There’s nothing worse than terrible shots or no shots of one of the most momentous events in a person’s life. A wedding may be made in heaven but disaster is in the details. Skip some important points and you can wish you were in the trashcan with the rubber chicken and leathery lettuce.

Here are some tips to help you negotiate this photographic minefield.

Hire a professional.
No? Don’t want to do that? You think Uncle George can do it fine on the cheap? Save a few bucks and spread the joy around? Then read on, reckless fool…

Be prepared.
Emotionally, spiritually, intellectually and photographically. You will need more than just a strong heart and nerves of steel. You’ll need extra memory sticks, extra batteries, a flash outfit, a tripod and a zoom/wide-angle lens. You’ll also need decent image editing software to produce the finished product in an acceptable form.

Have an assistant or a helper.
You should have lots of stuff to carry around, and you need someone who will watch your gear when you’re busy. Get someone to help you out. It’s also good to have someone relatively sane to talk to.

ALWAYS shoot for the bride.
Men don’t really care about photos of themselves. Well, that’s a generality. 99.9% of men don’t care. Usually the only time a man looks at a wedding photo under his own volition is just after the divorce with a drink in the other hand.

Get a list of wanted shots.
Don’t go into this blind. Find out what shots the happy couple expect and try to oblige. Weddings have about 4 phases: getting dressed, the ceremony, after the ceremony (relaxed shots with the new couple), the reception including the cake and groups of guests. Take your lead from the bride not the juiced up guests at the reception.

Shoot a lot.
This is good advice for any photography. At a wedding you’re dealing with human nature at its most confused. Who can really tell what shots will be the big sellers? Just cover everything (even the speeches) and shoot everything three times and be safe.

Get the groups.
Groups are important but watch out here because semi-inebriated guests will want to be photographed with pot-plants, the foxy waitress, each other, maybe the bride and groom, and towards the end of the evening fascinating cloud formations. Get from the bride who should be in what group. Stay with her.

Get the proofs to the bride as fast as possible.
Forget this just being good service, it’s also smart business. Happiness and the vows of matrimony can be fleeting. Get your wedding photography bill in before the first fight if possible. Definitely before the divorce.

Be a professional. Weddings can be scary things.
They’re all about love, sex, eating and drinking. Passions and confusions can be rampant. Get your shots first and party later if anyone is left to party with. If you find yourself at the end alone with your camera, at least you can console yourself that you completed your mission.

Do your own quality control before you submit the proofs.
Your reputation can be destroyed by a handful of misaimed shots of the bride or her friends. People often remember that one shot where the matron of honor looked as if she was zonked when it was just an untimely blink. If it sucks delete it. Better safe than sorry.

Wedding day is one of the most important days for people’s lives.  It is a climax of a lot of things happening. Plus there is added pressure with so many people coming in. You must make sure that everyone is having a good time.But one thing that is not going to be forgotten is the fact that people would want to have their pictures taken on a wedding day.  People are moving into wanting it on video as well.But nothing can ever replace the magic that a still photograph can bring. 

Since it is an integral part of a wedding what then would be the keys of having great photos on a wedding day?First thing that you must put in your list of things to do should be to find a talented wedding photographer. You must look for a photogrpher which shows you a lot of his work. That is what most people ask me in my San Diego photographer business is examples of my work.  And it makes sense.You would not want to hire a photographer that is still a beginner in this kind of business.

Another thing that you must check is if the photographer has an artistic flair in him/her.This is not being talked about a lot but photography is an art form.  So naturally you want a natural artist to be able to take your shots.  I present all my clients with examples of how I have transformed wedding photos into works of arts as a San Diego wedding photographer. People don’t realize it isn’t just point and shoot.It is also important to capture the emotions of the people during that magical event.

Last thing you should look at is if they are organized.  People don’t realize that this is an event.  A huge event that needs coordination.So with that in mind you should now look for a photogrpaher with an experience in handling very big events. If you are going to have a big wedding look for this experience.  In my work as an San Diego wedding photographer my work shows the clients the ability to be organized and the ability to manage situations.This is a very big factor especially when it comes to big events just like a wedding.

More people than ever are deciding to go for a combination marriage/honeymoon vacation these days. And many look to consider Costa Rica weddings as an attractive alternative to a more traditional “at home” affair for a number of reasons. The market for so-called destination weddings is something Costa Rica seems well-suited to play a role in, and the relative low cost combines to give the most value for a dollar, it seems.

Another good reason is that Costa Rica itself is located down in the tropical Caribbean sun and sand. This has to be attractive to many folks who want a wedding combined with a honeymoon in a part of the world breathtaking in its natural beauty. And the country has no end of attractive beaches and stunning nature to help frame the wedding environment.

And Cost Rica has no shortage of good wedding planning businesses, ready to handle all aspects of the activity, right down to the cake and wedding photos. Any of the good companies will offer a range of packages designed to fit just about every budget and taste, too. The picture just keeps getting prettier with each passing moment, doesn’t it?

For example, an all inclusive Costa Rica wedding package is referred to as an ‘elopement’ or ‘sudden decision’ package covers just about everything needed to have a wedding performed in the country. This includes an attorney to handle all the paperwork needed. Also, all activities associated with a wedding, including a beach site and even a bridal bouquet is covered. For those just wanting a honeymoon, every planning company has a range available from which to choose.

Costa Rica weddings can be an affordable option when it comes to looking at a wedding different from the older-style ceremonies many people still consider. Some even choose Costa Rica hotels in which a package “reception and stay” deal is offered. When combined with a honeymoon that can then be taken right after the ceremony, in a beautiful tropical location, it’s hard to see much of a downside. After all, warm tropical waters lapping up on a white sand beach is a nearly-unbeatable environment to top, when it comes to getting married.