Do you attend the ceremony rehearsal?

[jennie farnsworth]

I'm curious as to how many experienced wedding photographers attend their

clients' ceremony rehearsals. Do you make this a common part of getting

prepared, or do you simply arrive early to the ceremony site and make your plans

from there?

 

Jen

[david_schilling___chicago_]

Rarely..........probably two out of the last 80 weddings, and the last one was my daughters. I aim to arrive everywhere early when possible, but churches are churches, after shooting you first few hundred weddings, it's all pretty much the same.

[jon jacobson]

when they pay for the coverage. :)

 

And actually, the rehearsals we've covered are for larger affairs. Two weeks ago we covered the rehearsal and dinner, and the dinner was essentially a reception, with live entertainment and upwards of 150+ guests. Sort of an elegent cocktail reception.

 

The best "early preperation" you can do is meet with the officiant and find out if there are special rules or guidelines. Especially if it's a Catholic ceremony! It could be a few hours before the ceremony or a week.

[zofia]

Jennie, if there's little or no cost coming out of your own pocket, I say "Why not?."

 

It gives you the opportunity to meet the wedding party and some family, making them bit

more comfortable around you once it's time to shoot. It also allows you to meet with the JOP,

minister, etc, who officiating the ceremony so that they can tell you their guidelines (where

you're allowed to stand, flash, etc.). Plus, if you haven't yet scoped out the location, it's a

great time to do so.

 

I do it as often as I can. Z

[russ_butner___portland__or]

Very rarely. Unless it's an especially large wedding, and I need to know who the major players are.

[Gary Naka]

It is a multi-faceted problem.

 

If you go to the rehersal, its several hours of your time. Do you bill for this time or is it included in your pricing?

 

And you can't book another event on that evening, so it is potential lost revenue. Again, do you build this into your pricing?

 

It will clue you in to anything different in the program that you may need to be aware of. Every once in a while they will do something different. Like one of the posters in another thread said, the girls came down one side aisle, and the guys came down the other side aisle, vs the usual when the couples come down the center aisle. If you were not prepared for that, what do you do?

 

I talked with one photog, and he shot in many of the churches in town, and has the exposures for them. So he does not have to visit the church for lighting questions, unless it is a new church. If you have the gear, arriving an hour early should be plenty of time to evaluate the lighting situation and make your plans. The only unknown he has is if the program has something unexpected. And he asks them to describe the cerimony so that minimizes that unknown.

[mike_meadows]

Jen -

 

I almost never attend the rehearsal unless it's something that I want to throw in the package for some reason or if it's a large affair that warrants its own photos. Always arrive early enough the day of the wedding to scout out good locations - it usually doesn't take that long when you know what you're looking for.

[daydreamsart]

I try to go if it's nearby and I don't already have something else scheduled. I've been able to offer them suggestions which have helped me get better pictures, like them standing so I can actually see the ring exchange, the candle lighting, etc.

[annealmasy]

If you simply need to get a feel for the venue, do that on your day off.

<p>

If you're going to be shooting/interacting/meeeting-and-greeting, you MUST bill for your

time and talent. MUST MUST MUST!

<p>

If you're starting out and you only want to charge $50 to be there, so be it. But NEVER

give away that kind of time for free. You undercut yourself AND the market, which is a

loss for everyone in the end.

<p>

We've yet to photograph a rehearsal, but I know several photographers who do on a

regular basis. Check out <a href="http://www.lacourphoto.net/2006/08/rehearsal-

dinner-experiences.php">this post</a> on LaCour's blog regarding their rehearsal

coverage.

<p>

You should begin to be able to show up cold at any venue and work with it. The lighting

rules are always the same, and can be applied in any situation if you know how to use your

equipment to its fullest.