Bridesmaids and groomsmen have a couple of key tasks on a wedding day: Stay calm, tackle the aisle, mingle, make speeches and keep watch over their bride and groom.<\/p>\n
Now, however, you can add jumping, running, walking, beach walks and hamming it up to the list. And it\u2019s all in the pursuit of creating the most memorable of wedding photos.<\/p>\n
According to Andy Song, one of the founders of Dreamlife Photos and Video<\/a>, modern couples are embracing the chance to take wedding party photos filled with personality and fun. These build on more traditional posed shots to capture a real sense of the joy, love and atmosphere of the big day, and the relationships between the key players.<\/p>\n \u201cWeddings are a very daunting experience,\u201d says Andy, who has watched the photography and videography business grow from a garage in Auckland to encompass operations in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and New York.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s so much pressure on the bride and groom to make sure that everything they have planned runs perfectly, so the last thing they want to do is to endure a one or two-hour photo session that is dull and boring.\u201d<\/p>\n Enter the idea of having a little fun in front of the camera and injecting a real sense of themselves \u2013 and their friends and siblings – into the images.<\/p>\n \u201cThe brides and grooms of today are looking for something a little bit more unique and edgy for their wedding party photos,\u201d says Andy. \u201cIt\u2019s not about moulding them into the same shots you see day in and day out; it\u2019s about capturing their day and their personalities.<\/p>\n \u201cSo what will often happen is they will get the more formal images out of the way straight after the ceremony and then look to relax with their wedding party and let the real them shine through.<\/p>\n \u201cFor example, you might have a more laidback couple who enjoy going to the beach, so you shoot them strolling along the sand with everyone, holding hands, having conversations and basically just enjoying the afternoon with their friends and a few glasses of bubbly,\u201d says Andy. And if a bridesmaid or two decides to dip her toes into the water, all the better.<\/p>\n The end result is a very relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere, which then shines through in the photos.<\/p>\n Other elements to draw on in creating memorable wedding party moments include great lighting, backgrounds and foregrounds, and even props, paying heed to the different trends favoured in different cities, from an elegant and glamourous focus in Sydney and Melbourne to a softer, more candid experience in Brisbane.<\/p>\n Then there\u2019s the idea of turning expectation on its ear, such as the below shot of a groom and his attendants, with nary a cufflink or bow tie to be seen.<\/p>\n The groom and his best man, but not as you’d usually see them.<\/strong>\n \u201cThis sort of attendant shot is quite interesting, because it\u2019s not something people are used to, or expect to see,\u201d says Andy, who notes Dreamlife <\/a>is regularly voted among the top 10 photography companies in Australia.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve all seen images with the bridesmaids kissing their bride, but it\u2019s not so common for the men to do, as they\u2019re often less inclined to display their affection.<\/p>\n \u201cSo when we do suggest this type of shot, you often find the groom might be a bit shy and embarrassed about the whole thing, and of course his groomsmen make full use of the situation.\u201d<\/p>\n But it\u2019s something they ultimately really love, as do the girls.<\/p>\n