PHOTO-GRAPHY A wedding essential

Okay. So you’ve got your checklist and calculator and you’re ready to get on with your plans. Once you’ve booked the wedding site and the person who will perform the ceremony, don’t take another step without first scheduling a professional photographer with whom you feel comfortable and whose work you find appealing. If you must, scrimp on anything else, but when it comes to the photography be especially good to yourselves. The flowers will fade, and the candles will melt away, but those wedding photographs will be treasured, preserving memories and capturing moments you might otherwise have missed.

Kenn Stolte, general manager of Gittings Portraiture reports a return to a trend popular to the era of the 20s, 30s and even into the 40s, when the majority of bridal portraits Gittings photographed in Dallas were taken in the bride’s home, surrounded by objects that held personal meaning, enhanced by the grace of the time. That attitude is returning. “Today’s brides are more mature,” says Stolte. “They have a more grounded mental attitude, and give more thought and meaning to how the portrait reflects who they are and how it fits into their home.” When it comes to the actual wedding, Gittings continues to follow its traditional “editorial” approach, remaining in the background and simply recording the event as it happens.

Helga Harris, wedding coordinator at Gary Studios, echoes Stolte’s observations and tells of further trends, such as outdoor bridal portraits, and even the inclusion of family and friends.

There is an overall trend toward less formality. More couples, younger and older, seem to prefer those priceless candids to perfectly posed (but often stiff) shots. Also these days a wedding photographer can be asked, and is often able, to produce a video from your stills, sometimes even adding background music. It’s a great way to share a wedding with family and friends who couldn’t be present, and it’s considerably less expensive than sending them an album of prints.

Happy wedding and smile!