Garrett Nudd: How To Get The Perfect Shot on Your Wedding Day

Garrett Nudd is sharing his secrets and 5 top tips on how to get the picture perfect shot on your wedding day:

"Almost every couple that hires me to photograph their wedding tells me that photography is one of their biggest priorities. Of course I always consider that to be a compliment, as well as quite a responsibility.  

Occasionally they ask me what are some things that they can do to help me get the perfect shot. Below are my top five suggestions for getting the perfect shots at your wedding.

1. Schedule adequate time for pictures.  Yes, it is important to hire a photographer who can work quickly and churn out good quality shots in mere minutes and not hours, but work with him/her in advance to determine how much time you need to set aside for pictures. I usually request 60-90 minutes, figuring that if things are running behind, I've padded the schedule with enough time to still get the necessary shots without throwing off the schedule for the rest of the day. 

2. To see or not to see, that is the question. Gone are the days when it was taboo for brides and grooms to see each other before their wedding. If you are after the perfect picture there are few things more special and wrought with photographic opportunity than a private "first look" between the bride and groom. The emotions are real, the lighting can be ideal, and so is the opportunity to capture the perfect shot. 

3. If it's portraits that you are after and the weather doesn't cooperate, don't hesitate to ask your photographer to do a follow-up shoot after returning from your honeymoon. Sure, it's a little bit of effort to get your hair and make-up done again, but what girl doesn't love dressing up? And it'll give you a good excuse to get back into your dress.  

4. Trust your photographer. Select a photographer that you trust and then trust her/him to do the job you hired them to do. If you provide your photographer with a five-page shot list chances are he/she will spend more time looking at the list than he will capturing moments. The best moments come and go in a split second and a good photographer will be alert and attentive to everything that is going on, so that she/he can anticipate moments that are about to happen.  

5. Speaking of capturing moments, moments are something that you can't stage or re-create. I always recommend for my clients to really be present in the moment and consider the significance of their wedding day. Think about their family and everything that the wedding represents. And give your photographer an all-access pass. Trust him/her to capture the story-telling moments that you will be able to someday share with your children."