Not too long ago I was photographing a wedding. When I arrived at the reception venue I made my way to the DJ booth to introduce myself and find out his evening dance schedule. Great guy, but a comment he made to me took me by surprise.
As a wedding photographer, I also have the responsibility of wedding coordinator, flower pinner, security and some times marriage counselor. Seriously it has happened. So typically when I arrive at the wedding reception there is a hand off of sorts. A hand off of duties and working with the bride and groom. The last thing a couple wants is to be nagged all the time with questions and be bothered.
A couple of weeks before the wedding date, we will meet with our bride. Go over a list of questions we have and then walk through what their day will be like with regards to photographs. By the time a bride has reserved their date with us, they already know about and like our photography look and feel. Going through their wedding day we lay down the plans of who needs to be where and when. What photos we are going to take in the church and outside. By the time a bride leaves our meeting, she knows we have a game plan. Doing so makes our brides (and Moms!) feel more comfortable about their wedding day schedule. They know we are in control and will get the job done.
So when the couple’s big day arrives, they know when we are going to start photos and be done well in advance of their ceremony. They also know that when we arrive at the reception is when we start to back off and shoot from the shadows. The wedding is over, they have been bombarded by so many people they really just want to relax and enjoy the nights festivities. We will continue our reception photos with minimal interruption.
Back to the DJ. Again great guy, did a nice job of keeping activities going. However what he told the bride and groom really caught me off guard and made my think about our approach to wedding photography. He told the couple that “I am going to be on your butts on all night”. Going on to say that he will be by their sides all night. The last part of his comment was “By the end of the night, you are going to be sick of seeing my face”. It doesn’t matter if your are the DJ or photographer. You don’t want to ever tell your clients that! The couple should never feel that way.
When you are working with a wedding couple, you most likely are providing a service. With that service should come a good experience, not one that will be annoying. Be in control. Make sure that the couple feels you know what you are doing and that you are going to take care of them. Create a great experience, go beyond their expectations. Don’t ever go in with the attitude or worse yet tell your client that they will be sick of you. Tell them that and they are certain to think it.
What he said made a lasting impression on me and something I take to heart now. The past couple of weddings I think back to that DJ moment and remind myself to make the wedding day as pleasant as I can for my couples.
Just as you should choose your wedding photographer that is a good fit, so should you choose your DJ. Have your photographer booked already? Ask who they would recommend. We do.
