1. Photographers are not the most important people at weddings.

2. We are making photos for someone else, not ourselves.

Those are really two mantras I live by at my weddings. There have been times in my career that my ego has caused me to forget one or both, but I’m doing my best work (experience and results) when I remember these two things.

The first thing is important not only for humility, but also creates amazing relationships with other suppliers.

Being a great wedding supplier involves a lot of relationship management. And yes, often this just means losing the ego and not being a phallus.

But something has changed in recent years and it’s something I’ve had a couple of different questions about lately – other suppliers making content at weddings, and getting in our way in the process – and how do I deal with that?

I deal with it by reminding myself of the two mantras I started this email with.

But I think it’s worth more thought and explanation.

We are very lucky in that through the natural process of doing our job we also generate portfolio materials. We don’t have to shoot extra images for portfolio on top of the images we shoot for our clients…

Well ok we sort of do but that’s for another issue…

Now imagine a makeup artist or hairdresser or florist. For years and years they’ve relied on us photographers and videographers sending them images or video they can use for their own marketing.

And I bet most of the time it wasn’t what they wanted. Because we’re not really there to shoot that kind of stuff.

Or more likely, most photographers and videographers just never send images to the other suppliers so they’re left with a very sparse portfolio.

Then. Along came incredible camera phones, soon followed by amazing platforms for creatives to share their work instantaneously. We love to hate them but reels and tiktoks have revolutionised the businesses of these non-image-making, sometimes technophobe creatives.

So now, part of their ‘job’ on the day is capturing their work once they’ve finished. And while yes, at times, I might grumble under my breath, I would never begrudge them capturing what they need once they’ve finished doing their work. They’re proud of what they did, they want to stay in business, and it’s the only time they can capture the stuff they need in the way they want it.

That’s so amazing for them.

But yeah, it sometimes throws a spanner in the works for us. So how do you deal with it? Options as I see them…

1. Become a grump.

2. Improve your client communications.

I see lots of people taking the first option. Bad choice.

Strong client communications can solve most problems.

You need 20 mins with the bride once she’s ready? Ask her to let her makeup/hair team know this and that you need her to be ready 20 minutes before she is due to leave the house/hotel/room for the ceremony. Then at least she can talk to them and make sure the hair and makeup timeline allows for that.

Every photographer works differently – without communicating positively with your clients about it, their HMUA won’t have a clue how long you need. They’re not mindreaders.

I’m just using hair and makeup as an example here, all suppliers absolutely deserve time to capture their work once it’s ready. That includes decor, florists, cakemakers etc etc etc… but obviously the time it most affects us is just before the ceremony once the bride is ready which is why I’ve used that example – plus it’s the example a few of you used in your questions to me.

With me for example – I don’t ask for a certain amount of time. But when I’m having my pre-wedding zoom chat with my clients we talk about it. I ask what their expectations are for certain things including what sort of shots they want once they’re ready. Depending on what they say I let them know to make sure with their HMUA’s that everyone is ready with enough time to spare – and I add 5/10 minutes on because I know those guys will want to capture their work, and I have to respect that.

So my third mantra has become over the years…

3. Respect everyone else at a wedding and they’ll respect you.

I’ve had times when the hair or makeup person has wanted to follow the bride down to the ceremony still making content, and if that happens I just ask them really nicely to stay with or behind me to make sure they’re out of my shots. Same with planners or anyone who doesn’t need to be in the photos really.

Positive communication and respect solves most problems.

Thanks for reading!

Adam