When you take a look at wedding related blogs and magazines, it seems like only brides should look beautiful and perfect on their wedding day. What about the groom? Is he less important on his own wedding? Even if we agree that it’s more important for women to look physically attractive (while men should be able to budget everything), men also spend time preparing themselves for the big day! Should that process be captured in photos? There are divided opinions on this subject. However, your wedding photographer should be there to see most of this list:
- Post-shower shaving in a towel (without nudity)
- The arrival of groomsmen
- Hanged up wedding suits
- The shoe polishing process
- Getting dressed
- Watch and cufflinks (they are some sort of male equivalent to bridal jewelry)
- Buttonholes
- Checking or handing over of the rings
- Usual male bonding rituals: whether they are macho or not. Let’s be honest, men use every opportunity to undermine someone’s confidence, especially if the person is the groom: that should be captured.
It’s important to arrange a time when photographers are going to find the groom and his groomsmen. Photographers should get the story of men getting ready as the preparation happens. Re-staging should not be done.
The approach to the male photo session is generally the same as to the bridal shooting. A photographer should be relaxed, find out where to place people to catch the best light. Basically, men get changed faster than women, so the photographer has to be very concentrated. However, that leaves enough time to capture the group of people while chatting, exchanging advices etc. They won’t look this smart later in the day and the groom won’t be as nervous once his beloved bride says “I do”.
*Take a look at Wedding Photography in Aschaffenburg which inspired us to write this article.