Bahamas Wedding Destnations
Wedding Tips & FAQs
Anticipating Your Questions for a Bahamas Wedding
Planning a Wedding in the Bahamas? Below are some helpful tips for a successful Destination Event.
I generally advise brides to do preparation photos. It could be full coverage of the preparations i.e. from putting on make up to getting dressed. Or partial coverage i.e. a few nice portraits of the bride after she’s is already dressed. This is recommend because you never know what the weather will be like on any particular day. And you look your best just before you leave the room. For in room photos, it is helpful to have all details (jewelry, shoes, dress etc) handy, and ready to be photographed before I arrive. It’s also great to consider how many people you want in the preparation room. The amount of people greatly affect the atmosphere, mood and kind of photos produced.
Preparation Photos
For outdoor ceremonies the main consideration from a photography standpoint is time of day. Generally the best time from a comfort and lighting stand point is about 2 hours before sunset. For an elopement 1 hour before sunset is good. The middle part of the day can be very hot and humid. Especially for Spring and Summer events. For outdoor events consideration should be given to the length of the ceremony if it is in direct sunlight. going beyond about 20 - 25 minutes in direct sunlight will have everyone sweaty and hot. Not the best look for photos. Another factor that is important is venue location. Weather and outdoor activity can play a role in how the ceremony flows, if the ceremony is at venue that has other activities going on. Be mindful of activities that may be adjacent to your venue. For Decor think about how the event will flow once people are in the venue. There should a clear view of the couple during the ceremony so good photos of them can be captured.
Ceremony
I generally photograph formals (group shots) directly after the ceremony. I usually shoot large group photos first then wine down until it’s just the bride and groom. Having a basic idea which group shots you want greatly helps the formal photo process along. A shot list can help provided it’s not so long it makes the process less efficient. A group photo of all guests (depending on size), immediate family then parents are common group photos in addition to the bridal party. Smaller groupings can always be photographed at the reception. The main consideration especially for late afternoon and outdoor weddings is having good sunlight available for photos of the bride and groom. So it's important to organize photos in a manner that will allow that to happen, if the wedding is near sunset time. Formal photos can take anywhere from 15 to 35 minutes depending on group size.
POST CEREMONY PHOTOS (FORMALS/GROUP SHOTS)
By the time the reception rolls around. Everyone tends to be relaxed and festive. I find receptions great opportunities for fun candid photos. I’m always on the look out for something good. From a coverage standpoint it’s helpful to consider which elements you want photographed. For example dances, speeches and cake cutting. Often times these can be arranged within the program so that you don’t have to have the photographer there for several hours to get that ‘one’ photo. From a lighting stand point adding additional venue lights are great for creating mood. Covered locations tend to work a bit better for lighting than open air locations.
RECEPTION
The main things to consider for outdoor portraits in the Bahamas are lighting and time. I can shoot at any time of day. However the best lighting for portraits happens in a 2 hour window before sunset or just after sunrise. The sun is much less intense during these times and the lighting is softer, so it’s much easier to work with. The time of day and weather will primarily determine the final look and feel of images. Photos taken in direct sunlight at mid day won't look like photos taken in the shade or late afternoon. So it's very important to take this into consideration when planning an event. I always think in terms of best available light when shooting a couple. The middle part of the day is the least ideal time to shoot portraits as it hot, the sun causes squinting, sweating and the lighting is rather harsh. Mid day is better for scenic photos (wide photos) rather that close ups ( portraits). Another important factor in the creation of great images is time. I need enough time to create great portraits. Ideally 30 to 40 minutes of time with just the couple at a minimum. It's very import that I have enough time to work and allow my creatively to flow. If the scheduled doesn’t allow an adequate amount of time on the day of, a Bridal Shoot following the wedding is a great option. The last thing to remember is to relax and enjoy the moment. Remember this is your big day! I do my best to make the process of taking photos effortless and fun.
PHOTOS OF THE BRIDE AND GROOM
– Sabrina and Eric
"He was easy going and a pleasure to work with. He managed to get every shot I asked for. He even managed to get a few that surprised me. I was very pleased with his service."
“Mario was fantastic."
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
I'm primarily a natural light shooter. But I do use flash depending on the lighting situation. My aim is to get the best possible photo under the current conditions. When outdoors, sunlight is the most important lighting factor. So time of day is crucial to the look of images taken outdoors. Early morning and evening (about an hour before sunset) are the best times to shoot portrait style images. The lighting is softer and the temperature are a bit cooler. The middle of the day (roughly 10am to 4pm) can be very hot and the sunlight harsh especially during the summer months on the beach. So it is generally not the ideal time for portrait style photos. That said the middle part of the day is best for scenic photos where the ocean is involved. That's when you'll see the bluest colors in the seas. So it is important to think about how you want you photos to look. If you have flexibility plan your event for later in the day if we will be shooting where there is no shade.
Yes. I do utilize an assistants for larger events and additional shooters when requested. In either case I remain the primary shooter.
Yes. Once they do not get in the way. I have no problem with family and friends taking their own photos.
When I work I am highly focused on doing a great job and providing excellent service. I'm energentic and I always wear a smile. I like to interact with my subjects so they enjoy the moment and feel comfortable. I like to move around quite a bit during the ceremony and reception to capture as many candid images from as many angles as possible.
Yes if on the wedding day you decide you want me to shoot additional time that's no problem. I charge hourly for additional time. The billing can be settled before delivery of images.
Canon Cameras R6 Cameras with Canon L series professional lenses.
Your High Resolution digital images are provided in Jpeg format via a private online gallery. Images have to be downloaded using a computer.
The finally total of images is dependant on how the event size, length, flows and what's available or me to shoot. This varies greatly with each event. However you can expect 50 to 100 edited images per hour of photography.
You are granted a limited copyright. You can reproduce (print) and disseminate the images freely for personal use only. Images cannot be professionally published or sold without permission or compensation where applicable.
Yes. A complimentary password protected online gallery is provided and orders can be initated through it.
The photographer is probably the most important vendor you will contract for your event aside from the wedding officiant. At the end of the day the photos are the only thing you walk away with. Therefore, you should get the best photographer you can. Choose someone whose style you like, who has the experience to work efficiently and effectively in a variety of lighting conditions. As the saying goes you get what you pay for. That said, here are some things you can do to help manage your photography budget:
Book a package with the bare minimum. IE the photographer's time and digital images. Custom Albums and Enlargements can always be purchased afterwards. The most important thing is making sure exceptional images are captured on that day.
Plan the event so the location of dress site, ceremony and reception are close or the same. The closer these are to each other the less time is lost in transit between venues.
If you have a large wedding party plan lots of time to get ready so that everyone is on time for the ceremony. Late arrivals or starts is the biggest thing that costs brides extra money on the wedding day.
Create a basic shot list. Think about which formal photos you want before the wedding. It should list the basic images you want but shouldn't be so long that it makes the shooting process inefficient. Inform those people you want in the images where they should be and when.
There are only so many things a photographer can shoot at a reception . Organize key elements of your reception so they are closer to the beginning of the event. The first dance, cake cutting, bouquet throw, speeches etc. Scheduled toasts to occur during dinner at the reception.
This is not a must. I do many weddings in which I meet my client on the day of and things usually go great! However if it is possible it's a good thing. I find meeting before the wedding allows a greater level of comfort and relaxation on the wedding day. This in turn allows for better images. The primary thing is to communicate to the photographer your expectations and desires as it relates to the photos. What specific things about the photography are primarily important to you? What do you want focused on if anything? Are there specific people it's important to get photos of? Do you want lots of couples photos? Do you like to be posed? Do you want to be more relaxed? Do you like scenic images (wide) or close ups? Do you want drone photos? Do you want more candid photos or more posed? Discussing expectations helps put things into perspective for the event coverage.