heres an interesting quagmire: what do you wear to shoot your weddings?

This past summer, after shooting a whole season wearing suits, i was hired for an outdoor, august wedding. the day came and it was the hottest, most humid day of the year, so i made the decision to dress down a bit. The clothing i chose was, lets say, golf course appropriate (actually it was a black, coolmax golf shirt and golf pants.)
The day went great. i was comfortable and my photography was all the better thanks to the fact that i was not hindered by a cumbersome and uncomfortable suitcoat.

Now, where i am from, (central Mass) there is still a bit of a timewarp with the photographers, and you tend to see alot of older men in tuxeados shooting weddings. On the flipside, as i get closer to boston, i see the trend shifting towards a much more comfortable dresscode for photographers. (i once saw a guy in jeans and a t-shirt).
If you are one of the cavalier folks who think photography first, attire second, how are you viewed at first by your clients, potential clients, past clients?
did you start in a suit and gradually shift to casual?
How do you deal with this with your brides? are they understanding?
I feel i do much better work while i am comfortable and would prefer to be out of a suit as often as possible.

thanks for any input

Jimmy

Dark Grey dress slacks - Short Sleeve black dressy shirt with a black UnderArmour undershirt. - Dress shoes. That is typical. I have worn a suit coat once because it was a nicer place.

black pants, black or white short sleve dress shirt and under armor. I also bring a sport jacket for the church but then take off for outside pics. Sometimes I out it back on for the first 30 minutes to hour of the reception when things are more formal.

If you expect to make more money and charge more then you need to dress like it. but dont kill yourself in the heat. I feel the people who dress in jeans and t-shirt are just there to make a buck and dont care about the job to begin with.

I ahve a wedding next year in Iowa in July. They said where it is the average temp is 90-105 that time of the year. It is an outdoor wedding and outdoor reception. They asked what I wear to weddings and I said well in Pittsburgh where I am from I wear (the above clothes) They laughed and said well not to our wedding. Your gonna wear shorts and a t-shirt. We are not paying you $10,000 to come to Iowa and die in the heat. Your here to work and get good pictures and be comfortable while doing it. I smiled and said thanks. I bet I wear pants like always or wear sorts early in the day and change later on. I dont know. but It is nice to know the client looks out for ya.

Black dress pants and a white long sleeved shirt.

I've never had a complaint from a bride and groom. I recently got married myself in Florida, and both of our photographers dressed fairly casual. But I guess it all depends on the venue and the climate.

I wouldn't disagree that a man could go without a suit at an outdoor wedding. However, if it is a Church wedding, I firmly believe a man should wear a suit.
If you don't think so, I should post a picture of Dennis. He ruined my balcony pictures because he forgot to put on his jacket. He was at the front of the church while the bride came down the aisle, and his white shirt sticks out like a sore thumb among all the tuxes and suits. I wanted to drop a net over him and yank him out of my shots. I was ticked!!! Yvette

I think it's case by case... I would never go more casual then dress slacks and a polo.

dennisyvette wrote:
I wouldn't disagree that a man could go without a suit at an outdoor wedding. However, if it is a Church wedding, I firmly believe a man should wear a suit.
If you don't think so, I should post a picture of Dennis. He ruined my balcony pictures because he forgot to put on his jacket. He was at the front of the church while the bride came down the aisle, and his white shirt sticks out like a sore thumb among all the tuxes and suits. I wanted to drop a net over him and yank him out of my shots. I was ticked!!! Yvette


This is why I wear a black shirt.


Plus, it's slimming.



My wedding wear:
- Dark gray dress pants
- Black dress shirt (long sleeves, of course)
- Black dress shoes with rubber sole, so I don't have to worry about slipping on a dance floor (They even helped a lot at the beach when I was climbing on wet rocks).

P.S. You're never fully dressed without a smile.

p150 wrote:

P.S. You're never fully dressed without a smile.


I can't take you ANYWHERE.

Black pants, socks, shoes.
gray dress shirt, short sleeve, no tie. I have a long sleeve one for the hell of it. worn it once (rehearsal dinner at a fancy restaurant and I wore a tie)
I don't have a suit jacket that fits me, so no, never one of those.
Lowepro belt system, 40D, expodisc.
Oh, and clean underwear (my assistant split his pants at one wedding so yeah, you need them)

I do consider the camera part of my attire as it's on the entire day just like the pants.

Dress as if you are an artist and look like you know what you are doing.

Black Shirt, Black Pants.

In my bridal sessions (in the Netherlands) I always wear a dark business type suit with white shirt and a tie, black shoes - no matter the weather.

Except for temperature >35 degrees Celsius />95 degrees Fahrenheit: no jacket (happens 1 or 2 x times a year) but I will wear a tie (I can stand the heat) For temperatures under 15 degrees Celsius / < 60 degrees Fahrenheit I wear a coat when do formals outside.

It is one of the most important days for bride and groom - a photographer should be nearly invisable (when not shooting) and may never disturb the scene with his attire. So far all of my clients were very pleased with this attitude and attire

I have to look hot. Dress like a million bucks. No tie. No suit. I'm the man in black.

Never jeans or polos. I'd kick a photog out of my own wedding if he showed up looking like that. If it's a destination wedding on the beach, then tone it down of course. Common sense goes a long way.

I've always thought along the lines of a theatre stage hand. If you wear all black, people tend to automatically assign you to the background. You blend in to the scenery, people forget you're there, you get amazing candid shots (this is also helped by having a longer lens, so you're not up in their face to get the shots).

Other than that, I always try to verify the expected dress of the guests coming to the wedding. A fellow photographer I worked with a couple years ago gave me a good tip. If you are dressed about halfway between the bridal party and the guests (formal to informal spectrum), then you'll be good to go. That way, people will also look at you, and know you're there for business... especially now that everybody and their uncle is running around with Rebel XTi cameras and think they're a pro. If you're dressed a notch above "Uncle Joe," he's less likely to jump in front of you to grab a snapshot while you're posing the group formals (note: it also helps if you have a "stage presence" that cleary tells everybody in the room "I'm in charge right now.")

I like to rock-star a little bit. Sharp black pants and shoes usually and a shirt with some color. Sometimes a black jacket. I shoot mostly in South Florida so it's hot and humid, jacket doesn't come out much except around now. I'm partial to anything from Ted Baker.

I just got a really cool Tailorbyrd tux shirt - where the tux front has a blue print across the "ruffles". I need to find a picture...

Even with the weather, I can't bring myself to wear a shirt sleeve shirt - except in the Keys where it's Tommy Bahama all the way.

I have gone full circle. I started out 32 years ago wearing black dress slacks and a black short sleeve knit type shirt. I gradually went to a suit and tie, then to a tux, then back to the suit, now in black dress slacks and a knit type black shirt. I dress this way when I meet with the bride and groom, and if the question comes up during the interview, I can tell them that I wear exactly what I have on right now. If the bride gives me any indication that she would not be happy with that, I ask her how she would like me to dress. I have only had one in the last 5 years specifically ask me to wear a suit or tux.

I did an outdoor wedding in July 2005 where the wedding was at 2:00 PM out in the middle of a field. July in Kansas City is usually miserable, and this day was. It was 102 degrees when the wedding started. I wore a suit (bride's request) and was told about 5 minutes after I arrived to take off my coat (bride's mother), and to take off my tie (groom) about 5 minutes after that. The bride apologized for the heat (like she could control that) but said she had dreamed of getting married in this field in front of her parent's house since she was a little girl, and nothing was going to keep her from doing that. Thank God they had a large tent (read shade) for the reception. They went through 1700 small bottles of drinking water at that reception.

suit? just black pants and a nice button up...also I recently ditched the suit shoes and have a great pair that is sooo comfy but still black. I think most brides understand that w are moving around a lot and it is important to be somewhat comfortable while looking presentable.

Black on black.........tuxes, suits That is history !!!

I have recently started to do a wardrobe change near the end of the day. I start out with black dress shirt, black pants. But when the dancing begins, I switch into a nice black t-shirt. Helps me cool down after a long hot day and be more refreshed for the "kiss and hug" goodbyes at the end.

I have always dressed to fit in like a guest. Dont overdress, but dont underdress...

I have 3 nice tuxedos - one very formal, one more casual and one white with a top hat.

Black Shirt, Black Pants, put on black jacket during ceremony. mostly all DNKY or CK

What "prof_fate" said. Nice long sleeve shit, nice dress slacks - Everything including underware black - just in case the nice dress slacks become vented. Think-tank belt with tooo many lenses.

Grey/black slacks, black button up shirt and a ski mask.

One rule that I NOW have is to bring a change of clothing ....
Case in point was at a summer wedding .. hot .. bent down to pick up a lens .... split my pants from crotch to back pocket...... 5 mins before the ceremony was to start.... NO BACK UP....... I had to borrow shorts sandles ( from the father of the bride ) and get rid of my black pants and black socks and shoes roll up my sleeves this was a beach bum look .. it was a beach wedding so I acctually fit in in my shorts and sandles that didn't fit my size 12 feet.
NOW I alwats have a pair of what we call " THE EMERGENCY PANTS!!"

think about it.....

Jeff