One of the most important vendors you’ll hire for your wedding day is your wedding photographer! Believe us, when we say this- “Do NOT skimp on wedding photography!!” Long after the cake has been cut and you’ve come home from your honeymoon, one of the few things you’ll have to remember your day are your wedding pictures. We always tell couples that hiring a wedding photographer is a crucial part of the wedding planning process. You want to make sure they fit your budget, your style, and your personality! In fact, we often tell couples, it’s okay to splurge on your wedding photographer because it’s such an important part of your wedding day. It’s one of the things you’ll enjoy long after you’ve said, “I Do!”

So, to help you out as you are planning, we asked three very talented wedding photographers who shoot often here at White Oak Farms. We sat down with them and asked them to spill the beans on wedding photography, and why it’s such an important investment for your wedding day.

We hope you enjoy these tips and behind-the-scenes information we were able to uncover from these three photographers.

The Team at Amber Ridge Productions

Sarah with Lele & Beane Photography

Lele & Beane Photography

Elizabeth with Elizabeth Looney Photography

Elizabeth Looney Photography

If you had to describe your photography style what would it be?

Amber Ridge “Warm and Intentional: we love to use the natural warm tones of the sun and ambient lighting while strive to put couples in poses and situations where their true personalities can shine. Our style and passion in photography and videography is based around telling stories: we strive to capture memories and create art that tells a beautiful story to the viewer. A single picture can be enough to show a depth of connection and love in a couple that can be difficult to explain in words. Therefore our editing style is somewhat fluid, based on the emotions and energy we would like to emphasize.”

Lele and Beane “Natural & Romantic”

Elizabeth Looney “I don't have a style I have a couples style. I get to know my couples and then feel out their style.”

What is your favorite thing about shooting weddings?

Amber Ridge “We still get so excited for wedding days! We love our team! We are all best friends from college and get to travel, work and do life together. That means whenever we do a wedding together, we bring a lot of energy, laughter, and experience to the day!”

Lele and Beane “I love pausing to give my clients an experience alongside their photos. When the bride is ready to put her dress on for the first time, I clear everyone out of the room except her mom. I remind both of them that, "These are your last few moments together before you become a married woman. You're never going to get this time back, so take advantage of it - if it looks like tears, hugs, or prayers, savor these memories together!" It's moments like these that remind my clients it's not just about the photo checklist - it's about savoring every little detail of the day so that their images are filled with wonderful memories! “

Elizabeth Looney “I love a first look. I love that sweet time between the bride and groom seeing each other for the first time.”

What is one question couples should ask their photographer before they hire them?

Amber Ridge “Lighting. Mastering lighting in photography is the most challenging technical aspect of being a professional photographer. Couples need to ask their photographers how comfortable they are shooting in specific situations and what equipment they have in order to accomplish it. Weddings today require shooting sparkler send offs, epic dance moves, getting ready and dimly lit rooms - getting these jaw-dropping, beautiful photos doesn't happen by accident or guessing. We have expensive flashes and external lights, many different cameras and lenses for different situations, and we have hundreds of weddings in experience.”

Lele and Beane “Since you will be with us most of our wedding day, what is your personality like and how will you direct us throughout every milestone?”

Elizabeth Looney “How long have you been shooting weddings? How many weddings have you photographed?”

What is your opinion on first looks?

Amber Ridge “We strive to make the wedding day as stress free as possible because weddings should not be about moving from one thing to the next getting pictures. Instead, weddings are about celebrating love and commitment. First looks create an amazingly emotional and special time between a bride and a groom that is usually one of my favorite moments of the day. They also allow more time for celebrating with friends and family and less time away from the reception after the ceremony.”

Lele and Beane “Yes yes yes. It makes the flow of the day so much smoother, you get WAY more time with your spouse, WAY more photos, and more time with your guests. I'm a huge fan! I can't tell you how many guests I've had step out in the aisle with their phones that disrupted the first look down the aisle.”

Elizabeth Looney “Love it. But it is not up to me. I alway let the couples choose.”

What is something couples may not realize about wedding photography? Is there something you'd like to "educate" them on?

Amber Ridge “Jaw-dropping photos don't happen by accident. Professional photographers have put so much time and money into making sure we have the proper gear and skill to snap the perfect shot of a candid moment or pose the epic photo. We have hundreds of weddings in experience and never stop learning.”

Lele and Beane “One of the biggest things I love to make sure of is having plenty of cushion time in the schedule for unexpected occurrences! It could be bad things like hair & makeup getting behind, getting stuck in traffic on the way to the reception, or a bridesmaid needing to clean mud off her dress before portraits begin. It could also be good things like taking a break to eat lunch, your dad breaking down in tears and needing a moment to recompose himself (I love when this happens), or a surprise guest coming that you want to spend a couple of extra moments with! There are SO many things that can go right and wrong that you'll want the availability to not be stressed or rushed. So add in cushion time to your schedule to accommodate those things!”

Elizabeth Looney “This is my full time job and I have been doing this for almost a decade. I truly don't need a "shot list" exp. ring shot, getting ready shot. bride getting into dress shot. I will get all these shot I promise.”

Have you ever witnessed a wedding day disaster? Please share all the details!

Amber Ridge “Luckily through proper planning and communication we have not had any major disasters. We have had pouring rain during and outside ceremony, the florist not showing up, and other things that definitely could have derailed weddings but it is important to remember to plan ahead and adjust when needed.”

Lele and Beane “Yes, but it was so bad that I can't even say it here. So instead, I'll share one of my friends! There was a bridesmaid that was 9 months pregnant whose water broke on the altar! She had the baby in the ambulance right after the ceremony!”

Elizabeth Looney “Knock on wood... No.”

What's one trend you are seeing for wedding photography in 2021?

Amber Ridge “Smaller, more intimate weddings”

Lele and Beane “For my clients in particular, I'm starting to see more brides wanting destination photography because of the COVID pandemic (which I'm all for)! Just this month, I traveled to Seattle for a 6-hour hike up Mt. Ranier for their live engagement session! So amazing!!”

Elizabeth Looney “Smaller Weddings”

How important is it for someone to hire a professional wedding photographer?

Amber Ridge “Most people who own a camera can show you some great photos that they have taken. When the conditions are perfect and you own the gear, most people can get a couple great shots. However, it is important to hire a professional because it is all the other photos that matter as well. Arranging large families, positioning the bride to make her feel and look the best, having the technical knowledge of setting up a multiple flash system to capture the bouquet toss, managing stressful situations and schedule changes, bringing 12 additional hangers so bridesmaids dress photos look the best, etc”.

Lele and Beane “It is SO important that you hire a professional wedding photographer. There are SO many different types of lighting, settings, and interactions that we have with you and all of your guests that you want someone who is capable in every single environment. Further, you never get those moments back. You're going to want someone confident in capturing every special memory!”

Elizabeth Looney “Very Important! These are what you will look back on for the rest of your lives.”

Do you like it when couples give you a list of must-have shots or do you prefer to lead them on what shots you'll capture?

Amber Ridge “We certainly prefer to plan ahead, talking with the bride about what they want but ultimately we will take lead over photography (posing, shots, etc).”

Lele and Beane “With all of my couples, I sit down to have a two hour consultation where we get to know each other, discuss all of their wedding dreams (as well as their parents), and compile their day-of timeline! I communicate all of the typical shot lists, but invite them to share anything special or unique to their day that they want to be captured. Every single wedding is different and should be catered to the client!”

Elizabeth Looney “I prefer to lead unless there is something that they really want me to make sure I capture.”

If you could only shoot one wedding moment, what would it be?

Amber Ridge “Immediately after the first kiss! (Presentation of the bride and groom, smiles of the family, walking down the isle, and the reactions after the ceremony)”

Lele and Beane “I love shooting the time with mom helps her daughter get ready for her wedding day. I'm so close to my mom that it makes me tear up every single time I'm with my clients. It's such a special time they will never get back, so I love giving it to them to cherish by themselves!”

Elizabeth Looney “The first look”

If you have one piece of advice you could give your couples before their wedding day, what would it be?

Amber Ridge “Ask lots of questions (if you have them) and hire a professional team that loves what they do! If your vendors do not seem excited about your day, find new ones who are excited to capture the memories of YOUR day!”

Lele and Beane “Your most important vendor will be your WEDDING PLANNER! =) So utilize your budget towards them no matter what size or scale. They make my life easier so that I can capture you in a beautiful, stress-free manner!”

Elizabeth Looney “Take it all in. The day goes by so fast and you want to remember it.”

Thank you to these three amazing photographers- Amber Ridge, Lele and Beane and Elizabeth Looney Photography for sitting down with us and sharing some insight into wedding day photography!

A Bride’s Guide to Wedding Photography