(Because apparently we’re all asking the same questions.)
There are a few things that happen almost immediately after you get engaged.
First, you stare at your ring every five minutes.
Then you tell everyone you know.
Then you somehow end up on Pinterest for four straight hours saving photos of weddings that look like they belong in a Nancy Meyers movie.
And before you know it, you’re deep into Google asking questions you never thought you’d have to ask.
Questions like…
“Do photographers tell you how to pose?”
“Can my fiancé survive engagement photos if he hates having his picture taken?”
“What if it rains?”
“Is it weird if I cry…a lot?”
If you’ve searched any of those, congratulations. You’re officially planning a wedding.
The funny thing is, after hosting countless weddings at Foundry 45, we’ve realized almost every couple asks the same questions. So today we’re pulling back the curtain and talking about the weird, random, and surprisingly relatable things couples secretly Google before hiring their wedding photographer.
“Do photographers actually tell you how to pose?”
Let’s start with the question almost everyone is too embarrassed to ask.
Because unless you’re secretly a model, chances are you’ve never spent an hour smiling at a camera while someone tells you to “look natural.”
And what does “look natural” even mean?
Should your hands be in your pockets?
Should you hold hands?
Laugh?
Look at each other?
Look away?
Suddenly you’re hyperaware that you’ve had hands your entire life but have absolutely no idea what to do with them.
Here’s the good news.
A great wedding photographer expects this.
In fact, they expect almost everyone to feel a little awkward at first. Their job isn’t just taking beautiful photos. It’s making you feel comfortable enough to forget the camera is even there. Somewhere between the jokes, the conversations, and hearing “Okay, now just walk toward each other,” you’ll stop thinking about posing altogether.
And that’s usually when the best photos happen.
“What if my fiancé hates taking pictures?”
This might actually be the most searched question of them all.
Every bride seems to say the same thing.
“I love pictures…my fiancé would rather get a root canal.”
Sound familiar?
Don’t worry.
Your photographer has met approximately 427 people just like him.
The funny part?
They’re usually the ones who end up saying, “That actually wasn’t bad.”
Because engagement sessions and wedding portraits aren’t about standing stiffly and smiling for two hours.
They’re about talking, walking, laughing, stealing little glances at each other, and occasionally being told to spin your future wife around because it makes for a really cute photo.
Most couples leave wondering why they were nervous in the first place.
“What if it rains?”
Ah yes.
The question that keeps brides awake at 2:00 in the morning.
Here’s something photographers know that most couples don’t.
Rainy wedding days can be absolutely magical.
The soft lighting.
The cozy atmosphere.
The dramatic skies.
The clear umbrellas.
Some of the most breathtaking wedding galleries you’ve ever admired were probably taken on days when the forecast looked absolutely terrible.
The weather might change your plans.
But it doesn’t have to change your memories.
“Can I send my photographer my Pinterest board?”
Absolutely.
Actually…please do.
Photographers love understanding your vision, your style, and the moments that matter most to you.
But here’s the part people don’t always think about.
Pinterest is full of weddings from different venues, different seasons, different lighting, different photographers, and sometimes even different countries.
Instead of hoping to recreate someone else’s exact photo, use Pinterest as inspiration and let your photographer create something that feels uniquely yours.
Because one day another engaged couple might be pinning your wedding.
“How many photos should we get back?”
This question sounds simple.
Until you Google it.
One website says 300.
Another says 1,500.
Another says it depends.
Which…is somehow both true and completely unhelpful.
The truth is, years from now, you won’t remember whether your gallery had 647 photos or 892.
You’ll remember opening it for the first time.
You’ll remember seeing your dad trying not to cry before walking you down the aisle.
Your grandparents laughing during dinner.
Your best friend fixing your veil.
The flower girl asleep in someone’s lap halfway through the reception.
Those are the photos that matter.
Not because there are hundreds of them.
Because they tell your story.
The Foundry 45 Take
One of our favorite parts about hosting weddings is seeing photographers quietly capture moments that nobody else even realizes are happening.
The deep breath before the ceremony begins.
A nervous smile.
Parents holding hands.
Grandpa sneaking an extra cookie.
Kids twirling across the dance floor.
Those little moments are easy to miss while you’re living them.
Thankfully, photographers don’t.
So if you’re currently sitting on your couch with fifteen tabs open, comparing photography packages and wondering whether you’re asking too many questions…
We promise you’re not.
Every couple starts there.
And if you happen to Google whether your dog can be in your engagement photos…
The answer is always yes in our book.