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TOP TIPS FOR STRESS-FREE WEDDING PHOTOS

After over a decade of shooting weddings and learning these things the hard way through experience, I thought it might be smart to compile these tips into a handy list for engaged couples. Weddings are known for being stressful, and I truly believe they don’t have to be. (Well, maybe just a little). Hopefully my Top 10 tips below for stress-free wedding photos will provide a bit of knowledge to help get you started.


  1. Pad the schedule

    There are so many great reasons for this, even if it just helps you feel chipper every time you look at the clock and you’re ahead of schedule! The main things that will notoriously take longer than people expect are hair & makeup time, waiting for important people who are late for the ceremony, receiving lines (which I advise against unless the tradition is important to you), and traffic delays between locations. And selfishly, if the schedule is too tight, it’s often the photo time that gets cut. (And it’s hard to keep them stress-free when you’re feeling rushed). If you pad the schedule and everything runs on time, then great, you have some fun free time with your new spouse!

  2. Smaller wedding party

    It’s hard for many people to choose favourites without worry of offending someone, so numbers in wedding parties can creep up quickly. But one of the best ways to keep stress low is to just pick 1 or 2 important people (like a best friend/sibling), or no people at all! Since most weddings I photograph are less traditional, it’s refreshing to see people starting to re-think the old way of doing things. Fewer people in your wedding party doesn’t mean you’ll have less help or that you care about them any less. It means less coordinating of outfits, fewer personality clashes, fewer people to organize/pose in photos, and nobody but yourselves to include in the wedding decisions. Those important people will still be there to support you in any way you need, whether you stand them up in matching ties or not.

  3. Fewer cars & locations

    One of the main logistical nightmares that occurs on a wedding day involves transportation. If your wedding is taking place at 1 location, and you can do the photos there as well, you’ve already saved yourself a big headache. If not, limo buses will be your best friend. (Although still recommended for the way there if you’re traveling with a group). You can step into this style of limo much easier, instead of ducking & crawling over people. Plus, who doesn’t love a good party bus once in a while. Even with a limo or hired car, try to keep the locations to a minimum, because travel is a notorious time-eater. And just in case, give Google Maps locations to the driver in advance, and anyone else who may be driving too. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a limo driver ask to follow me because they don’t know exactly where they’re going.

  4. Have a solid plan for family photo time

    Even though we all love our families, quite often the most stressful part of the day for any couple can be family photo time. Whether your great aunt suddenly disappears for a half hour, or a parent keeps grabbing more family members to add last minute, there’s always potential for something to stress you out. Especially because this is the part you’re trying to get done quickly so everyone can get to the party.
    Prior to the wedding day I always help couples plan a list of groupings, so we can stay organized and not forget anyone. It’s important to consider that each grouping will take 1-2 minutes, so if you have 40 groupings, you’re looking at over an hour of just family photos.

  5. Bring comfy shoes + layers for a chilly day

    Whether you’re trekking through a field of tall grasses in August, or freezing your asses off downtown in January, keep your comfort top of mind while planning attire.
    If it’s going to be chilly, then I highly recommend a cozy yet photogenic layer for exposed skin. And no matter the weather, you want everyone involved in photos to be wearing shoes they can walk comfortably in. Save those feet for dancing later!

  6. EAT!

    Being hangry does not make for fun wedding photo time (wedding party included). This is a situation where having a planner, an awesome venue coordinator, or a really on-the-ball friend really comes in handy to keep your blood sugar levels from dipping dangerously low, and causing you not to fully enjoy the day. Protein bars (without messy chocolate) in a packed bag are highly recommended too.

  7. DRINK!

    Okay, so water is obviously essential, but often forgotten. Keeping a cooler of water nearby at all times (including photo time) is super helpful, especially for summer weddings. But if you’re a couple who enjoys a cocktail or two, also having a bottle of bubbly & some glasses on hand makes for a quick nerve relaxer and some fantastic photo opportunities.

  8. Keep sunset time in mind while planning

    Whether you’ve planned your ceremony for right before sunset, or you’d love some sunset photos on the beach after dinner, it’s important to keep that in mind and reverse engineer the day. If you have an idea of what you want your photos to look like lighting-wise, then let your photographer know what you’re picturing. Doing portraits at noon in July is going to look very different than the evening golden light right before sunset. And if it’s an overcast day, it’s going to lose light much earlier than on a sunny day, so you’ll want to give yourselves plenty or room in the schedule. (See tip #1)

  9. Ditch the Pinterest poses

    It may be tempting to save every photo you love on Pinterest, but if you hire an experienced photographer they’ll generally prefer to not copy another photographer’s work. If you’ve got a Pinterest board of inspiration images, those are great to share so your photographer can get a feel for what you like. (Especially if it includes some of your photographer’s own images!) But no one is going to enjoy spending the day checking specific poses off a list, it just completely derails the flow. Instead, let’s focus on showing who you are as a unique couple.

  10. Hire professional vendors!

    Last but absolutely not least…if you surround yourself with people who are experienced professionals, your day is going to run much more smoothly. A kick-ass coordinator is invaluable for keeping your sanity…like Angela at Furry Creek in Squamish helping a bride scale a rock wall while carrying champagne flutes. And an experienced photographer won’t just be there to take photos; they’ll be helping you stay on schedule, keeping you relaxed and having fun, getting great images without turning it into a 3 hour photoshoot, and will know their equipment well enough to handle any lighting situation quickly and effectively.

I hope this gave you some ideas to keep in mind while planning for the big day and maintaining your sanity. And if you’re looking for a wedding photographer in BC, I’d love to hear from you! Follow this link to my contact page!

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@WINKPHOTOGRAPHY | LET’S BE INSTA FRIENDS

Editing this awesome wedding today, and smiling while reminiscing. Lauren & Sandra had originally booked me for a 2020 big golf course wedding, which obviously couldn’t happen, and how they ended up celebrating in 2022 was so much more about them & their friends & family. They hosted it at home, small ceremony in the backyard, @tacofinolovesyou truck out front. It felt like a casual block party but in fancy outfits. My favourite part is they’ve now created all these memories in their new home, so will be reminded of little things day to day that make them smile. 

Officiant: @allseasonsweddings 
Cake: @cassandracakeco 
HMUA: @margaretlaimakeup @plushbeautybarandco

#vancouverwedding #realcouplesofbc #dancingwithher #vancouverweddingphotographer
#lgbtqwedding #lgbtqweddingphotographer #vancouverlgbtqweddingphotographer #backyardweddingbc #backyardwedding #tacofinowedding #tacofino #2022wedding #covidweddingplanning #yvrwedding #mrsandmrs
Editing this awesome wedding today, and smiling while reminiscing. Lauren & Sandra had originally booked me for a 2020 big golf course wedding, which obviously couldn’t happen, and how they ended up celebrating in 2022 was so much more about them & their friends & family. They hosted it at home, small ceremony in the backyard, @tacofinolovesyou truck out front. It felt like a casual block party but in fancy outfits. My favourite part is they’ve now created all these memories in their new home, so will be reminded of little things day to day that make them smile. 

Officiant: @allseasonsweddings 
Cake: @cassandracakeco 
HMUA: @margaretlaimakeup @plushbeautybarandco

#vancouverwedding #realcouplesofbc #dancingwithher #vancouverweddingphotographer
#lgbtqwedding #lgbtqweddingphotographer #vancouverlgbtqweddingphotographer #backyardweddingbc #backyardwedding #tacofinowedding #tacofino #2022wedding #covidweddingplanning #yvrwedding #mrsandmrs
Editing this awesome wedding today, and smiling while reminiscing. Lauren & Sandra had originally booked me for a 2020 big golf course wedding, which obviously couldn’t happen, and how they ended up celebrating in 2022 was so much more about them & their friends & family. They hosted it at home, small ceremony in the backyard, @tacofinolovesyou truck out front. It felt like a casual block party but in fancy outfits. My favourite part is they’ve now created all these memories in their new home, so will be reminded of little things day to day that make them smile. 

Officiant: @allseasonsweddings 
Cake: @cassandracakeco 
HMUA: @margaretlaimakeup @plushbeautybarandco

#vancouverwedding #realcouplesofbc #dancingwithher #vancouverweddingphotographer
#lgbtqwedding #lgbtqweddingphotographer #vancouverlgbtqweddingphotographer #backyardweddingbc #backyardwedding #tacofinowedding #tacofino #2022wedding #covidweddingplanning #yvrwedding #mrsandmrs
Editing this awesome wedding today, and smiling while reminiscing. Lauren & Sandra had originally booked me for a 2020 big golf course wedding, which obviously couldn’t happen, and how they ended up celebrating in 2022 was so much more about them & their friends & family. They hosted it at home, small ceremony in the backyard, @tacofinolovesyou truck out front. It felt like a casual block party but in fancy outfits. My favourite part is they’ve now created all these memories in their new home, so will be reminded of little things day to day that make them smile. 

Officiant: @allseasonsweddings 
Cake: @cassandracakeco 
HMUA: @margaretlaimakeup @plushbeautybarandco

#vancouverwedding #realcouplesofbc #dancingwithher #vancouverweddingphotographer
#lgbtqwedding #lgbtqweddingphotographer #vancouverlgbtqweddingphotographer #backyardweddingbc #backyardwedding #tacofinowedding #tacofino #2022wedding #covidweddingplanning #yvrwedding #mrsandmrs
Editing this awesome wedding today, and smiling while reminiscing. Lauren & Sandra had originally booked me for a 2020 big golf course wedding, which obviously couldn’t happen, and how they ended up celebrating in 2022 was so much more about them & their friends & family. They hosted it at home, small ceremony in the backyard, @tacofinolovesyou truck out front. It felt like a casual block party but in fancy outfits. My favourite part is they’ve now created all these memories in their new home, so will be reminded of little things day to day that make them smile. 

Officiant: @allseasonsweddings 
Cake: @cassandracakeco 
HMUA: @margaretlaimakeup @plushbeautybarandco

#vancouverwedding #realcouplesofbc #dancingwithher #vancouverweddingphotographer
#lgbtqwedding #lgbtqweddingphotographer #vancouverlgbtqweddingphotographer #backyardweddingbc #backyardwedding #tacofinowedding #tacofino #2022wedding #covidweddingplanning #yvrwedding #mrsandmrs
winkphotography
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Editing this awesome wedding today, and smiling while reminiscing. Lauren & Sandra had originally booked me for a 2020 big golf course wedding, which obviously couldn’t happen, and how they ended up celebrating in 2022 was so much more about them & their friends & family. They hosted it at home, small ceremony in the backyard, @tacofinolovesyou truck out front. It felt like a casual block party but in fancy outfits. My favourite part is they’ve now created all these memories in their new home, so will be reminded of little things day to day that make them smile. Officiant: @allseasonsweddings Cake: @cassandracakeco HMUA: @margaretlaimakeup @plushbeautybarandco #vancouverwedding #realcouplesofbc #dancingwithher #vancouverweddingphotographer #lgbtqwedding #lgbtqweddingphotographer #vancouverlgbtqweddingphotographer #backyardweddingbc #backyardwedding #tacofinowedding #tacofino #2022wedding #covidweddingplanning #yvrwedding #mrsandmrs
5 months ago
View on Instagram |
1/6
A big heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported my business this year. After over 2 years of Covid restrictions, the 2022 wedding season has been my busiest in years, and there’s still about 1/3 of it to go. 
The social media hiatus has been much needed, but I’m going to try to pop up on social media again here and there. Time to share some of the love I’ve witnessed this year. It’s been an incredibly difficult year personally, and I’m crying even more at weddings now than I did before, but being surrounded by so much joy definitely helps with healing heartbreak. 
Thanks for you patience with me. 💕

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#chambarwedding #vancouverweddingphotographer #vancouverislandweddingphotographer #vancouverjewishwedding #realcouplesofbc
winkphotography
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A big heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported my business this year. After over 2 years of Covid restrictions, the 2022 wedding season has been my busiest in years, and there’s still about 1/3 of it to go. The social media hiatus has been much needed, but I’m going to try to pop up on social media again here and there. Time to share some of the love I’ve witnessed this year. It’s been an incredibly difficult year personally, and I’m crying even more at weddings now than I did before, but being surrounded by so much joy definitely helps with healing heartbreak. Thanks for you patience with me. 💕 . . . . . . . #chambarwedding #vancouverweddingphotographer #vancouverislandweddingphotographer #vancouverjewishwedding #realcouplesofbc
5 months ago
View on Instagram |
2/6
Social media hasn't felt like the right place for me lately and I’ve decided to acknowledge it as a hiatus, so it doesn't just look like I've stopped working. The truth is it's been an unbearably hard 6 weeks.  It's felt like both an eternity, and a blink, all at the same time. On March 7 we very suddenly lost my dad, then 3 weeks later my brother-in-law. It's still hard to accept as I type it. These were two of the funniest, wittiest, most generous people you could ever know, and yet we lost them both to suicide. 

I saw my dad every weekend, smiling and laughing, puns on point as a top notch grandpa. But he was taught from a young age that he wasn't good enough to receive love from his parents. And 60 years of bottled up childhood trauma combined with chronic physical pain were clearly too much. The man who would absolutely drop everything (to a fault) to help someone else didn't know how to accept the same support from others. 

Now I'm left with nothing but what-ifs and if-onlys, but I'm learning that the love these men gave/received in our family kept them thriving for as long as they did. It's just so devastating to think that they didn't know how important they were, and what a huge hole they were leaving in our tight little crew. 

Because this is a business account, I haven't wanted to burden clients/colleagues with my personal trauma. And the stigma of suicide makes it hard to discuss. But I've chosen to be transparent rather than a feed that doesn't feel authentic to where I'm at. I'm back to shooting a few sessions a week though, it's been helpful to keep my brain busy. 

If there's anything you can take from this, it's to please let people in. Your problems aren't a burden to the people who love you. And the more we share of ourselves, the more others will be willing to share with us. (I'll make an effort to practice what I preach).

Sharing this photo because my dad loved being my blossoms location scout. He would send me iphone photos from all over the city, letting me know which ones were ready. I always felt bad wasting his time, but Acts of Service was clearly his love language. ❤️

#suicideawareness #suicideprevention #grief #cherryblossoms
winkphotography
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Social media hasn't felt like the right place for me lately and I’ve decided to acknowledge it as a hiatus, so it doesn't just look like I've stopped working. The truth is it's been an unbearably hard 6 weeks. It's felt like both an eternity, and a blink, all at the same time. On March 7 we very suddenly lost my dad, then 3 weeks later my brother-in-law. It's still hard to accept as I type it. These were two of the funniest, wittiest, most generous people you could ever know, and yet we lost them both to suicide. I saw my dad every weekend, smiling and laughing, puns on point as a top notch grandpa. But he was taught from a young age that he wasn't good enough to receive love from his parents. And 60 years of bottled up childhood trauma combined with chronic physical pain were clearly too much. The man who would absolutely drop everything (to a fault) to help someone else didn't know how to accept the same support from others. Now I'm left with nothing but what-ifs and if-onlys, but I'm learning that the love these men gave/received in our family kept them thriving for as long as they did. It's just so devastating to think that they didn't know how important they were, and what a huge hole they were leaving in our tight little crew. Because this is a business account, I haven't wanted to burden clients/colleagues with my personal trauma. And the stigma of suicide makes it hard to discuss. But I've chosen to be transparent rather than a feed that doesn't feel authentic to where I'm at. I'm back to shooting a few sessions a week though, it's been helpful to keep my brain busy. If there's anything you can take from this, it's to please let people in. Your problems aren't a burden to the people who love you. And the more we share of ourselves, the more others will be willing to share with us. (I'll make an effort to practice what I preach). Sharing this photo because my dad loved being my blossoms location scout. He would send me iphone photos from all over the city, letting me know which ones were ready. I always felt bad wasting his time, but Acts of Service was clearly his love language. ❤️ #suicideawareness #suicideprevention #grief #cherryblossoms
9 months ago
View on Instagram |
3/6
One of my faves from E&C's wedding day this past December, which squeaked through only 1 day before restrictions changed again, and all weddings were cancelled. Can't wait to deliver the full gallery soon!⁠
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perfect dress for throwing: @thebridalgallery⁠
flowers: @loiskeaneflowers⁠
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#savebcevents #reopenbcweddings #ubcboathousewedding #olympicoval #richmondoval #thebridalgallery #bridalgalleryweddingdress #covidweddingplanning #covidwedding #vancouverweddings #realcouplesofbc #rockymountainbride #intimatewedding
winkphotography
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One of my faves from E&C's wedding day this past December, which squeaked through only 1 day before restrictions changed again, and all weddings were cancelled. Can't wait to deliver the full gallery soon!⁠ ⁠ perfect dress for throwing: @thebridalgallery⁠ flowers: @loiskeaneflowers⁠ ⁠ #savebcevents #reopenbcweddings #ubcboathousewedding #olympicoval #richmondoval #thebridalgallery #bridalgalleryweddingdress #covidweddingplanning #covidwedding #vancouverweddings #realcouplesofbc #rockymountainbride #intimatewedding
12 months ago
View on Instagram |
4/6
There's been a lot of talk in the wedding industry these last few weeks over the devastating effect that Covid has had on our small events-related businesses over the last 2 years. We've all done a lot of adjusting, learning, and making sure we're constantly adapting to (and interpreting) new guidelines, keeping ourselves and our couples safe. ⁠
⁠
Since the beginning I've been fully in support of whatever restrictions are needed. #bekindbecalmbesafe The issue currently though pretty much every sector EXCEPT the wedding & events industry has reopened, when some of these things seem MUCH more risky. (Thousands of screaming maskless fans at a hockey game, for example). ⁠
⁠
It's been almost exactly 1 year since I was interviewed by @ctvvancouver "More uncertainty in Wedding Industry", and sadly almost the exact same interview could be given today. ⁠
⁠
I think @smittenevents put it better than I could myself: "We understand the importance of the rules & restrictions. We understand and respect the strain Covid has put on our healthcare workers and hospitals. We just want to be given the opportunity to reopen with safety plans in place, like every other industry". ⁠
⁠
Some great local planners to follow for more thoughts on this:⁠
@spotlightevents @petitepearlevents @smittenevents⁠
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(Photo from a very safe small wedding @brixandmortarweddings this summer. Under 50 guests, no dancing, no mingling indoors without masks, plexi between tables, vaccinated). ⁠
⁠
#reopenbcweddings #savebcevents #vancouverweddings #covidweddingplanning #bcweddings #bcweddingphotographer #vancouverweddingphotographer #brixvancouver
winkphotography
winkphotography
•
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There's been a lot of talk in the wedding industry these last few weeks over the devastating effect that Covid has had on our small events-related businesses over the last 2 years. We've all done a lot of adjusting, learning, and making sure we're constantly adapting to (and interpreting) new guidelines, keeping ourselves and our couples safe. ⁠ ⁠ Since the beginning I've been fully in support of whatever restrictions are needed. #bekindbecalmbesafe The issue currently though pretty much every sector EXCEPT the wedding & events industry has reopened, when some of these things seem MUCH more risky. (Thousands of screaming maskless fans at a hockey game, for example). ⁠ ⁠ It's been almost exactly 1 year since I was interviewed by @ctvvancouver "More uncertainty in Wedding Industry", and sadly almost the exact same interview could be given today. ⁠ ⁠ I think @smittenevents put it better than I could myself: "We understand the importance of the rules & restrictions. We understand and respect the strain Covid has put on our healthcare workers and hospitals. We just want to be given the opportunity to reopen with safety plans in place, like every other industry". ⁠ ⁠ Some great local planners to follow for more thoughts on this:⁠ @spotlightevents @petitepearlevents @smittenevents⁠ ⁠ (Photo from a very safe small wedding @brixandmortarweddings this summer. Under 50 guests, no dancing, no mingling indoors without masks, plexi between tables, vaccinated). ⁠ ⁠ #reopenbcweddings #savebcevents #vancouverweddings #covidweddingplanning #bcweddings #bcweddingphotographer #vancouverweddingphotographer #brixvancouver
12 months ago
View on Instagram |
5/6
What a November it’s been! People are clearly making up for lost time with events, and I’ve been lucky enough to be swamped with them. From outdoor holiday concerts, to awards nights, to bundled up family sessions during the rainiest month on record...it’s been an adventure!
Off to shoot a fundraiser to support the awesome @mycckitchen today, then wrapping up the year next week with another holiday event and a wedding! Phew!
So much thanks to all my clients this year, it’s been WAY more exciting than 2020. 
📸 from the super fun 10yr vow renewal for the delightful head of @uniquelyyoubc She’s the best!
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#minnekhadalodgewedding #minnekhadawedding #minnekhada #vancouverweddingphotographer #vancouvereventphotographer #vancouverheadshotphotographer #vancouverfamilyphotographer #covidweddingplanning #momentsovermountains #creativenetworkarc #realcouplesofbc #bcwedding #canonphotographer
winkphotography
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What a November it’s been! People are clearly making up for lost time with events, and I’ve been lucky enough to be swamped with them. From outdoor holiday concerts, to awards nights, to bundled up family sessions during the rainiest month on record...it’s been an adventure! Off to shoot a fundraiser to support the awesome @mycckitchen today, then wrapping up the year next week with another holiday event and a wedding! Phew! So much thanks to all my clients this year, it’s been WAY more exciting than 2020. 📸 from the super fun 10yr vow renewal for the delightful head of @uniquelyyoubc She’s the best! . . . . . #minnekhadalodgewedding #minnekhadawedding #minnekhada #vancouverweddingphotographer #vancouvereventphotographer #vancouverheadshotphotographer #vancouverfamilyphotographer #covidweddingplanning #momentsovermountains #creativenetworkarc #realcouplesofbc #bcwedding #canonphotographer
1 year ago
View on Instagram |
6/6
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