JLM Wedding Photography

Category: Wedding Advice

Welcome to my collection of wedding advice; an accumulation of the knowledge I have gained attending weddings for a living.

You know I love being a wedding photographer, right?

Did you also know that I love to write about my experiences?

I am adding new resources to this collection on a regular basis so do keep checking back.

If you have any suggestions or questions please feel free to get in touch, I’m almost always available!

What if it rains on your wedding day?
Alanis Morissette once posited that rain on your wedding day was ironic.
I would argue that, unless you are getting married in the Sahara desert, there is nothing ironic about it.
In reality, certainly if you are getting married in Britain, rain on a wedding day is a disappointingly likely scenario.
So, how can you keep your wedding day from being ruined by precipitation?
All the photos in this article were taken by JLM Wedding Photography
Plan for the worst
I know that you don’t want to imagine that it might rain on your big day
Denying the possibility entirely will only set you up for huge disappointment if it does.
It is likely that your wedding venue will have a wet weather plan already. They probably deal with rain all the time.
To properly plan for the worst, we first need to understand what could go wrong.
What’s the worst that can happen?
We all know rain on your wedding day is a bad thing, but why exactly?
What problems does rain actually cause?
If you are planning your wedding in Britain it is a safe bet that your ceremony will be indoors.
At the very least you will have a backup covered ceremony room in case of rain.
So the ceremony itself should be unaffected.
Getting to and from each venue if where you may find it a problem.
You don’t want the rain spoiling your hair, makeup or dresses.
Depending on your reception venue, indoor and sheltered space may be limited. Whether this is actually a problem depends on the specific venue and how many guests you have invited.
The rain will also limit the photos that you will be able to get.
All that lovely outdoor space may seem out of reach.
If it rains on your wedding day, don’t panic!
What you need to remember us that this is your wedding day, whether it rains or not.
You owe it to yourself to not let it ruin the day you have been planning all this time.
So, what can you do?
Well, bring an umbrella is the easy answer to the hair and makeup issue.
As a photographer, I’m probably best placed to give you advice on how to get the best photos possible in the rain.
How to still get great wedding photos when it rains
Look for breaks in the rain.
Some days it just rains and rains. Others you’ll get some breaks.
If you spot a break in the rain and you have a few minutes to break away from the wedding then do it. Grab those few minutes, get outside and get your snaps.
You’ll get the added bonus of shiny glittering grass too. Especially if the sun is making an appearance.
Find interesting spots indoors
Every wedding venue has something interesting inside. Some kind of feature whether it be a grand piano, a cool brick wall or a spectacular staircase.
Find those spots and make use of them.
If you can’t find anywhere you can always get creative and block out the background completely.
Conclusion
I could sum this article up in five words.
Don’t let rain defeat you.
It is so important that, no matter what goes wrong on your wedding day, you make the most of it.
The tips I have given you will hopefully have prepared you for the worst the weather has to offer.
If you get a sunny day then great. Still, it never hurts to be prepared.
If you would like to talk to me about photographing your wedding, feel free to get in touch.
See ya next time,
James
06/10/2018
Why Bridesmaids are the most important people at a wedding
The Maid of Honour
There are plenty of articles and resources out there that will give you a full breakdown of all the duties a Maid of Honour and the bridesmaids are responsible for carrying out before, during and after the wedding.
They will try to impress you by letting you know the difference between a Maid and Matron of Honour.
I have no doubt that they are extremely interesting and useful.
This is not one of those articles.
As a wedding photographer I have been behind the scenes of many weddings and one observation I have made is just how crucial the Bridesmaids, and crucially the Chief Bridesmaid is to the success of the day.
To qualify that, let’s talk about what success actually means in this context.
All photos in this article were taken by JLM Wedding Photography.

What makes a successful wedding?
How would you define a successful wedding?
When you have been planning a wedding for 18 months it’s easy to get wrapped up in the details.
To me, a wedding is a success if the bride is happy.
This brings be nicely onto what I believe is the role of the bridesmaids.
Making sure the bride is happy.
They can do that by being her buffer for the day.

How to make sure the bride is happy
Essentially, the bridesmaids should act as the bride’s entourage.
If you think about when a celebrity arrives at a hotel. They wouldn’t go up to the desk and check in. They would stay in the car until it was time to go up to their room.
They don’t deal with all the hassle of giving credit card details or the stress of a double booking.
As far as they are concerned everything is going fine and they are having a relaxing and enjoyable experience.
On the wedding day this is the job of the bridesmaids.
Even if the bride has done most of the planning up until now, she needs to hand all the organisation over so that others can take over.
The idea of being the bride’s buffer is to make sure that she is not made aware of anything that could cause her any stress.
This can be little things like the venue dresser has a question about the chairs, or something more serious like the cake hasn’t arrived yet.
If you are the bridesmaids, do your best to handle the situation without the bride knowing about it.
Obviously if it gets to the point that you know something is going to go horribly wrong then maybe let her know, but the idea is for you to do your best to soften the blow.

Keeping to the timeline in the morning
Generally speaking, the venue’s wedding coordinator will keep the timeline moving from the ceremony onwards.
Prior to that someone needs to make sure everything is running on time so that the entire bridal party is ready when the coordinator or wedding car arrives.
This involves having a plan. Make sure there is enough time to get all the hair and makeup done.
Also, make sure to allow enough time to get the bride into her dress as those things can take much longer than you might think to get on.
I am usually one to get ready early. I would much prefer to be ready and waiting than rushing to get ready at the last minute.
In my experience, things go much more smoothly when there is a clear half hour of waiting time where everyone is ready.
The added bonus of everyone being ready early is the opportunity to get some nice photos of the bridal party before the wedding.

Conclusion
The bridesmaids are there to act as a buffer for the bride.
Their goal is to make sure that the bride has a perfect day, and that means she doesn’t get exposed to problems or niggles that might cause her stress.
Oh, and there is also the matter of helping the bride go to the toilet in her wedding dress.
I have no pictures of that. 🙂
So, I hope that was helpful. If you are looking for a photographer for your wedding why not give me a shout.
Oh and as a bonus for those who stuck around to the end and didn’t already know the answer to my question earlier. The difference between a Maid of Honour and a Matron of Honour is simply that a Maid is unmarried, Matron is married. So there ya go.
See ya next time,
James
06/10/2018
Weddings in Sheffield Town Hall :: What To Expect
For many, planning a Sheffield Town Hall wedding is a great option.
For one, it saves you the cost of having to bring a registrar out to your wedding venue.
Not to mention the fact that the Sheffield Town Hall is a particularly grand setting for any occasion.
If you have never attended a wedding at the Town Hall in Sheffield before then you might not know what to expect.
That is, until you spend a few minutes reading through this article.
All the photos in this article were taken by JLM Wedding Photography.
Arriving at the Town Hall
You need to remember that you are in the middle of Sheffield City Centre, so parking is limited.
Well, to be fair, it isn’t limited so much as expensive.
Fortunately that shouldn’t be a problem for the bride since official wedding cars are permitted to park outside the front of the Town Hall for the duration of the wedding ceremony.
One option is to arrange for a bus to bring your guests from the reception venue into town, thus saving them the trouble of finding parking.
That’s exactly what Susan and Kevin did to get their guests to and from the Ibis Style in Barnsley.

The Bride’s Stealth Arrival
Many brides-to-be worry about being seen by guests at their arrival.
After-all, their arrival in front of the Sheffield Town Hall is unlikely to be discrete.
Fortunately, the attendants at the Town Hall are particularly good at this.
They will make sure all the guests are safely tucked away in the ceremony room before the bride’s arrival.
The wedding car has the added advantage of being able to park outside the Town Hall for the duration of the ceremony.
Having said that, I’m not sure they would usually be allowed to park on the pavement like they did at Kay & Lynval’s wedding.

The Groom’s Arrival
Sorry fellas, the arrival of the Groom at a wedding at the Town Hall is much less grand.
Basically you’ll just arrive at some point, probably about half an hour before your appointed ceremony time, to greet your guests.
Shortly before the bride is due to arrive the Groom will be taken into the ceremony room to be interviewed.
Once the interview is complete the guests will be invited to take their seats in the ceremony room.
Most Grooms opt for the discrete arrival, often with a stop at a local city centre pub for a pint of Dutch courage.
Some prefer to savour the moment by arriving in style, much like Steve’s arrival in a Mustang.

Pro Photo-Tip #1
Before we carry on to the ceremony I have a quick photography related tip:
If you want photos on the main staircase get them before the ceremony. You are not likely to be allowed back afterwards because another wedding party will be arriving after you.
After the ceremony you will be ushered out of the building via a different exit, i.e. not the main entrance with the staircase.
This makes it tricky to get photos of both of you together since you won’t actually see each other before the ceremony.
In my experience, some have used the time for a ‘first look’ photo.
Most of the time it is a great chance for photos of the Groom and his Groomsmen to get some snaps together.
It is also a good place for photos of the Bridal party, not to mention that special moment where the Father of the Bride sees his little girl in her wedding dress for the first time.

How Long is the Wedding Ceremony at the Town Hall?
This can depend on whether you invite guest to perform readings.
Typically the ceremony lasts about 20 minutes from the arrival of the Bride to leaving the room.

To be honest, I’m probably not the right photographer for you.

Upstairs / Downstairs
The Sheffield Town Hall has several rooms typically used for wedding ceremonies.
Downstairs are three smaller rooms connected by a large anti-room which is used as a waiting area for guests prior to the ceremony.
This waiting area is the first room you enter as you turn right through the main entrance.
These smaller rooms host several wedding ceremonies a day and are best suited for parties of up to 50 guests.
Upstairs is a much more private affair, better suited to larger wedding parties.
The main room is partitioned to form a ceremony room and a drinks reception room.
The Mirror room is where you will have the ceremony, so named because of the huge mirror at one end.
The main dividing wall lifts away at the conclusion of the ceremony allowing guests to wander freely across to the Mandela room for drinks and canapes.

Pro Photo Tip #2
This is more a tip for the photographer than anyone else.
The huge mirror in the Mirror Room is right in front of the couple as they get married.
It then stands behind them as they sign their contracts.
My advice, stay low and always check for your own reflection before you take a photo!

Confetti – Where and When?
For ‘downstairs’ weddings where you are lead out of the side exit, that staircase is the place for confetti.
You might want to ask your guests to line the walkway and throw their confetti as you pass them.
You can also wait until you get to the main path and do the same there.
However you do it, keep it outside!
Pro Photo Tip #3
After the ceremony you may be thinking the Peace Gardens would be an ideal spot for photos.
Whilst that is true in principle, keep in mind that on a sunny Saturday afternoon it will be packed!
Not to mention that in August it will be overtaken by Sheffield By The Seaside, so you will have no chance.
My advice is to either make use of the nearby Winter Gardens, or look for interesting locations between buildings for your group photos.

Conclusion
If you have never been to a wedding at the Sheffield Town Hall before it may seem a little intimidating.
Hopefully this guide has helped you to understand what you can expect, where you should go and how to make the most of your wedding ceremony.
As you can probably tell, I have attended more than my fair share of weddings at the Town Hall. If you have any questions that I haven’t covered in this article please feel free to ask.
If you would like to talk to me about photographing your wedding why not Get In Touch?
See ya next time,
James
18/08/2018
How To Find Your Perfect Wedding Venue :: Q&A with The Pumping House
The Pumping House Wedding Venue in Ollerton
A Wedding Supplier Q&A
In March 2018 I photographed Katie and Oliver’s wedding at the Pumping House in Ollerton.
I am proud to say that wedding was featured in Brides Up North in June the same year.
Since then I have kept in touch with Jo and the team who run the weddings at The Pumping House and they have very kindly agreed to answer a few questions to help out couples who are looking for their ideal wedding venue.
If you would like to find out more about the Pumping House have a look on their website. If you get in touch let them know I sent you :-).
So without any further ado, here is my first ever wedding venue Q&A.
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30/07/2018
Anxious About Having Wedding Photos Taken? You’re Not The Only One
Are you worried about having your photo taken at your wedding?
First off, don’t panic. You are not the only one to be worried about wedding photos.
Your wedding is likely to be one of the only times in your life where a professional photographer will be training their lenses entirely on you.
Unless you are a professional model, in which case you can stop reading now.
Actually no, don’t go away just yet.
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06/07/2018
Why Is Wedding Photography Expensive? The Value of Premium Photographers
Exploring The True Value of Premium Wedding Photography
If you have ever wondered how wedding photographers get away with charging what they do then you need to read this.
This article originally began life as a sales pitch to explain why I charged more than others for my wedding photography services.
My goal was to demonstrate why it was worth spending more on me and my services over the other guy who charges less.
The further I got into planning the pitch, the more I came to realise that the other guy’s approach to pricing is just as valid as my own.
I ended up deciding that it was best to do some proper research into the true value of wedding photography.
My big revelation was how wedding photography pricing is actually quite similar in many ways to airline fares.
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02/06/2018
Can You Negotiate Wedding Photography Prices?
Can You Ask Your Wedding Photographer For A Discount?
Nobody likes to pay full price for things.
We humans love a good discount, whether it’s free delivery, 10% off your main course or a simple 2 for 1 at the supermarket.
Saving a few quid is fine when we’re talking about big companies, they probably won’t go under just because you scored a free bottle of pop.
The thing to remember when you’re bargain hunting in the wedding industry is that a huge saving for you may be putting pressure on a very small local business.
Having said that, there are times when a discount can benefit both parties. (more…)
18/05/2018
Wedding Cake Porn :: 32 Spectacular Wedding Cakes to Inspire You
Wedding Cake Inspiration
If you’re planning your own wedding then the design of your wedding cake is probably up there with one of your biggest decisions.
Once again, I’m here to help! Or, maybe showing you all these amazing designs actually won’t help.
Well, I hope it helps a little 🙂
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05/05/2018
How to Spot Great Quality Wedding Photos :: A Beginner’s Guide
If photography is not your passion then you may struggle to see the difference in quality between wedding photographers.
In all likelihood, if you are looking for a photographer for your wedding then this is your first time booking a photographer of any kind.
Unfortunately, many in your position resort to judging photographers based on price alone.
Whilst price is a big factor, as you will discover in this article there are many more factors that you should consider.
By the time you have finished reading this you will have a better understanding of what to look out for.
We will also look at the different styles of photography so you can start to narrow down your options.
Hopefully you will also finish with a greater appreciate of photography as an art form.
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09/02/2018
Planning your wedding day timeline to get the best photos possible
When you are planning your wedding day timeline, are you taking into account the best times of day for your photos?
You probably already know that the bright mid-afternoon sun is the worst time to get photos because of all the harsh shadows.
Even so, if you take a look at your timeline, what time have you set aside for the group photos? Mid afternoon?
I am not saying you need to completely change your day in order to accommodate your wedding photographer’s needs.
A skilled professional photographer will have no problem getting great photos whatever the lighting conditions.
As we are about to explore, lighting is only one of many factors that you might want to consider.
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28/12/2017