If you’re getting married, everywhere you look you see advice and pictures about the bride and her attendants getting ready for the wedding, but not much about the groom getting ready. Let’s face it, the bride is a big deal, but we feel the groom is too. Here’s why. He’s just as much part of the story as the bride, and we’re all about telling the story of your day. Albums + slideshows tell a chronological story. So if we capture the bride and her attendants, then skip over to the ceremony… Bam! Suddenly the groom appears. It kind of leaves you thinking “wow, there’s the groom”.

Often, when we are going over the timeline with a couple the groom isn’t really interested in getting ready photos. Maybe he doesn’t think it’s important. Or, maybe he doesn’t like being photographed. We think it’s more of the latter. Well, here are some tips to help you through it. You’ll find that it’s easy and painless. You’ll be glad you had us capture it.

Be comfortable. Be you.

When we arrive, we don’t come through the firing away. This isn’t a Clint Eastwood movie. We’re relaxed, we introduce ourselves to your groomsmen, get a feel for the environment and get equipment ready. We want everyone to continue with what they were doing when we arrived… Watching football, drinking a beer, whatever. If that’s what’s going on, we’re going to capture it. At least some of it.

Be Prepared

In most cases, we’d like your groomsmen to be dressed except jackets. For the groom, we like details, so gather things like cuff links, shoes, groomsmen’s gifts, flasks, a whiskey bottle, handwritten vows, and rings and have them in one place.

While we photograph the details, we’ll ask the groomsmen to put their boutonnieres on. (This usually makes for some interesting pictures.) They should be pinned on the left lapel of the jacket. If you’d like, you can designate someone to pin them. Be sure to ask your florist to provide 2 pins.

Be Fun

Now, while you (the groom) is getting dressed, we’re going to have a little fun taking pictures of your groomsmen. Then we’ll take some pictures of you adjusting your tie, fixing cuff links and putting your jacket on. A couple of nice portraits of you alone and then all of you together and we’re done.

We’ll see you at the ceremony!