Recently, I was shooting a gorgeous, high-end wedding here in Charleston and I casually said to my second shooter that gorgeous, over-the-top, elaborate weddings make me nervous.  Not because I doubt my ability to photograph it well, but because I’m always a little more nervous when there are so many GORGEOUS details to capture.  I don’t want to miss anything!!  Don’t get me wrong… I LOVE details.  But I think it’s important to know that even six years into this career, I still get nervous on the wedding day!

In response, my second shooter said to me “you know, it makes me feel better knowing that even you still get nervous” and it made me think.  Do people really think that I’m never nervous about my job?  That I don’t get anxious the night before a wedding?  I must be really good at internalizing my fears because it doesn’t matter if it’s a simple, low key celebration or an elaborate, over the top soiree… every wedding day that I have the honor of photographing, I have nerves!

Sure, the nerves related to my technical abilities are long gone.  My camera is practically an extension of me at this point.  I don’t ever question my lens choices, ISO settings, aperture, shutter speed, etc.  That’s all second nature.  But when you’re charged with documenting such a momentous occasion for the bride, groom, and their families… that is a lot of pressure!  Juggling different personalities, lighting situations, timelines, vendor expectations, shot lists, weather conditions… it can be overwhelming!  There is just so much to do and so much to document on a wedding day… and I never want to let my clients down.

So I think that is where the nervousness comes from.  Always striving to be my best and not ever wanting to miss a thing.  Being a wedding photographer is a huge responsibility and honestly, if I ever get to the point where I’m not nervous on the wedding day, I think that will be a clear sign to me that it’s time to move on.  Being nervous isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  It means you care about what you’re doing!  So yes… even though I’ve been shooting weddings for the past 6 years and I’ve photographed over 215 weddings to date, I still get nervous for every single one.  So if you suffer from nerves too, I hope this post helps you to realize that you’re not alone!

Here are some of my tips for dealing with your nerves on the wedding day…

-Enlist extra help.  Not only do I have a second shooter with me on the wedding day, I also bring along a non-shooting assistant.  You can’t do it all and it’s okay to lean on your team!  Having someone there to just be an extra set of eyes, ears, and hands is the BEST thing I’ve done for my client experience recently.  It allows me and my second shooter to focus on our jobs and allows me to serve my clients well!

-Stay organized.  Let your clients know what to expect.  Give them a list of things you need ready for you upon arrival, like shoes, jewelry, etc.  Print out your timeline + shot list, making note of any special requests.  Utilize your assistant and/or second shooter to help manage stressful parts of the day.  Being prepared and organized will alleviate a lot of stress on the wedding day!

-Create the pre-ceremony timeline for your couple.  You shouldn’t rely on the wedding planner to dictate pre-ceremony photo time.  Only you know how much time you need for the First Look, bride + groom portraits, bridal party photos, and family formals.  Put together the photo timeline and share it with the planner, so that you have enough time to capture everything you need.  Pad your pre-ceremony timeline with extra time here and there to help yourself if anything doesn’t go quite as planned and things start to run behind.

-Communicate.  If you haven’t worked with a particular planner before, reach out before the wedding to chat through things.  If you don’t have a permanent second shooter, make sure you are clear with them about what you want and need from them.  Keep your clients informed of what’s next throughout the day.  Reiterate times to the bridesmaids + groomsmen to ensure they know where to be for photos and what time to be there.  If everyone is on the same page, there’s less chance for stress!

-Think ahead.  On the wedding day, my mind is always focused on the flow of the day and anticipating what’s next.  As you’re winding down bride + groom portraits, ask your second shooter or assistant to ensure the bridal party is close by, the bridesmaids have their bouquets, and the guys are boutonniered.  As bridal party photos are close to being done, have your team ensure that all family needed for the family formals are close by with their personal flowers.  Just being proactive rather than reactive will save you a lot of unneeded stress!

-Take a moment to regroup if needed.  If you start to feel overwhelmed, let your team take over for a minute or two and take a time out for yourself.  It’s okay!

-Have a game plan.  And a backup plan.  If you’ve never worked at a particular venue before, go and do a site visit before arriving on the wedding day.  Visit around the same time that you’ll be shooting, so you can see what the light does and where your best backgrounds will be.  Think about backup options in case of inclement weather.  Covering all of your bases and having a solid plan in place will alleviate a lot of undue stress.

-Stay positive.  Weddings have a lot of moving parts, which leaves plenty of room for error.  You can’t control everything, so don’t be too hard on yourself.  Focus on the things you CAN control and stay positive throughout the day.  Your clients + fellow vendors will appreciate it… we’re all in this together!!

I hope these tips + tricks are helpful in managing your own stress and nerves on the wedding day.  If you can remain cool, calm, and collected throughout the day, and effectively manage everyone else’s stress too, your clients will be very thankful!!