psd weddings
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Not everyone likes wedding cake, all that fruit and heavy icing, but there are always alternatives to this.
One of my recent Bride and Grooms decided to have a cheese cake, not a cheesecake, but a cake made up of cheeses! Fanstastic idea!
We’ve got Queen Victoria to thank for white weddings! She had some gorgeous white lace that she did not want to dye, so she chose an all white outfit, and many people copied her style and it has become the main choice ever since.
Before that women used all the colours of the rainbow for their dresses, so if you are feeling the need to express yourself in full technicolour - go for it!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding_dress
TIP 18 – Hair’asters
If there’s one thing that can ruin a lovely photo, it is finger fringe!
That’s the inventive name one of my brides came up with for that finger sized lump of hair that falls off the fringe and comes down over your face (thanks Laura). If it covers the eye in a photo, it can be very difficult to fix in Photoshop - and sometimes impossible, meaning the shot could be lost. It’s not so important for family group shots, as I will spot it and get it sorted, but if you are walking back down the aisle with your new husband, then it’s a bit more difficult to rewind that part of the ceremony!
Best way to avoid this is to work closely with your hair stylist and ask them their solutions to fix this. And have a best girl with some hairspray in her purse! 
Here’s a bridal shoot I did recently at Dalhousie Castle, just south of Edinburgh.
The gorgeous and talented model is Emily Jones from Superior Model Management.
Hair and make-up was expertly done by Edinburgh Beautography.
Bridal Headwear was provided by Arabella Bridal.
I’ll also be posting an anatomy of this bridal shoot over on my fashion blog here: PSD Photography Fashion
For more of my wedding work and for package prices, you can find out more here: www.psdphotography.co.uk
EASY as 123
Remembering which stand I am on at the huge Corn Exchange Wedding Fair on Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th November is as easy as 123 - which just happens to be my stand number.
Visit my wife Heather and I there from 11-4pm on either day and I can chat to you about my wedding packages, show you more of my wedding work and discuss how PSD Photography can tailor wedding packages to your requirements.
I think it’s my 7th wedding fair in a row and I’m ready for 2 full-on days of speaking to hundreds of you brides and grooms-to-be!
See you there!
TIPS FOR BRIDES - 13: Posing for Photos
It’s no surprise that many couples feel slightly awkward in front of the camera, most of us are not used to having professional photos taken (me included, I’m possibly the world’s worst model). But my approach is to keep you brides and grooms as relaxed and natural as possible. During the couple shoot, all my best shots come when the bride and groom forget I am there, or at least, ignore me and concentrate on each other. After all, it is a very special moment, you are just married and away from the crowds. Many couples tell me that this was one of their favourite parts of the day.
So, when I tell you to ignore me and focus on each other, then that’s the best thing to do, whether walking through the woods, or up the Royal Mile, we will get some amazing shots.
TIPS FOR BRIDES - 12: How Many Photos?
There are three main approaches:
1 - Offer a crazy number of images to you - 400, 600, I’ve even seen 800 offered. Why is this crazy? If you looked at each of those 800 images for 10 seconds, then it would take 2hrs and 13 minutes to view them once! The photographers who offer this approach show a distinct lack of appreciation for the work involved, not to mention the time it takes to edit photos to a high standard and a complete inability to narrow the photos down to the very best, meaning that their quality control is probably not what it should be. I guarantee that many of the photos would be completely repetitious. You will not enjoy browsing through 800 photos to find your favourites.
2 - An approach that a lot of photographers use is to offer you a small amount of photos, such as 60. After the wedding, they will show you around 300 photos and ask you to choose your 60. Almost everyone ends up buying more (i.e. spending more money), of course. This makes business sense, but may mean that you miss out on some good shots, or have to break the bank to pay for more - would you feel a bit cheated?
3 - I choose the sensible middle ground - offering you every great photo taken on the day, very carefully edited down by me from all those taken. For a full day’s wedding this comes to 160-200 images, in my experience. You can not only build a great album from this amount, but it also is far easier to navigate through and to view. Most importantly, my packages already include this, you do not get charged any extra. You also get a DVD of high res images with all my packages.
TIPS FOR BRIDES - 11: Wet Weather
Don’t add to it with tears, after all we live pretty far north on this globe and our wee island is surrounded by lots of water, it should be no surprise that we get a lot of rain, although this recent spell has been the worst I can remember.
If it rains, make sure someone has a brolly for you at the ready - often the chauffeurs do, but it would be wise to check. If you are intent on getting some outside shots, regardless of the weather, then pack a pair of Weddington Boots - that’s glam wellies - and make the most of it!
Don’t worry too much about your dress getting dirty, as it gets dirty anyway on the church and hotel floors, plus it’s a once in a lifetime day, so get maximum value from that dress!
Finally, don’t worry about me - I will have made detailed plans for good weather and bad, with all the locations agreed in advance for inside and outside options. If you want to head out into the rain, I’m up for it too! I always try to work some flexibility into my schedules, so if the weather clears later, then we can head out and nab some great shots before the next shower.
TIPS FOR BRIDES - 10: Staying Positive!
I am always around to help my brides and grooms throughout the day and really put a lot of effort into making sure things run smoothly, but sometimes, things are beyond even my control.
What if the flowers arrive and are the wrong colour? What if an impromptu receiving line happens, and 20 minutes disappears from the schedule? What if a parent goes missing at a very important group photo? What if bits fall off the cake before it is cut?
I’ve had to deal with all these things and more, and my advice is always the same - keep calm, think about how many people are involved in the day, and how some small things may have to change - relax, get your best people to handle it, but above all accept it and don’t let it ruin your day - stay positive!
NEW WEBSITE LAUNCHED
Head on over to my brand-spanking-new wedding website right here:
You will see loads of great, large wedding photos, a bit more about me and some great wedding inspiration.
The shot above is from Catherine and Colin’s wedding, and this is the gorgeous Catherine getting well and truly confetti’d on the roof of the National Museum of Scotland.
I am shooting in the very grand, and draped in history Royal College of Physicians tomorrow, can’t wait to use all those luscious backdrops!
Kathrin and Stuart are having a part-German celebration (from Kathrin’s side), where amongst other things the bride and groom will walking up the aisle together!
Thanks to the square meal website for this image.
It’s off to the Dalmahoy again this weekend for Rachel and Stuart’s wedding reception. I love the venue and with the sun shining (it’s looking good guys!) it has so many options for photos that I will be spoiled for choice.
TIPS FOR BRIDES - 9 PERSONAL TOUCHES
I know that your wedding is already going to be filled with personal touches, but make sure to add a few at the reception too. These can be great ice-breakers for your guests as they take their places for the wedding breakfast.
A few I’ve seen recently (and BTW, I love shooting these small details which also make great additions to the album!) are pictured above, such as a London Underground inspired table plan, photos of the couple on holiday in various locations on each table, gifts and party packs for the children and even chatterboxes, which I remember from my childhood. Then there was the old fashioned sweet stall - Hmm, I’m definitely not admitting to how many of those I had!
Not forgetting the mounted print, which I offer to all couples who have an engagement shoot with me and once it is filled up with all your friends and family’s messages becomes a very special and personal memento.
Check out my wedding packages and photos here:
