| London offers the Wedding Photographer a unique | | | | engagement ceremony is longer an more complex |
| range of clients and venues not found in the rest of | | | | than a traditional western style wedding. Remember, |
| the UK. With a multicultural mix unparalleled by even | | | | we just talking about the engagement here. Select |
| New York, London Wedding Photographers must be | | | | members of the couples' family will take turns to |
| prepared for anything from a Sikh engagement, more | | | | read from a religious text over many days. On the |
| complex than a traditional western style wedding, to | | | | day of the engagement, other important rituals are |
| a Greek Orthodox ceremony observing special rituals, | | | | performed, and a record of the religious text book, |
| through to the classic Civil Ceremony where partners | | | | and the specific page used for the specific bride, |
| are joining the second (or third) time round. | | | | must be recorded by the photographer. Shots of the |
| One thread that always runs common however is | | | | couple now engaged must be handled with subtlety |
| the priority that the London wedding photographer | | | | as the couple, not yet actually married, are not |
| must give to the London bride. However businesslike | | | | permitted to be intimate in any way. Avoiding stiff |
| or efficient at booking, the bride always melts on the | | | | poses is a challenge in this situation. |
| big day - and the wedding photographer needs to | | | | In a western style London wedding (and no, I'm not |
| play a subtle game between "service provider" and | | | | referring to a a ceremony with 10 gallon hats - |
| "confidence booster". | | | | although these are common too) other touches must |
| Whilst observing desecration and supreme tact - in | | | | be observed by the photographer. With consummate |
| the tradition of reportage wedding photography, | | | | delicacy the bride's train (that's her dress by the |
| there is always a crunch point when the bride seems | | | | way) might need tweaking before some formal shots |
| to need her fabulous outfit, great makeup and | | | | are taken. My own approach is to join force with my |
| stunning shoes recognised for what they are: perfect. | | | | wife and photographic partner. Having already |
| An absolutely unwavering conviction that this is true | | | | covered the bridal preparations my partner is |
| must emanate from the wedding photographer - but | | | | perfectly poised to pose the bride. As reportage |
| in a manner that is never flirtatious (heaven forbid) or | | | | wedding photographers we are usually opposed to |
| fatherly (wrong tack again) but more like a fashion | | | | the pose, but we are providing a service (not just |
| photographer bolstering his model. | | | | trying to fill our portfolios) and what ever the bride |
| In other situations, there may cultural traditions to | | | | wants, the bride gets. |
| both observe and record. For example the Sikh | | | | |