Documenting generations on a wedding day

When you hire a professional wedding photographer in Greece to document your special day, you certainly expect photos that depict moments of candid romance between you and your spouse-to-be.

But the day when you tie the knot also offers precious, intimate family moments; they may seem insignificant to an outsider but images of such moments reflect the real meaning of the occasion – the bond and nuptial bliss that form a new family.

On your special day in Greece, a professional wedding photographer has to see this fabric of relationships that will make up the day and capture the moments that will bind you to your beloved ones. Let’s find out how that’s done…

Why foreknowledge is so important

One of the first things you can do to help your wedding photographer is to let her know, who the absolutely important family members are. Providing the professional with all the useful pieces of information about special family members is crucial because the person who has to capture one of the most significant occasions of your life must know who the intimate relatives are.

Yes, it goes without saying that your parents and your siblings are some of them but if there is a niece that you adore or an aunt that raised you, I should know that info before the ceremony.

I’m really interested in getting to know my clients because I have to understand what’s important to them in order to get emotional photos that are going to matter 20-30 years from now;

I firmly believe that the difference between being a good photographer and a great photographer is being able to understand who you are photographing!

Plus, capturing intimate family photos is much easier when everyone knows the photographer a little bit in advance and becomes comfortable around him or her. Some of my favorite wedding shots are those in which the photographed people obviously have forgotten about me, are relaxed and don’t notice me taking a picture.

The significance of the wedding items

There are certain images that document generations and are captured at every wedding. A mother smiling fondly while her daughter is putting on her wedding gown or a father walking the bride down the aisle are iconic and anticipated photos. But equally important pictures may be the ones that depict the continuation of the family items.

A necklace that you’re wearing because it used to belong to your grandma or a wedding ring that is an heirloom handed down to successive generations are important things – let me know about their significance.

Photojournalism and its value

The best wedding photographs are those which evoke naturalism in the depiction of the momentous event. Rehearsed and prepared photographs just can’t convey the essence of a wedding.

One of the most delightful experiences for me is when the mother of a groom or the father of a bride sees an image of themselves wiping a tear or bursting into laughter and then they remember that particular moment and cherish that picture.

During a wedding day, parents and children walk a delicate line between past and future - let me blend in and take shots capturing that transitional process without interrupting you; after all, being as unobtrusive as you can be is the essence of photojournalism.

A little bit of traditional wedding photography

Yes, even the dreaded formal family portraits are necessary. Yes, I strongly believe that the truly timeless and heartwarming images, those that really transcend clichés, aren’t staged; they just happen and a great photographer has to be ready for the authenticity of the moments that will make them timeless.

However, the classic portraits with all the members of a family are precious too, no matter how useless you may consider them now ("I can't wait to have the formal pictures taken" said no one ever!).

The value of those images increases exponentially as time passes and people get older, welcome the births of new family members, and pass away. If it is possible, let me get a photo of three generations in one shot - the more generations in a single wedding picture, the better! For example, a staged photo of the bride, her mother, and her grandmother together allows the family resemblance to shine.

Older generations and their symbolism

Documenting the contrast between the newly-weds’ beginning on the day of their wedding and the grandparents’ long-lasting partnership usually leads to interesting and memorable photographs.

Older generations on such a special day can often be a symbol of the real meaning of a wedding; the happiness of companionship that lies ahead. If your grandparents are present on your wedding day in Greece, devote a few minutes to them and let me get some shots of you only with them.

You’ll spend months planning your wedding day in Greece. But which of those special moments will you truly remember long after the last song ends?

When you look at your wedding pictures, no matter how many years may have passed from your special day, you should not only be transported to the day of your wedding but also remember those little details and special moments with your relatives that made your nuptials unique