It is my honor to feature our guest blog post series. Introducing Michele Tremblay…
Dear Reader, I have recently been thinking all about brides and their flowers and was inspired to write this post.
Dear Modern Bride,
There are so many things to consider when you are planning your wedding…..Ceremony, dress, wedding party, food, flowers, honeymoon, where will you live. The list goes on and on.
For some reason I was looking at my own wedding pictures today and suddenly it hit me…I knew exactly what I needed to talk to you about.
Your Pictures…and your photographer.
Truth is I don’t like my wedding pictures. They cost plenty of money, my photographer broke his leg before my wedding and sent a different fellow. BAD. Had I really thought about it I would have found someone else, BUT….I didn’t.
The really important thing though is that although I don’t really care for my wedding pictures, the photographer was not the problem…I was.
Please allow me to explain. I did not have a clue about what pictures I wanted. Saw all of the sample books and assumed (incorrect) that my photographer would know exactly what pictures needed to be taken. MY photographer probably did know what pictures needed to be taken, but, oh yes, he wasn’t there. His buddy was. I had never met his buddy before my wedding day. Another error!!!
So here is my short list of suggestions when selecting a wedding photographer:
1. It is your wedding. Instruct your photographer to do exactly as you wish. Ask for his/her suggestions because they will have had plenty of experience, but you need to have thought this through. Understand what your wedding pictures mean to you. Do you want a journal of the day or do you want only candid shots? My opinion is that your photographer should be able to do both.
2. What do you want pictures of? Personally, I loved my wedding dress. It was the exact dress i wanted. I do not have one picture where you can see the whole thing. It did have a train and I definitely wanted a picture of the whole dress…didn’t get that. In every picture there is either a big piece of furniture in front of me or we are in a place where there was not enough room. Getting married in January, plans could have been made to get pictures taken where there was enough space (like at my reception maybe?)but I didn’t know to do that. Plan for this. If you do it on your wedding day ad-hoc you will be disappointed with the results.
3. Who do you want pictures of? Again….my pictures are lacking. My Mom died when I was 19, well before I got married, but she has 5 sisters. I would have really cherished a picture of myself with all of her sisters. Didn’t think of it. What a lost opportunity.
4. Do you want any pictures of your flowers, the ceremony, the centerpieces, the cake, the band, the whole reception room, the receiving line, you getting ready for the wedding…you get the drift. Be very specific. If there is a picture you want or you think you might want, tell your photographer! You can always skip it if you don’t like it.
5. Most Important! Once you have decided all of these things find one good friend who knows your guest list, has a sheet with all of your wishes and introduce that person to your photographer. Of course, your photographer will also have a copy of the same sheet. That way, If you want a picture of Aunt Josie and Uncle Fred, you won’t have to point them out. Your designated friend can do that for you.
6. Do as much pre planning as you possibly can…it will relieve you on the day of your wedding so you will have only one task. Enjoy each moment and have a bundle of fun!
Michele Tremblay
For the last 30 years Michele has been designing flowers for all kinds of people, from brides to prom goers, from dining rooms to boardrooms. Starting out as a fine artist (painter) and moving into the flower world gave Michele a vision that set her work apart from other floral designers. Designing flowers in a more relaxed,”unfloristy” way was always the goal when working for private clients.
Still doing artwork and designing various products from table linens to greeting cards to holiday decorations, Michele continues to have a unique and diverse style she brings to her work.
Her goal is to help people have an ease with flowers and encourage them to keep beautiful arrangements, simply and easily, in their homes and also to help brides approach the wedding flowers in a “can do” sort of way that allows for personal preference without breaking the bank.
