Wedding "Formals"

What are wedding "Formals?"

The traditional posed photographs that are taken right after the ceremony of the bridal couple, wedding party and family are called the "Formal" photographs. Even though many clients want a photojournalistic coverage today, most will agree that they need to have some posed photos taken at the wedding.These formal photos are often the pictures that they will put in a frame and place on their desk or even get some large prints made (like perhaps 16x20 or larger) and put them on their walls. Besides, their family expects to see these types of shots done regardless of whether they want photojournalistic coverage or traditional coverage.

I tend to photograph most weddings in a photojournalistic style, but I do offer a fair amount of posed photos as well. Remember, I have been doing this type of photography since 1990 and back then, posed photography was still very popular. But as a documentary photographer working in law enforcement, the photojournalistic style is really what I'm most used to doing the majority of the time. But a good posed photograph can be just as nice as a captured moment done photojournalistically.

To help move this process along, I recommend that a "photo helper" be assigned. This can be one or two people that know your family well. It is their job to gather the people together to get their photos taken. Since the photographer doesn't know all of your family members, it's impossible to know if someone is missing from a group shot. The photo helper's job is to make sure nobody is missing. If a list is created before the wedding of all the group photos you would like to have and then the list is given to the photo helper, that person can gather the next group of people together while another group is being photographed.

This saves a LOT of time. Since I shoot very quickly, the formal photos can move along at a rapid pace. This is important so that your guests are not left waiting forever while you are having these photos taken.