As February flies right on by, we get closer and closer to springtime every passing day. And April shower don’t just bring May flowers, they also bring our favorite time of year… Wedding Season ♥️
White dresses, beautiful venues, touching ceremonies, happiness and tears of joy, weddings are something special to be celebrated and cherished for a lifetime. Wedding mosaics are some of our FAVORITE to create (especially as anniversary gifts!), but many times we get asked what images are best for a wedding mosaic. How do you pick the best primary image, and what are the best photos to use for our cell images. If you are wondering about our process, or what the difference between a primary image and a cell image is… Click Here
Getting hitched? Here are a few ideas to communicate with your photographer for your special day!
Choose a style:
Decide on a style of photography you are drawn too, and make sure to provide examples to your photographer. The lighting, angles, and positioning your photographer will recommend, as well as after shoot editing effects will play a major role in the overall style your images take on as prints.
Do you prefer soft and romantic? Bold and fun? Classic and polished? Rustic and vintage?
Really dig into it, Pinterest is always a great resource, or try reviewing photo galleries of wedding photographers and noting the shoots you liked best so you can share your favorites beforehand.
Let your Personality shine:
Make sure to take “Personality” photos! There will always be the classic go-to photos taken of the bride and groom individually and together, as well as with their wedding party. But mix it up! Make sure to ask for some images that let you and your soon to be spouse be playful and personable.
Taking one-on-one images with your wedding party is another great option to highlight more playfulness and genuine excitement about your special day with the ones you love. Even if they don’t make it into your mosaic, they will bring you a lifetime of smiles when looking back on them.
Mix it up:
Take indoor and outdoor images! While it may be tempting to take all your photos in one environment, mixing it up and taking images in natural light and curated interior settings will give you more versatility in your options. We don’t mean you need to high-tail it into the woodlands by any means, but be sure to check out your venue and surrounding areas for places you can capitalize on taking unique images in.
Venues like golf courses, country clubs, or botanical gardens make for stunning photos, but even interior venues like museums, cathedrals, barns, or hotels/casinos can offer beautiful exterior photo opportunities. Ask about balconies, rooftops, or turret options, or even exterior gardens or partner venues that yours works with.
Planning a mosaic for someone special, with existing photos? Here are some tips for picking the best fits!
Pick your primary image thoughtfully:
1. Decide what primary image you want to use, this can be tricky when you have a lot of options, but best practice is something that is clear and in focus without any artistic blurring or color play to the main focus. Close ups of the couple are always a good choice, or full body images if there is a clear backdrop behind them (such as an outdoor expanse, windows, alter, etc).
Choosing images with lots of people or background color or “busyness” happening can detract from your primary focus and will result in a less polished finished product. But if you just love a particular photo that has a busy background we can always crop out the background leaving just the two of you!
Have some fun:
Mix some fun into your background cell images! You can choose as few as 50 or as many as 200, so the possibilities are endless! Family photos, engagement photos, pictures of the happy couple with their fur-babies or children or loved ones.
Don’t feel locked in to only use photos of the couple from the wedding day. Adding in images of them with their families, friends, and venue will make for the most magical of mosaics because it helps them remember and cherish all the moments of their special day.
Digital copies > everything else:
Try to send digital copies! If you have prints thats ok, but digital copies in high resolution are best, SPECIFICALLY for your primary image to help ensure there is no graininess or blurring. While we curate and photoshop your images, if its low quality or print we can only do so much. Downloading images off the photographers website, couples Facebook pages, or shared albums is best. Make sure you download the images and don’t just take screenshots to ensure optimal resolution!
And there you have it! Our top 3 tips for photos when planning on creating a wedding collage.
Have a question or comment? Drop it in the comments below! We are happy to help!