This Saturday the 2023 wedding season starts for us. This break between seasons is welcomed, not only for rest but also for analysis and learning. Analysis for us involves reviewing the work from last season and determining what and how to improve. And when we talk about what and how to improve, I don’t hesitate to take out my notes from various conferences that I can easily access in my phone or – maybe it sounds strange – in my conversation with myself on messenger. 🙂

Among these notes on my phone, I found a photo which I took of a presentation by a very good photographer who I can call also a friend, Florin Ștefan, at the Weddcamp conference.

In his presentation, Florin listed a multitude of reasons why we, wedding photographers, are not just people who press a button all day and take photos. We are much more than that, we are:

• The people who create memories for others
• The people who always have to be in a good mood and make others feel good
• The people who always have to smile
• We are knowledgeable about all traditions
• We are good psychologists
• We are city guides
• We are wedding planners
• We are the weather forecasters on duty
• We are endurance athletes
• We are the ones who have to listen to everyone’s music preferences
• We are the ones who deal with all the drunk people in the world
• We are the ones who know how to tie a tie knot
• We are the ones who know how to close the bride’s dress
• We are the ones who get asked to “hey, you, come take a picture of me!”

Well, dear colleagues, you probably find yourselves among these ideas. I know I do. In these 10 years of photography, I have learned that no matter how many problems I have, on the day of the events, I have to forget them and focus on the event, smile and be in a good mood, so that I can make others feel good and be an example. I have to be calm, no matter what happens that day or what anyone says to me, like the one where we’re asked to take photos from the list or other things that people say, whether they are drunk or not.

As always, for the wedding on Saturday, we have established a program with the couple so that we have enough time for preparation photos, with family, with guests and with the couple. We also discussed how everything will go, including traditional moments. We have also established the location for group photos and with the couple, so that it is not too far away, it is beautiful, and the light is good, especially when it comes to photos with family and guests. Being the weather forecaster on duty, I also took into account the options if it rains, if it will be cold, for the photo session.

Like almost any wedding here, it will last somewhere around 14 hours, so I am prepared to have over 20,000 steps on my phone at the end of the day. And yes, I am prepared, if necessary, to help with tie knots or later with the photo session after the wedding to close the bride’s dress.

And I could add a few more from my experiences, that we are:

• The only service providers who are with the bride and groom from the beginning (preparations) until the end on the wedding day.
• We are the ones who always look at the bride and groom and observe if something needs to be fixed with their hair/clothes, etc.
• Who move furniture and other things.
• Who always eat on the run.
• Who sit at the table next to the loudspeakers.
• Who are asked to take photos with every phone
• Who are often questioned if the group photos really turned out well or if we do have film in our cameras

Having said that, I also ask you, dear photographer colleagues: what other ideas can you add from your experiences?

I hope these lines have given you a dose of motivation and appreciation, as they have for me, and I can’t wait for Saturday. When do you start, when is your first wedding?