If you ever find yourself at a hip, stylish wedding in downtown Toronto, chances are it was planned by Rebecca Chan of Rebecca Chan Weddings & Events. With modern and elegant buzzed-about weddings, Rebecca Chan affairs are always a beautiful and seamless experience. As wedding photographers, it is important for us to stay connected with top industry professionals to deliver the best wedding photographs to our clients. From stationary to florists, to photographers and event planners, those Pinterest-worthy weddings are always a result of combined efforts of all vendors involved. Fresh off the summer wedding season, I spoke to Rebecca about wedding day photography tips, staying organized at a wedding, choosing the best photographer and her advice to the newly engaged looking to plan their ideal wedding.
How does photography factor into your wedding planning process?
Photography is one of the first things I work with my couples to book, after they have decided on their venue and date. I know that good photographers book up quickly, and it’s important for a couple to book their preferred photographer as soon as they can. When recommending a photographer to a couple, I always ask them how important photography is to them, what style they like and what budget they are working with. For example, if a couple really loves decor, I may recommend a photographer who shoots this well. If a couple really loves artistic ways of capturing light and dark, I will suggest based on this. I always recommend photographers accordingly to see who might be a good fit for them.
What do you wish photographers and couples knew about timelines and scheduling?
Before inquiring about photography costs, I start putting together a draft itinerary to see what their wedding day will look like. Will they be travelling? Will they see each other before the ceremony? Where will they get ready? Most couples underestimate time for travelling to and from venues, or the fact that it takes time to do prep photos and to do portraits. When you pay for continuous coverage, you are literally paying a photographer to sit in a car to drive around town with you. The less travel you do, the more photos you can get done! I love it when I can plan out the schedule with a couple from the start, to allow us optimal time for all the photos they need for the day. Sometimes I consult with the photographer to see what they think of the schedule, to get another pair of eyes on optimizing for great photo ops.
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What qualities or traits does an exceptional wedding photographer need other than taking great photos?
Beyond capturing the important moments in the day and portraits of the couple, a great photographer will be able to capture emotion and candids throughout the day, see opportunities that come up and seize them (a beautiful sunset during dinner, perhaps) and also capture details of the hard work that went into the wedding day. There are a lot of different styles of photography (portraits, editorial, photojournalistic, etc) that need to happen in one very busy day, and a photographer needs to be versatile and have a good eye. A lot of couples have regrets after the wedding day about not hiring a better photographer when they are disappointed with their photos. You cannot redo your wedding day. It’s so important to find a photographer who you can trust to capture the day seamlessly.
What are some photo worthy trends you’re seeing this year?
I’m seeing more and more couples find unique ways to do first looks. Couples are also straying away from the usual photo permit garden locations and scouting for interesting spaces to do photos.
What attracts you and your couples to MANGO each year?
The couples who are attracted to working with Mango love the editorial, yet classic feel that they bring to a wedding photography. The team is down-to-earth and jive with the hip, style-savvy couple that I tend to work with. Personally I love working with Mango because I know that the team will deliver the kind of photos that my couple is looking for and won’t disappoint. They make my job easy because they do a great job!
As seen in Elegant Wedding
Event planning & design: Rebecca Chan Weddings & Events
Ceremony & reception location: Malaparte, Toronto
Cake & sweet table: Truffle Cake & Pastry
Florals: FOS Decor
Thank you to Contemporary Furniture Rentals Inc. for the cruiser table
