Leslie Boudreau Photography - Welcome Packet

Formals What’s the best lighting for my formals?

No matter what time your ceremony takes place, a good time for formals can be found! Noon lighting can be very harsh, so afternoon or morning lighting is preferred, and shade offers very nice lighting. We will walk around your ceremony and reception location(s) to choose a few spots for formal photographs together.

Do all of my formals have to be in the same spot?

Not all of your formals have to have the same background. I highly recommend having your family photos and wedding party photos all in one space, but we can certainly work to create a different background for the images. Many factors for this include background options, lighting, time of day, rain plans, etc. For bride and groom portraits, I recommend setting aside 15-20 minutes to move around to a few spots at your formals location and have some fun!

Who should be in my formal photographs?

Keeping formal photographs simple will keep your day on-time and running smoothly. I recommend that only immediate family (grandparents included!) and your wedding party attend the formal photographs. If you have friends or family that you would like a photo with, we can certainly take pictures with them during the reception! We can also take photographs with your grandparents at the reception if they have limited mobility.

What if we think of a photo last minute?

One or two quick, last minute photos are not a problem, as long as we are on-time. If you have a long list of formal photographs that you want, I recommend choosing a first look so we can schedule enough time, as well as have the cocktail hour for additional backup time.

How long do formal photographs take?

Each image takes approximately 3-5 minutes to set up and photograph (more for groups larger than 5 people).

Also, remember that many venues will bring food and drink to you during your cocktail hour, so you will want to spend a few minutes having a snack and don’t forget to add in the 15-20 minutes of bride and groom portraits!

What if I see photos that I want to re-create?

Pinterest and the internet in general are amazing tools to help plan your wedding. Often times, brides and grooms see images that they love online and want to recreate them for their own day. I highly recommend choosing just 1 or 2 that you would like to use as inspiration. Many factors affect these images including lighting, location, style, even your height!. Your day is unique and your images should reflect that!