say your creativity starts to wane as you get tired, but as long as you keep your mind on coming up with cool framing opportunities, and unique pictures you'll be fine.

I invest quite a bit of time into getting to know the couple BEFORE the day. I'm very deliberate in making all of our pre-wedding consultations very warm and engaging. When I show up at the bride's dressing location, I want to be able to walk in and have her view me like an old friend (though you can only accomplish so much of that in an hour or two).

Most of my weddings are 8 hours, though I've had one go to 11. You do get tired and a little less inspired, and after a while, you start to feel like you've taken every possible picture that you possibly can of these people, but I don't think anything else changes.

Most of my couples are from out of town, but this couple is local and I met them last Sunday. We talked about the day's plans in detail, along with any other questions and requests.

maybe wright down what they expect to happen, and in what order so you know what you're going to be shooting. between you and the DJ, at least someone can give them direction, the bride and grooms' minds tend to go out the window right about an hour before the ceremony.

Write? We did that, on Sunday. I always ask for an itinerary before the wedding day so I know how everything is "expected" to progress.

Maybe make sure you have plenty of snacks? I havent done one this long myself, so I dont have experience with it. How busy is the day? The busier the day i would assume it would be easier to come up with ideas.

10am - girls at salon at one end of town getting ready. May or may not have some time to take extra photos before heading to ceremony site. Arrive at the ceremony site on other side of town at 1, get dressed: ceremony at 2 until about 2:30. Formals until about 3:15 at the latest, then take some time to go out in the desert on the way back (to other side of town again) to the resort for reception. Be at the reception by 5 to 5:30, take some photos on the grounds beforehand if time permits. May break during a lull in the reception to take a few photos around the grounds. Reception over at 10, then go up to their suite in the resort and shoot a few more photos, including one or two planned shots involving rose petals. Done at 12am midnight at the latest, going to be about $20 in gas spent driving back and forth from each location.

I read someone say in another thread that they like to keep a cooler in the car with some food and drinks. This would help keep your energy up i would think, and you wouldnt have to have to worry about getting food at the reception as being your only food.

Red Tie Photography wrote in post #9768481
I read someone say in another thread that they like to keep a cooler in the car with some food and drinks. This would help keep your energy up i would think, and you wouldnt have to have to worry about getting food at the reception as being your only food.

That was me and you absolutely do need to plan for this. The few times I had a shoot last longer than usual, the couple were always gracious about making sure I'm fed along the way, but you can't count on this so best to take control of it.

This actually sounds like a normal flow of events only with a bit of extension on the front and back ends. At least there's different things going on; this will help to keep you interested and engaged.

Peacefield wrote in post #9768069
I invest quite a bit of time into getting to know the couple BEFORE the day. I'm very deliberate in making all of our pre-wedding consultations very warm and engaging. When I show up at the bride's dressing location, I want to be able to walk in and have her view me like an old friend (though you can only accomplish so much of that in an hour or two).

This is what I do and why too!

Peacefield nailed it with stating that getting to know the couple happens BEFORE the wedding day. I might be a bit rare in this regard, but my average client meeting over coffee is 2-3 hours. We just talk about them, how they met, how he proposed, they usually ask us some questions about traveling (since we do a lot of it)... then when we've gotten to know each other, that's when I bring up, "so do you guys have any questions for me?"

I know that this comes down to individual personality -- and that everyone isn't inclined to carry on 3 hour conversations with strangers -- but I think we can all try to make our client meetings more personal (unless you already do something similar).

This is also why a regularly posted on, personal blog is so beneficial. My clients tend to feel like they know me before we even meet for the first time. Whenever they say this, I usually add that they do. I'm pretty transparent on my blog -- and it's a pretty good representation of who I am. Just another great benefit to blogging personal things and blogging on a regular basis.

-----

Now, 2008 and 2009 I only offered all day coverage. And that was real all day. My average wedding was 14 hours. Many of which were longer. I had the idea that weddings aren't timelines -- so I wanted to be available the moment people wanted to start remembering their wedding day to the moment people were okay with no longer having memories made with photos. It's not that difficult. I never asked for timelines other than "what time does the wedding start" and figuring out how much time we'd have for portraits. Asking for a 14 hour timeline just creates more work for your client -- and I've always been very big on being the wedding vendor that was the easiest to deal with.

You'll likely havea a lot of down time in the morning and TONS of down time as the reception dies out. That was always the killer for me. The last hour when almost nothing is happening

Bobby

Go ahead and be prepared to have some worn out legs by the end of the night. Since you will be driving back and forth, the cooler thing is a good idea. And don't think you can't sit down at the reception and have a bite to eat. Just no drinking... unless it's water. you are gonna need all the water you can get. I didnt' realize how much of a work out you get taking pictures until we stayed 15 hours for a wedding. I was dead the next couple of days. lol

Nobody else will mention this... and it's way out there, but if you can have your digestive track adjusted to avoid having to go during this time... do it.

looking forward to seeing some of those rose petal shots.

STRETCH. and often :P those extra hours will take a toll on ya! You will be pooped by the end of the day and hurtin! Come 11pm your 50lb camera bag is going to feel like 150! Like Mr. Biggs says... worn out.

HAVE FUN! if you have fun they have fun!

lol. as in another post, peacefield gets a +1 from me too.
I had one event go for 16 hours. It was really hard on the bride. She eventually gave up and refused to do any of the reception events the family had planned.
I too like to get to know the couple before the event. I almost always shoot an engagement session and they have been to the studio a number of times. I also like to sit with them and discuss the other members of the bridal party who I try to memorize before the day too.
Many of my clients are facebook friends too.