Photographing A Beach Wedding!

Portrait photography is not my first love.  I am happiest above the tree-line knowing I got there by my own steam.
So why did I shoot a beach wedding?  Many photographers support themselves with portrait photography.  It pays the bills.  It's a challenge, it's fun and people are endlessly interesting.  Luckily, I'm retired and I don't need to do portraits.  But... I'm finding out about the fun.  And I'm learning a lot about photography as I do it!

The photographs are my wedding gift to the bride and groom.

How did I prepare myself?  What are the major things a photographer needs to think about when shooting a wedding?  Here's the short list:
~ Know the sequence of events of the ceremony.
~Who is in the wedding party?  Who is family?
~Familiarize yourself with the location and plan your shots.
~If it's a large wedding you will need two people with cameras.
~Pray for overcast skies or at least lots of clouds, no sun (white dresses and sun don't get along)
~Indoors? Learn to use your flash well!
~Ask the bride what she wants and how close to them you can get.
~Look at lots of photos online for inspiration.

It was great and I had a wonderful time capturing their special moments.  The best part is that they love the photos!