For example, you might love the angle or composition, a specific pose, the type lighting, the style of post-production or any other component of the photograph or video highlight. Your board allows our entire team, from the photographers and cinematographers all the way to the post producers, album designers, and video editors to get on the same page and clearly understand your preferences.

Moodboard vs Shot List

A Moodboard is NOT a “shot list.”  A “shot list” is a detailed list of must-have shots for the photographer to follow and check off throughout the wedding day.  This type of checklist is discouraged, as it inhibits a photographer’s creativity and focuses his or her attention on duplicating and recreating, rather than innovating and originating.

How to Create a Moodboard for Photography

1. 1. Create/login to your Pinterest account and start a public mood board titled “Engagement.”
   2. Go to the Let’s Make A Memory Page.
   3. Browse through the images and Pin 10-20 images you like with a few simple words on why you like about that image. (I.E. I love the color, their wardrobe, the location, or the emotion, etc). If you can’t find any images that inspire you, you can search on Pinterest as well.

Characteristics of an Ideal Moodboard

Here are a few characteristics of an ideal Moodboard:

• • It does not have too many images (20-30 is just fine)
  • It is NOT a shot List
  • It has detailed descriptions

Before your scheduled session or wedding, our team will get in touch with you and do a run down with your moodboard so as to understand your vision fully and together we can make more memory.

You got engaged to the person of your dreams and you and your family are looking forward to your wedding day at the church, hotel, country club that you have booked. Now, that is done, you are now looking for vendors to help you with your wedding. It’s not as hard as it seems if you follow our tips below.

1. 1. Hire Photography and Videography From The Same Company

      Choosing a photographer and videographer from the same studio is often the better choice for many reasons including:

      • Shared Incentives and Accountability
      • Better Communication, Workflow & Positioning
      • The Common Shared Vision and Style
      • Fewer Contracts & Admin for a combined Photography and Videography Package
      • Wedding Photography and Videography Package Discounts
      • Hire Quality Vendors

   2. Hire Quality Vendors

      Quality vendors can influence the flow of your day.  This is why we emphasize the importance of selecting the right vendors. You wouldn’t want a makeup artist showing up 2 hours late or a photographer with no wedding experience, would you? We suggest quality vendors to avoid the stress that may carry over into your wedding photos. Hiring a wedding planner is a great way to make your planning process easier and allow you to enjoy your wedding day without any unnecessary distractions. Your wedding planner is there to handle any mishaps while you and your partner go unbothered. With so many vendor options it may be difficult to determine the right companies for your big day. Before hiring each vendor, do your research, check your venue’s preferred vendor list and most importantly, follow your instincts.

   3. Plan Enough Time for Hair & Make-up

      Delays with hair and makeup can set the whole day behind.  Plan to finish the process well ahead of schedule, too often do we see brides rushing because of unexpected delays. Many great hair and makeup artists will create a schedule to follow during wedding preparations. Your creative team will typically ask for one hour to document final touch-ups, detail shots, and candid moments with your closest friends and family. Take a look at our Ideal Wedding Timeline to find out exactly how much photo time you should have set aside throughout the day.

   4. Officiant or Friend

      All of us have great friends who are very dear and near to our hearts who are good public speakers. You have toyed with the idea of having your friend officiate your wedding. He or she went online and got the ordination to officially pronounce you husband and wife. Now, the day comes and your friend forgot to say his or her lines. He or she forgot to do the ring exchange. Will this be something that you will just laugh about or will you regret about the decision that you had your friend officiate your wedding? We do not discourage your friend to be the officiant as long as this will not be his/her first few times to officiate a wedding. We understand that your friend will be more meaningful to officiate your wedding, nonetheless, you always have an officiant who has conducted weddings and are really great at their job. Not all officiants are serious and will sound like a priest or a pastor. There are a lot of officiants that fits the need of their clients. They are outgoing, smart and witty, yet carries on the wedding for the benefit of the couple. There is no right or wrong in this case but in our experience, a professional will always be a better choice to pronounce you husband and wife.

   5. Cake or Dessert

      Sweets for my sweet, sugar for my honey as the song goes. I guess, this shows our age. Nevertheless, we have worked with a lot of bakeries and they have always suggested that while a 4 tier cake will be better for the photos, sometimes it is not practical to have a huge cake for photo purposes. They have always suggested to make a cake less than what your guest count is and make room for a dessert spread as this will always be a “hit” for your guests. Additionally, we have seen cakes that were left behind at the end of the reception. Dessert and Ice Cream bar is a great option for your wedding as they will make your guests happy and your reception will be the talk of the town for the months to come.

You’re planning your dream wedding, putting extensive thought and effort into every minor detail.  After all, it’s going to be a day to remember for the rest of your life. But years from the wedding, all that remains are the moments, emotions and memories captured by your photo and video team. Aside from hiring a quality photographer, there are numerous steps you can take as a bride to guarantee incredible photos. From incorporating a first look to picking that long flowy veil in the bridal shop, we’ve narrowed down the top 7 wedding photography tips you should follow as a bride.

1. 1. Create A Mood Board

To deliver personalized photography and videography, your photographers and videographers need to understand your personalities, preferences, and relationship. To help your creative team get to know you, it is best to create a mood board. This mood board is created on a website or app like Pinterest, where you can save images that you like and even images you don’t like. This is a way for you to visually communicate the style of photos you love for your engagement and/or wedding day photos.

1. 2. Schedule Enough Time For Each Section Of The Day

You must create a timeline for your wedding day, something your wedding planner can assist you with organizing. There should be an estimated start and end time for hair, makeup, reception setup, etc. Within that timeline should include all your photo sessions such as the first look, bridal party photos, and couple’s session. Not sure how much photo time you’ll need for each section of the day? Take a look at our Ideal Wedding Timeline to find out exactly how much photo time you should have set aside throughout the day.

1. 3. Wear a Long Veil

There is something about putting on that wispy piece of fabric that makes you finally feel like a bride. That beautiful long veil makes for some of the best pictures, this is why we encourage brides to choose a long veil on their wedding day. The veil can be incorporated in numerous ways during bridal portraits and the couple’s session.

4.Incorporate a First Look Session

One of the most memorable events of a wedding day is when the bride and groom see each other.  Suddenly all the jitters and anticipation fade away and just the two get the chance to enjoy this remarkable moment. The first look makes for some of the most heartfelt photos, a tradition you can’t forget on your wedding day.

5.Schedule The Couples Session During The Best Lighting

If you booked your venue because of the spectacular view of the ocean or the gorgeous vines in the winery, it’s essential to schedule your couple’s session 30-45 minutes before sunset. The romantic hues during Golden Hour make it our favorite time of day to capture the new Mr. and Mrs.

1. 6. Include A Sneak Away Session

The beauty of twinkling stars and dark skies makes for a great photo backdrop. The Sneak Away session lasts no more than 20-30 minutes and is typically scheduled during your reception and after dinner. Another suggestion would be to get these shots at the very end of the night once all the guests have departed. The night sky adds a touch of romance and allows your photographer to create dramatic images with the help of lighting.

1. 7. Incorporate A Sparkler Exit

You’ve planned your grand entrance, but have you thought about a grand exit? Sparkler exits are a great way to end a day of celebrations. Not only are sparkler exits unique and exciting, but it makes for stunning photos. We’ve seen nothing but smiles from guests as they send off the newlyweds. Although many venues allow the sparkler exit, others may not. Confetti, bubbles, and flower petals are alternative options to include in your grand exit and will still look great in photos.

Let’s Make a Memory has different formats with pre-wedding or popularly called engagement session. A Pre-Wedding or Engagement session are for our couples to have their couple’s photos taken before their wedding day. This can be based on a themed lifestyle or editorial side of the spectrum. Thereafter, we can produce a slideshow and get the photos printed for Save the Date, Guestbook and Large Prints such as Metal, Acrylic or Canvas to showcase at the reception. This session will also allow you and us to get to know more about each other and make that connection that will bridge your ideas and our creativity to an astonishing photography session. Through this process, we will also know if you would like to have your session as a pure photojournalistic, directed or both. Here are the different formats that we offer:

• Mini-Session – These sessions last for 45 minutes and only 1 location. This is ideal for the clients who are looking to have the engagement session experience with us and have limited time in our city of Los Angeles.
• Full Session – These sessions last 4 hours with 2 locations (within 10-mile radius from the 1^st location) and 2 outfit changes. Our timeline will be 2 hours before sunset and 2 hours after. This allows us to capture beautiful and bright golden hour portraits as well as dramatic sunset and evening images. If you have not booked your hair and make-up artist, this will perfect time for you to do a trial with them as you will be able to see whether you like their vision or otherwise.
• Styled Session – These sessions is what our clients typically booking us with. Our photographers will plan with you on the location and timeline planning and more importantly, talking through your moodboard and creating phenomenal images for you. The timeline of this shoot will be 6 hours before sunset and 2 hours after to create vivid shots going to the evening. Our team of hair and make-up artists will communicate and work with you to create that look that you have been wanting to have leading up to your session. We will have wardrobe stylists who will also provide you with 3 outfits that can include a bridal gown/suit, and 2 other formal or casual wear to achieve the perfect style that suits your taste. These sessions will last 8 hours including hair and make-up, travel, break for lunch and setup. You can watch the behind the scenes trailer of the styled session of Helen and Tim.

Once we are done with your session, we will take about 1-2 weeks to polish your photos. Each photo will undergo our post processing to make sure that we provide you with extraordinary images. We will then do a round of consultation for the design of your album, save the dates and large prints.

Our styled couple photography session is 8-hour sessions that can be planned before or after your actual wedding date. The goal of this photography session is for any couple who are looking to have us photograph you and better half without the stress of the wedding day. This will allow us to have more time to capture your photograph with your ideal location and time if it varies with your wedding day. Some of our clients also fly us out to different parts of the country and the world to have us photograph their styled session. On the other hand, some clients who come to visit Los Angeles and Orange County can also have us photograph them without the need to make it to an entire wedding celebration. As an added option, we can provide you with a hair, make-up and wardrobe stylist who will be with us during the shoot so your hair and make-up will always look fresh and your wardrobe will be taken care of. Here are some samples of the styled session

Our job as your photographers is to capture the story of your wedding day as it unfolds. This story begins not at the ceremony but the moment you start getting ready, so here are a few tips we always give our clients that will help us get beautiful images of them as they prepare for their big day:

Keep The Rooms Clean

Keep both the bride’s and the groom’s room clean and have the room made by the hotel staff prior to the photo/video start time. This helps eliminate the possibility of having any obtrusive objects in the background or needing to take time away from our artistry to tidy up.  Also, a freshly made bed allows us to use it for fun poses like the ones you see below.

Have All the Details Ready

The bride should have all the details (dress, rings, shoes, etc.) in one spot. Having all of these items together allows for the photographer to easily photograph all of your important details in one place instead of having to gather the items from separate locations.

Use a Decorative or Custom Hanger

Have a nice hanger for the wedding dress so that your dress won’t have to be displayed on a less-than-beautiful, default plastic hanger. Many nice hotels have wooden hangers for us to use, but some don’t. It’s always better to be prepared if that dress shot is important to you.

Brides First for Hair and Makeup

For the brides, please have your hair and makeup done first to avoid the risk of running late. This is very important because if your hair and makeup are not finished on time, this will cut into your photography time and will decrease the amount of images we are able to shoot and deliver.

Keep the Number of People Low

Too many people in the room can add stress to the day. Besides bridesmaids, a few immediate family members and your wedding vendors, everyone else should wait until later in the day to hang out with you.

Have Immediate Family Around

This is a great opportunity to get some intimate pictures with your parents or your siblings. This is also a great time to have a “first look” between the bride and her mother and father.

Give us Enough Time

As you can see from our Ideal Wedding Timeline, we prefer to have around 1.5 hours of time for the details and prep.

The weddings that we photograph can have different timeline and this will be based on their cultural traditions. Although we must say that generally, there are ideal time frames that you can consider when planning out your day either by yourself or with your wedding planner. To set expectations right, timeline will just be a guide throughout the day and they may run slightly behind. Keep in mind as well that time flies quick and the littlest things that you do can have a hug impact as they add up. Lastly, your wedding is a time for you and your better half, this will be the day that you will cherish with your loved ones in the future so relax and enjoy your wedding! It’s your day and your family and friends will have fun no matter how your timeline looks. Below is the general schedule of how a day can look:

RINGS, DRESS, SHOES, AND OTHER DETAILS

Ideal Time Allotment – 30 minutes Ideal Time of the Day – Morning Ideal Location – Bridal Suite or Hotel Suite

There are times when a hotel room is too crowded or simply unappealing; we have to take the dress all the way down to the lobby or even outside. This can take some time, but as you can see from the results, it’s well worth the additional work.

PREPARATION

Ideal Time Allotment – 60 minutes Ideal Time of the Day – Morning or Early Afternoon Ideal Location – Bridal Suite or Hotel Suite

The lead shooter will be with the bride while the second shooter will be with the groom. While it doesn’t take guys an hour to get dressed, there are still tons of great moments during this time between the groom and his family and friends.

INDIVIDUAL PORTRAITS

Ideal Time Allotment – 30 minutes Ideal Time of the Day – Morning or Early Afternoon Ideal Location – Bridal Suite, Hotel Suite, Venue Lobby, or Venue Garden

FIRST LOOK AND DAYTIME COUPLES SESSION

Ideal Time Allotment – 45-60 minutes Ideal Time of the Day – Morning or Early Afternoon Ideal Location – Venue Garden, Empty Venue Hallway (shaded areas with natural light)

WEDDING PARTY PHOTOS

Ideal Time Allotment – 45-60 minutes Ideal Time of the Day – Morning or Afternoon Ideal Location -Venue Lobby, Venue Garden, Beach, Park, Off-site Location

IMMEDIATE FAMILY

Ideal Time Allotment – 30-45 minutes Ideal Time of the Day – Morning or Afternoon Ideal Location -Venue Lobby, Venue Garden, Beach, Park, Off-site Location

CEREMONY DETAIL AND VENUE

Ideal Time Allotment – 30 minutes Ideal Location – Ceremony Site Ideal Time of the Day – Morning or Afternoon

FORMALS (EXTENDED FAMILY, IMMEDIATE FAMILY, AND FRIENDS)

Ideal Time Allotment – 45-60 minutes Ideal Time of the Day – Morning or Afternoon (Post Ceremony) Ideal Location – Ceremony Site

COUPLES SESSION

Ideal Time Allotment – 1 hour Ideal Time of the Day – Late Afternoon (Sunset) Ideal Location – Venue Garden, Beach, Hotel Lobby, Park

RECEPTION DETAIL AND VENUE

Ideal Time Allotment – 30 minutes Ideal Time of the Day – Early Evening Ideal Location – Reception Site

RECEPTION FIRST LOOK

Ideal Time Allotment – 10-15 minutes Ideal Time of the Day – At the end of Cocktail Hour before doors open for guests Ideal Location – Reception Site

COUPLES SESSION – RECEPTION SNEAK OUT

Ideal Time Allotment – 20-30 minutes Ideal Time of the Day – Dusk to Night Time Ideal Location – Areas with interesting lights, fountains, cityscapes and mirrors

Additional Wedding Day Details

Table Shots – Table shots are when you go around visiting tables. There are two options for photography during this time. (1) You can take formal pictures with each of these tables or (2) we can simply focus on photojournalism, capturing the smiles and hugs as you mingle with each table. If you’re planning on doing formal table shots, please keep in mind that these will take about 3-5 minutes per table.  For example 20 tables would require 60-100 minutes of time.

Your engagement session is finally approaching. If you have not picked your outfit, don’t worry. We are here to provide you with some tips for your wardrobe.

1. 1. Pick an outfit that fits your personality. This can be something that you love doing such as hiking or playing sports. Nonetheless, if you are into fashion and you like dressing in a long gown or dress (suit in the case of your fiancé), feel free to choose that as the more time that you put in choosing your outfit, the better your session is going to be.
      

      

   2. Wearing plain and avoiding stripes and patterns is another part of our recommendation as an outfit with a lot of designs or prints can draw away the attention from your face.
      

      

   3. If you are choosing the color of your outfit, Red always looks fantastic in the photograph and other darker colors can make you look slimmer and lighter colors can make you look the opposite.
      

      

   4. Shoes can also be an integral part of your wardrobe as this can make you comfortable or otherwise. Generally, we recommend wearing flats while walking and slipping into your favorite stilettos or pumps when ready to be photographed can make a night and day difference for comfort. It’s nice to have flip flops ready as well when the session is at the beach as walking barefoot might lead to cuts especially when walking on large rocks such as the beaches in Laguna Beach. Men can typically wear either black dress shoes or sneakers depending on their chosen outfit. Although, you can have matching shoes to show your personality.
      

      

   5. You can bring props to your engagement session. An idea is to bring your pet, or setup a picnic session.