Tampa Wedding Stress

Last week I sat down with a couple who are getting married next Saturday. The first thing I asked them was, "Are you excited?" The bride said, "I don't think it's really hit us yet." At the end of our consultation she told me, "I wasn't really nervous about the wedding before but I am now!"

Most people have no idea the logistics that are involved with photographing a wedding until we sit down and start going over the details. My favorite part of the final consult is when I ask about the ceremony and watch the bride and groom start to tell me conflicting stories about what will be occurring. Suddenly they realize that, despite all the planning, they are still not in agreement on how the ceremony will take place. This happens all the time which is why it's such a good idea to sit down with your photographer beforehand. Most couples are amazed to discover how many details of their wedding have not been worked out (this is the best endorsement for hiring a wedding planner).

As I told my bride last week, it's okay to be a little stressed now. Better now than to be blind-sided at the wedding. The important thing to remember is that something will go wrong. Count on it. There will be a problem with wardrobe or the food or someone will be in a foul mood... It's almost impossible to plan an event as large as a wedding and not have something unexpected happen. The thing to remember is that usually you will be the only one who knows it's not perfect and more importantly, you will be the only one who cares. Don't let the little problems get in the way of your incredible day. Let any bumps in the road roll on by and get on with the party!

My 5-year-old daughter likes to say "Take what you get and don't throw a fit." I couldn't say it better myself. Don't let your desire to have a perfect wedding be more important than your desire to have a fun wedding. Personally, I hate a ceremony that is perfect. Where's the fun in that? Give me some flower girls who stop half-way down the aisle and have to be coaxed into continuing or a groom who forgets the words he's been practicing all week. These are the moments that break the tension and reveal us as human. They also make for the best pictures.

For more pictures of weddings in Tampa bay go to my website: www.boorayperry.com

Who's that handsome guy with the camera?

I was browsing on facebook when I came across a picture that was taken at a wedding I photographed this weekend. See anyone you recognize?

That's me with the big camera, in case you don't know. The big white thing above my camera is called a "bounce card." It may look funny but it serves a purpose in allowing me to point my flash at the ceiling while still "bouncing" some of the light straight forward. This enables me to light the couple from the front and above at the same time.

Below is the picture I was taking when the picture was taken of me. (now that's a sentence!)

For more pictures from Tampa Bay weddings, visit my website at www.boorayperry.com.

How to take better pictures

I just wrote a nice post over on Photocrati all about how to take better pictures. If you want to get a few simple tips on how to make your family pictures stand out a little more, check out my article.

History repeats itself

I'm still knee-deep in post wedding work after last weekend but I did notice something while looking through the pictures of the reception. There was a little boy in the wedding party who was fascinated by the disco lights and I couldn't resist snapping a picture. I thought it looked familier and sure enough I shot the same picture of a little girl last year at a Bar Mitzvah.

Senior pictures with Brooke

I had a great session last week with Tampa senior Brooke. It's always a plus when the model brings along a couple of clothing changes because it allows me to capture a much wider variety of moods and styles. Brooke was wonderful and we spent two hours taking pictures at University of Tampa. For more senior pictures go to my website.

Wedding - Houston and Ingrid

Saturday I photographed houston and Ingrid's wedding at the Bayanihan Arts and Events Center in Tampa. Everything was just beautiful! Ingrid had about five little flower girls and they were just precious. As a father of two little girls myself, I'm a big softie when it comes to flower girls!

I'll get some more pictures up on my website soon.

Here's a video from the day:

Cindy and Brad Wedding Slideshow

Want to see more Tampa wedding photography? Go to www.boorayperry.com