Washington DC Wedding Photographer | Ben Rasmussen Photography

As I mentioned a while ago, I've been planning to start a regular series of blog posts that shares some of the tips and ideas I find while browsing the various wedding blogs and sites I read. I'm not exactly sure how I want this feature to work, but I've procrastinated it long enough. So, I'm just going to dive in and let it work itself out.

First up is a 3-part article all about how to plan for a photogenic wedding. It's written by Darbi G., a photographer out of Missouri and one who participates in a couple photographer forums that I frequent. She was recently married at the time she wrote the article and these are her thoughts looking back on the photography of her wedding day:

Planning a Photogenic Wedding - Part 1
Part one has general tips for the day, including my two favorites which are: be aware of sunset hours and plan accordingly, and your photographs should be a priority. Part one also includes a general run-down of how long to plan for the various 'events' of the day.

Planning a Photogenic Wedding - Part 2
Part two gives some tips on the ceremony itself as well as a little discussion of the details. In my opinion, the details like the place settings and cake are a huge part of the day and can really contribute to the feel of the day. Plus, they're a lot of fun to pick out (and a lot of fun for me to shoot!).

Planning a Photogenic Wedding - Part 3
Part three deals with the reception. As with the other parts, it has some great tips about the reception in general as well as things to consider regarding the photography of the reception. It also includes her reception timeline that sounds like it worked really well.

Next up, a 'wiki of the day' entry from Weddingbee. If you're planning a wedding and not reading Weddingbee, you really should start. It's a blog that follows 20 or so actual brides who are planning/have just finished their own weddings and gives a ton of their tips, ideas and research. Additionally, they have a wiki where anyone can contribute information, forums and classifieds. It's really a great resource and one that I imagine will be featured regularly in this series of blog entries.

Wiki of the Day: Wedding Day Timeline

Wedding day timelines are extremely helpful to all of the parties involved in your wedding day. Everyone from the photographer, to the bridesmaids, to the parents all benefit from having a detailed day-of timeline!

I can really attest to the importance of a good wedding day timeline. It really makes a big difference when the day's schedule has been thought out and everyone is on the same page. Of course, things will happen that can make the schedule slip, so it's also important to be flexible and not get stressed if/when something goes awry .

Lastly, here are a few random tips from various sites:

Floral Faux Pas
This is a good tip from Grand Events about giving some thought to your photos when selecting and positioning your flowers. Includes bonus picture of an ill-placed, multi-tentacled floral arrangement about to consume the happy couple.

Wedding Tip by Bridal Guide…

To help make sure your photographer captures everyone you want, write out the names of key people to be pictured and delegate a friend or relative to point them out to the photographer.

This is something that I always discuss with my brides. This is especially helpful while shooting the group shots. It allows me to focus on shooting while the friend or relative gathers the various groups to be shot.

Fabulous Practical Wedding Favors!
Here are a few cool ideas for wedding favors. The gumball machines are my favorite.