It’s heartbreaking when a couple says ‘No’ to a pre-wedding shoot. Although a good PW shoot is difficult to execute, it offers creative freedom to shoot some memorable images before the wedding. Then why are the good people scared of PW shoots?

I had just met this gorgeous, funny and intelligent couple and as we locked the contract for their wedding coverage I was excited to tell them about my ideas for their pre-wedding shoot. “No, no, absolutely not,” they said together, “we find those kind of shoots very cheesy. A friend of ours got one done and it was horrible to watch!” Bummer!

A simple shoot meant to preserve the memories of a couple’s dating phase was fast becoming a senseless comedy with couples doing or being made to do the funniest of poses in the unlikeliest of places all in the name of ‘being different’. It was sheer stupidity and utterly cringeworthy to watch.

The more sensible couples had started to develop an aversion to pre-wedding shoots (photos & videos) saying it was too cheesy and not for them. Here lied the problem…

A badly directed PW video can be the cheesiest thing to watch and as budding photographers began to jump into the fray of directing such videos, it got sillier and sillier due to lack of experience. The sensible clients who liked to do things for a purpose began to fear the outcome. A bad director kills a good actor and vice versa and such a difference in wavelengths is mainly responsible for the bad quality of videos and photos at a PW shoot.

Choose your photographer, PW location and thoughts nicely. Make sure you have a detailed conference call with your photographer to discuss the shoot. Discuss your personalities and let your photographer decide the direction he wants to take but make sure you’re well prepared for the shoot in terms of arranging proper outfits, props, hair-make-up & locations. Usually one or two outfit changes over one full day of shooting are enough for some great images and a small film.

Give it an honest shot, be real and have fun with each other - Don’t fake anything for the camera or it will show. Enjoy the experience & unleash the inner child in you in a genuine way . Years later you will look back & smile at the photographs from that day. A good pre-wedding shoot is the nicest thing to have. 

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