The Ultimate Guide To Your Wedding Photo & Film
We made this guide to show example photos of each section of a Cyprus wedding day,
and also to give you an idea of how we work and in what order things, typically, happen.
We hope this will help you with what to expect from your finished wedding gallery as well as helping us achieve the best possible photos and video from your day.
Bride Prep: The Details
Before its time to get in your dress we first capture all the important details: the shoes, jewellery, gifts, the bouquet and, of course, the dress its self. This is typically where the photo/video timeline will start for most weddings.
It helps us out a lot if you can have all these items together in one area for us so we don't have to interrupt you to find these.
If you and any of your bridal party have matching PJ's or robes we'll also capture this once hair and make-up is finished (This shot can look great with a glass of prosecco each, if there is any!) See examples:
Groom Prep: Getting Suited & Booted
First we start with any important details; the wedding rings, buttonhole, watch.
We ask for Grooms to be already wearing their trousers and shirt when we arrive and from there we capture the finishing details i.e tie/bow tie, waistcoat, cuff links, etc...
We try to be as candid and natural as possible, we simply ask you to get dressed in front of the window (For nice lighting) and it's also nice if someone can help you (Such as your best man) as this leads to nice moments. See Examples:
Groom Prep: Important Info
Groom Prep happens in one of the following ways; (Depending on your wedding venue/locations of getting ready)
- Bride & Groom getting ready at the same hotel/villa - Groom Prep happens first, then Bride Prep after
- Bride getting ready at Bridal Suite - Bride prep happens first and then Groom prep is a mock prep upon their arrival to the wedding venue.
Groom Prep: Groomsmen
The final part of Groom prep involves whoever else is in the room with the groom - such as the groomsmen. If the groom has children present then we will also capture the groom dressing their final touches.
See examples:
Groom Prep: Complete.
Groom prep usually only takes around 30 minutes and we keep it as relaxed and natural as possible. Once we've finished with the groom he is welcome to relax until we next see him as he enters the ceremony area.
Bride Prep: The Dress & Finishing Touches
Its time to get in the dress!
We will step out of the room and ask you to let us know when you're decent/ready for us to come back in, so we can capture whoever you choose to do up the back of the dress.
We'll also capture your finishing touches, such as putting in ear rings, other jewellery, putting on the garter, shoes, etc - so we ask you to leave these details till we're back in the room.
See examples:
Bride Prep: Portraits
Now that you're looking stunning in your wedding dress and ready to get married we will capture some portraits of you in front of the window - if there are any nice but private outside areas available we may also use these.
See Examples:
The First Look
Its traditional to do a 'first look' with whoever is giving you away at your wedding, this is usually the father of the bride but of course it can be anyone of your choosing! This is a beautiful and often emotional moment. We usually take this from your perspective so we capture the reaction of your loved one.
This an optional shot, for those that would like it. See Examples:
Bride Prep: Bridesmaids
The last stage of prep is group photos with whoever is in the room with you, so this is usually bridesmaids, any children/flower girls and your parents - sometimes if timings are behind then these photos may have to be skipped until the formal group photographs after the wedding ceremony, but we do always schedule time to capture this.
See examples:
Prep: Complete
Prep is usually the most fast paced part of the day as there is so much to cover in a limited amount of time before the ceremony, which is why we always set an organised timeline and try our best to keep you on track - so that no important moments have to be rushed or missed.
You'll be surprised how quickly the time passes!
Once we have finished prep we will leave you at your room to relax until its time for you to get married! At this point we run ahead to the ceremony area (ideally before anyone has arrived)
The Ceremony: Decor
It's important for us to arrive to the ceremony area ahead of the guests so that we can capture the scenery and decor that you've spent time and money choosing - which is one of the reasons prep has to have a tight schedule. The second reason is that your wedding Registrar often has a strict time to conduct your ceremony before moving on to their next wedding - so you can't be late!
We capture the scenery and any decor you have booked, as well as little details like order of the day, fans, confetti etc, or special seats or photos of loved ones passed.
Extra time here also means we can send up the drone and get some impressive aerial shots for your film. See examples:
Ceremony: Groom Arrival
Next it will be time for the groom and your guests to arrive, here we capture that nervous excitement on the grooms face as he takes his place and waits for your arrival.
The Ceremony: Bride Arrival
Its time for your big moment! If you have bridesmaids, flowergirls, etc they will usually come down the isle first, either one at a time or in pairs, leaving the best till last. We recommend taking your time, don't walk too fast and also leave a big gap between each person walking so we have time and a clear shot of each of you as you walk (Plus its your day so milk it!) See Examples:
First Look: Groom
When the music starts we make sure your Groom is looking the other way and not peeking, then when you are making your entrance we will ask him to turn so we can catch his reaction seeing for the first time on your wedding day! See Examples:
The Ceremony: Together at last & vows
Finally, after a day of nerves and preparation you are reunited with your love! There is usually a feeling of not knowing what to do at this moment, we suggest holding hands with your partner and listening to the registrar, also, relax!
When it comes time to do the vows, place your flowers on the table, face your partner and read your vows while looking at each other.
See Examples:
Ceremony: The Rings
For the ring exchange; the rings will usually either be on the table or still with the ring bearer. If someone has the rings they will be asked to come forward at this point and give each of you the ring ready to place on your partners finger.
It's important to take your time with placing the ring so we have time to get a nice shot, but also to hold the ring without hiding it, use your thumb & index finger, holding the ring from the sides. See examples...
The First Kiss
Depending on your registrar the 'first kiss' can happen just after the rings, or it may be at the very end of the ceremony instead (After signing the register)
But we usually ask you to do another kiss once the registrar has finished, so that you also have a nice shot without them in it.
For the best first kiss photos its good to have a gentle kiss but with a pause, not too quick or it could be missed. See examples:
Guest Reactions / Unplugged Ceremony
Throughout the ceremony we will also try to catch any emotion from your guests, whether it be smiles, tears or cheers!
Something we recommend you consider is an 'unplugged ceremony'
This means that guests don't use phones or cameras during the ceremony and instead enjoy the moment.
When you've hired professionals specifically to capture your special day, it means your guests and loved ones don't have to! They get to be fully present in the moment and enjoy every second.
The additional benefit of this means that when we capture photos and video of your guests we get to see their faces and their emotions, instead of a phone or iPad hiding them!
Most couples hire a wedding sign to be placed at the ceremony area that explains your unplugged ceremony rules:
Signing The Register
When its time to sign the register we will ask you go round the other side of the table. You will then take turns signing, there is usually a few copies to sign - once you sign the last one we will ask you to look at the camera for a photo with your new husband/wife! Then you will swap places and again we will do the same once your partner has signed the last copy.
You will then call up your two witnesses to again sign all copies and we will get a photo of each of them as well. See examples:
After you have all signed the register, your witnesses will take their seats and the registrar will then sign the documents as well to finalize. You will then receive a small gift from the municipality, as the registrar gives you their best wishes.
That brings you to the end of your ceremony, congratulations you are officially married!
Once the registrar has left we will usually ask you for one more kiss and a big cheer from your guests to end it with a bang, then we will start organizing a confetti toss.
Confetti Toss
Once the ceremony has ended we will ask you to relax and wait for a moment while we organise your guests into two lines. We will make sure the confetti is handed out and explain to your guests how it works.
When the music starts you will hold hands and take a nice walk (not too fast!) through your guests as they cheer and shower you in confetti, try not to look at your feet as you walk, so we can see your lovely happy faces.
At some point during the confetti toss we will shout and ask you to stop for a kiss (This is usually about half way)
If you don't have confetti, then we will still do an exit and just ask your guests to clap and cheer. See Examples...
The Formal Group Photographs
Following your ceremony, usually, we go straight into group photos; While we still have everyone in one place it means we can get through this section quickly for you and then you and your guests can enjoy your cocktail reception undisturbed.
Part of our pre-wedding questionnaire covers the list of group photos you desire, so we can organise it on the day - we offer examples of traditional formations and recommend around 12-15 group photos total - So that it doesn't take up too much of your cocktail reception and then you can also get out of the sun after a likely hot ceremony.
See examples of group photos below:
Cocktail Reception: Relax, the hard part is over!
Your cocktail reception is the perfect time to relax, enjoy a drink and mix with your guests. At this point we will capture any candid moments - aswell as taking the opportunity to rehydrate and have a short break ourselves too.
If you have any extras such as an ice cream cart or live entertainment we will also capture this too. See examples:
Couples Portraits
Its important to leave some time in this section of the day so that you can take advantage of your beautiful ceremony venue and surroundings to get some stunning images of you and your partner.
These are photos that will be important to you, but they can easily be missed if the group photo section over runs or there is not a big enough gap before the next section of the day.
If you plan to have a sunset shoot later then this is another opportunity for couples portraits, but if not both, we would highly recommend allowing time for one of these portrait sections. These are the special photos you will likely print and hang up in your home
See examples:
Wedding Reception
The wedding reception is another section where we will aim to get to the area before the guests and yourselves arrive; so we can capture the decor and scenery.
Depending on your timeline (And whether your ceremony and reception are at different venues) it may not always be possible for us to get there first, but in that case we would capture what decor we can around the reception taking place. See examples:
Wedding Reception: Newlyweds Entrance
Once the guests have taken their seats its time for your grand entrance! You will be announced as the new Mr & Mrs and enter to claps and cheers - this is a great opportunity for us to capture audience reactions as well as your entrance, as its usually a high energy moment.
See Examples:
Cake Cutting
Cutting the cake usually takes place after your entrance to your reception or sometimes it can happen during the cocktail reception - this depends usually on your venue and your preference.
During cake cutting we will capture a shot of the cake its self as well as you cutting it together.
We sometimes use the champagne as an opportunity for a nice shot of the rings as well. See examples:
Sunset Couples Shoot
(The placement of this will vary on the time of year you are getting married - we can advise)
A sunset photo shoot is a signature moment for Cyprus weddings, its an opportunity for some alone time with your partner as well as a chance for us to capture some stunning moments for your photo gallery and wedding film.
Its important to note that if a sunset shoot is something you want, you must put it into your timeline (At the correct time) as sadly the sun will not wait for us. We can advise what time the sun will set on your day.
Sunset shoots are not always possible for some weddings if your timeline simply can't afford a gap for it, but if its important to you please speak with your wedding planner or co-ordinator so we can make it work. See examples:
Wedding Reception: The Speeches
The wedding speeches are usually either before dinner or after - depending on your preference.
Our recommendation would be to do the speeches before dinner - the reason for this is that the tables and decor will still look their best (No dirty plates!) and also it means those that anyone nervous about their speech can get it out of the way and then enjoy their meal.
The speeches usually lead to nice emotions from the speakers and guests, we ask all speakers to stand at the head table for the best angle. See examples:
Dinner / Break
At this point you and your guests will enjoy your evening meal and we will take this opportunity to also take a break and get some food ourselves - we greatly appreciate if you can organise food for us at your wedding, as not every venue have options for us to find or buy our own food.
If this is not possible we will take a longer break in order to drive somewhere and get our own food before getting back to your wedding - so please be aware this may leave a longer gap before we are able to get back to work. You can discuss food options for us with your wedding co-ordinator/venue.
The First Dance
After the meals are finished and people are getting ready to party the first dance is a perfect chance to transition into the final section of the evening.
Gerbs (Ground fireworks) are a great optional extra for your first dance, it leads to some stunning photos and it can also help take the focus off your dancing if you're the self conscious type!
After the first dance there can sometimes be other special dances such as a father\daughter dance, please let us know if you have any of these planned. See Examples...
Party Time!
The time has come to finally let your hair down, all the traditions and nerves are out of the way and you can just party the night away!
You bring the dance moves and we'll do the rest, we will simply capture the candid moments as they happen.
We usually stay for a little while longer after your first dance, until we feel we've captured enough party for your gallery/wedding film. Then we'll say goodnight and leave you to enjoy the rest of your evening.
If you have any extras such as fireworks, Cypriot dancers or musicians - do let us know so we can organise capturing these before we finish if they are within the package timings. We recommend entertainment such as saxophone players (For example) should start immediately after first dance as this guarantees starting the party with a bang and also means we'll be there to capture it.
See examples:
What Happens Next...
We know that you will be dying to share your big news with the world once you've finally tied the knot, which is why when we get home from capturing your big day we offer a same day sneak peek of a couple special photos from your wedding, so you and your family can have a glimpse of whats to come in your finished gallery.
Our estimated turn around for the rest of the gallery and wedding film is 6 to 8 weeks, we know you are excited to get your gallery and we work as quickly as we can to get it to you, but please remember we shoot a lot of weddings - especially during peak season - so if we are not out shooting another wedding we will be editing, and we will always give each gallery the dedicated professional editing time it deserves to give you the best service possible.
Thank you!
Thank you for taking the time to read this guide, we hope you have found it helpful.
This guide is based on our typical experience of Cyprus weddings but every wedding is unique and will have its subtle differences - if you have and questions we will always be happy to help!
Dan & Charlotte x