Your Wedding Guide

Recommendations & Tips

Intro

Congratulations! You’re engaged and want to celebrate your love with a huge party and all your friends. I’d love to support you with my tips—and, of course, I’d be thrilled to accompany you on your big day!

I’m Marcus, a wedding photographer from Leipzig. For ten years, I’ve had the privilege of capturing the most intimate moments, the most beautiful emotions, and the large and small details of these special days in people’s lives. My goal is to create memories for you through expressive and stylish shots. I do this in a relaxed way, without hours of posing. My style is based on documentary reportage and places great value on naturalness. Over time, I’ve accompanied more than 280 weddings across Europe.

To help you fully enjoy every moment and assist a bit with the planning, I’ve put together my recommendations and tips for your dream photos here. This way, we can capture the most special memories together. Because in the end, it’s the photos that hold onto the memories and will bring back that heartbeat for a lifetime. Of course, the things I share here aren’t a must. It’s your celebration, and you should plan it exactly as you’ve dreamed. However, over time, I’ve noticed that couples often face the same questions and problems. So, feel free to get inspired.

It's your day!

Never forget that! I know it’s easier said than done. After all, you want to make your wedding a special experience for everyone, but the two most important people are often forgotten: you.

The big day will automatically be unforgettable for everyone if you are happy. That’s the most important thing. Get married wherever you want, wherever you feel most comfortable. Maybe it’s a quiet, secluded spot in the countryside or your favorite vacation destination that you keep returning to whenever wanderlust strikes. It doesn’t matter, as long as you can let go and be yourselves. Even the number of guests says nothing about how special your celebration will be. Would you rather celebrate in an intimate setting with the people who know you like no one else? That’s beautiful!

Would you rather have a big party with all your friends and acquaintances? Do it! You’ll encounter many opinions during your planning about how a wedding should best be celebrated. But the only one that really counts is yours. There are no rules.

One thing I’d like to suggest, though: build in enough buffer time throughout the day. The day will go by so fast, so take moments to consciously enjoy it all. Nervousness and excitement are completely normal, but let’s try to keep your stress levels to an absolute minimum together.

The Planning

If I’ve learned one thing over the years, it’s that there’s no such thing as a “perfect” wedding. And you know what? That’s exactly what’s so great! Life happens, even when you plan everything down to the smallest detail. As a photographer, I find that the most beautiful moments always arise from the unforeseen, bringing everyone even closer together.

So, don’t put so much pressure on yourselves during the planning. It’s easy to get lost while looking for inspiration because there are so many wonderful ways to host a wedding. Wedding blogs or Pinterest can provide a great overview. But once you’ve decided on an idea, stick with it and stop looking further. What feels right for you will reflect you best and make your celebration truly special.

By the way, it’s perfectly okay to get help. Especially if you’d like to get married abroad, wedding planners can be a true blessing. Not only can they help you navigate a potential language barrier, but they can also take over a large part of the responsibility, minimizing your pre-wedding tension. If you have a fixed budget in mind, you could also just get support for the wedding day itself—for example, for the decorations or the schedule. Often, the venues themselves even offer planning services.

We also know that letting go of control can be a challenge, especially for perfectionists. Nevertheless, you should get support, whether through professional planners or bridesmaids and groomsmen who can lend a hand. If you have to take care of all the logistics yourself on your big day, you most likely won’t be able to enjoy your own wedding to the fullest.

Last but not least: shit happens! It happens all the time. And something will probably go wrong at your wedding too. Take it lightly and with a smile. This day will never come again, and every second you spend being annoyed instead of living in the moment is absolutely wasted.

Schedule

To ease your nerves, create a schedule in advance and share it with your inner circle and us. If you have a planner, a detailed schedule will naturally be created for you, and you won’t have to worry about it. Either way, enough buffer time should be planned. Allow for spontaneity. That’s how the most beautiful moments happen all on their own.

Getting Ready

The calm before the storm? That never really exists before a wedding. Getting ready, in particular, is one of the most emotional moments of a wedding. That’s when the excitement reaches its peak, as does the anticipation. Personally, we love this special energy that the time just before the ceremony brings.

And because this moment is so special, it should be celebrated. The most important question is: where should the getting ready take place? Staying at home is certainly a cheaper and pragmatic choice, but in our opinion, it doesn’t do the occasion justice. An Airbnb, a hotel room, or even a friend’s apartment can provide a more festive backdrop that also looks better in photos.

From a photographer’s perspective, there are also a few things to consider when choosing a location. The wall and carpet colors are particularly important. This is because every color reflects and can change the color of your skin and clothing. This is something that is difficult to retouch afterward. The more color-neutral the environment, the better for the image.

Also, think about who you want to have with you. Here, too, the choice is yours alone. Do you want all your best friends by your side or just your closest circle? If you want to get ready with your friends, keep in mind that many things will be lying around in the background and will be visible in the photos later. It’s best to create a small space just for yourselves. Also, think in advance about what we should definitely photograph and set those items out. That way, nothing gets lost in the excitement.

If you are getting ready separately, it’s easier for the photographers’ organization if you aren’t too far apart. We have a car for the drive to the ceremony. Usually, Gil accompanies the groom and Julia rides in the bridal car. This guarantees continuous photographic coverage. Overall, we budget one hour for photos and one and a half hours for photo and video for the bride. For the groom, a smaller window is usually sufficient—about half an hour for photos and 45 minutes to an hour for photo and video.

Even if the tension often rises immeasurably during the getting ready, try to enjoy the moment. Bring your favorite people in, turn on some music, and maybe even create a playlist in advance with songs that get you in the right mood, have a drink for the nerves, and do whatever you feel like doing!

First Look

The first look is a very intimate moment. After getting ready and before the ceremony, this is the first time you see each other. I naturally want to capture this heartbeat. For this, I look for a quiet spot where we can capture the minutes that belong only to you and are so precious on this day.

Wedding & Ceremony

It’s the big moment that will feel like a single heartbeat in hindsight. So, try to consciously enjoy the ceremony. Take another deep breath before it starts and then take your time. Walk slowly to the altar, look around, take it all in, and let all the emotions flow. Kiss each other—longer if you want—hug, let the tears fall, laugh. Say the things you’ve always wanted to say to each other. If you’re worried about drawing a blank, take notes, ideally in a small notebook or on a card; it looks nicer in the photos later. And remember throughout: there are no rules. Everything you feel is right and beautiful and deserves its place right now.

If you opt for a non-religious ceremony, look for someone you’re completely on the same wavelength with. But of course, you don’t have to choose a professional speaker; the ceremony can be particularly personal if it’s held by a good friend. If you choose a church wedding, check with the priest in advance whether photography is allowed in the church, as that’s not always the case.

Regarding the timing of the ceremony, there are also a few things I’d like to mention briefly. With many program points, the ceremony often takes place around midday. Especially in summer, this isn’t ideal for photos because the light isn’t great, and the midday sun is also uncomfortable for guests. Ideally, the ceremony should take place as late as possible, though this often isn’t feasible.

So, think carefully during planning about when the ceremony should take place, keeping in mind that congratulations afterward also take a certain amount of time and we still want to do a couple’s shoot in the wonderful evening light. By the way, usually no one is offended if you explain with the right words that there won’t be an official receiving line.

In any case, ensure there’s enough shade to keep your guests and us happy. Make sure you choose white umbrellas, as the rule that all colors reflect applies outdoors too. If you’ve always dreamed of getting married in a green meadow, you should still do it, of course; we just want to point out that it will affect the quality of the photo and video material.

One last point to keep in mind is to make sure you sit with your backs to the sun during the ceremony so that you’re clearly visible in the photos later.

CHAMPAGNE RECEPTION

In the afternoon, the light gets more and more beautiful. So why not schedule the champagne reception and the wedding cake for this time? It’s also a good moment for group photos since everyone is gathered in one place.

Group Photos

Most people want their photos to be as unposed and authentic as possible, and we completely understand that. After all, candid shots capture emotions so much better. Nevertheless, we’d encourage you to take a photo with your parents and grandparents—not just as a memory for you, but for them too. It’s best to make a small list of everyone you want group photos with and give it to someone who knows everyone present, like the maid of honor or best man. They can then gather the respective groups while we’re shooting. That way, everything takes 15 minutes max. Easy!

Portraits

As photographers, everything for us revolves around light. And the most beautiful light is found an hour before sunset during the Golden Hour. Usually, however, the wedding dinner takes place at this time, and you probably don’t want to leave your guests alone for 45 minutes. We therefore recommend two portrait sessions: one for 30 minutes during the champagne reception in the late afternoon, and later at sunset, another quickie for some truly special shots.

Although we always scout the location for a suitable couple’s shoot spot the day before, you’re very welcome to send us photos in advance if a spot catches your eye that you like. This gives us a feel for the surroundings and what you’re looking for. From a photographer’s perspective, we always prioritize light over the location itself. If the lighting isn’t right, the photos will only be half as beautiful.

If you decide on a more spectacular location, there’s always the option of an after-wedding shoot. This ideally takes place one or two days after the wedding, when all the memories are still very fresh. 45 minutes would be ideal for this, not including travel time. If you also opt for a video, we’ll need an hour with you.

DINNER

If we as photographers had one wish, we’d wish for string lights at every dinner. Not only do they create a great atmosphere, but they also provide the most beautiful light for atmospheric photos. Otherwise, other neutral light sources that produce a warm yellow light are also suitable, because here too: everything reflects. The colored dots of light that the DJ throws onto the walls with his spotlight will later end up on the bride’s dress—and in the photos.

First Dance & Party

For the reason just mentioned, we wouldn’t recommend party lights for the first dance either. Here, too, you’re better off with warm, yellow, atmospheric light, like the kind string lights create (we just wanted to mention it one more time). The party lights can be switched on after the first dance. By the way, the smaller and darker the dance floor, the more people dance. Also, in our experience, bands often create a better atmosphere than DJs, but again: your party, your rules. For us, 30 to 60 minutes is enough to take photos of the party. Though we’re very sure you’ll be celebrating long after that.

The biggest concern for most couples is the weather, as it’s the one thing you can’t control—as much as you might want to. To avoid unnecessary stress beforehand, you should have a backup plan for an outdoor ceremony and dinner. Also, get some umbrellas if rain is forecast shortly before the wedding. These should be white or, ideally, transparent. Not only do they look better in photos, but they also don’t cast shadows or red light on your guests’ faces. And speaking of photos, we can reassure you: usually, it never rains all day, and just because it’s raining doesn’t mean the photos will automatically be gray or dark. Besides, light rain is hardly visible, if at all, in photos.

Thank you very much.

If you take only one thing away from my recommendations, let it be the fact that you should plan your big day exactly the way you want it. We thank you for your trust and are very much looking forward to accompanying you. We will do everything we can to capture the day just as you wish. So please let us know what’s important to you and what we should definitely look out for. Feel free to reach out anytime if you have questions.