Wedding Photography Advice From Melissa Baum

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As wedding photographers, it’s important for us to stay connected to top planners in the industry so that we can create amazing images for couples. That’s why today I’d like to spotlight Melissa Baum, wedding coordinator extraordinaire of Melissa Baum Events. Melissa has such a great passion for what she does. Her weddings are flat out gorgeous, and I was very excited to get behind the scenes to ask her for some wedding photography advice to share with you. Below you’ll see images from Michelle and Elliot’s wedding, that we worked on together!

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Mango Studios: Tell us a bit about yourself and your company.

Melissa Baum: My company was born out of love for weddings and their beauty. I started a blog several years ago with no intention of turning my hobby and passion into a full time business. Followers were attracted to the keen eye and design taste and therefore started to ask me to design and plan their parties. Word of mouth spread and I left my corporate job to pursue my wedding planning business full time. What my clients and prospective clients expect when hiring me is my keen organizational skills and my ability to oversee the entire process and keep them on track. I am always monitoring the timeline and ensuring my clients are ahead of schedule when planning each aspect of the day. I am also extremely hands on and serve as a guiding light and shoulder to cry on throughout the process. My goal is to make it as stress free and enjoyable as possible and make clients feel like they are truly being taken care of. Aside from the logistical portion, the design and details for the event is something we get heavily involved in and we work with our clients and florists to dream up concepts and make them a reality. No two weddings of mine are the same as no two couples are either.

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MS: What is your typical wedding planning process?

MB: When I first meet with a couple, I never want to jump into wedding logistics at first. I want to hear how they met, how the proposal happened, what they like to do together, their hobbies and passions. I use this information as best I can to fuel personal ideas for the clients’ wedding day. My clients are always serving as inspiration for new ideas and as the process goes on, I befriend most of my couples so I am always learning about them and coming up with creative, personal touches for their big day. Once they decide to go ahead with me, we begin the process with budgeting, vendor recommendations, timelines and design boards so we can paint the picture for what the day will look like as well as the year long planning process.

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MS: Great! Now let’s get down to wedding photography tips!

1. What are things to consider when working with a wedding planner?

MB: I think it is important for the planner and client to get along really well and feel they are on the same page. My clients are very detailed and design focused so I think it is important for my clients to value that part of the wedding when hiring me. The logistics will always be taken care of but my clients are looking for more than just that piece of the puzzle. We like to work closely with them and be very hands on. It is also important to remember that we do much more than help book a photographer or venue. There’s a lot of behind the scenes work, and if a couple wants to know every last detail is looked after and they don’t need to bother themselves with them, then a planner is an important asset to have.

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2. Any wedding photography tips for keeping the bride/groom calm and relaxed during photoshoots?

MB: One luxury we offer our clients is that we have myself or an assistant with them at all times. Clients know they always have a planner within arm’s reach who is there to look after them and put them at ease when the unexpected may occur. We also do our best to deal with any issues that come up privately and find a solution that makes the issue unknown to the couple. I once had a supplier not show up with the ceremony decor and we were 1 hour until show time. I discreetly made some calls to valued colleagues in the community and made sure by the time she walked down that aisle, replacement decor had been in place. She didn’t know until the next day that anything was wrong.

wedding photography in Toronto3. What are the photo-worthy trends to watch out for this year?

MB: Infusing greenery and loose florals is still very popular for this year. Mixing metals is definitely on trend. I am also a huge fan of linear design and having floor plans, centerpieces and design elements almost feel repetitive. It creates so much drama and impact compared to a mix and match look.

4. Are there any trends that you would love to see brides leave behind?

MB: I would love to see more colour (white & blush is beautiful but overdone).

5. Any wedding photography tips for brides and grooms to be who are currently searching for a photographer?

MB: I would say meet with them! There is only so much you can gather from a website. You want to get along with the photographer as you will be spending all day with them. It will also help you trust him/her with capturing your big day as feeling you need to micro manage whoever you hire does not work well for anyone involved.

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Melissa Baum Events studio is located at 19 Greensides Avenue, Toronto, M6G 3P5

www.melissabaum.com

Ceremony and reception location: Arcadian Loft and Court

Bridal gown: Reem Acra from Kleinfeld

Cake: The Rolling Pin

Flowers: Fiona Liston at Stemz

Hair: Bruna Mata

Stationery: Smudge Designs

Wedding planner: Melissa Baum

Videographer: Hidden Light Films

As seen on Weddingbells.