• A prepared photographer makes a happy couple.wedding image by Mat Hayward from Fotolia.com
  
  A good professional wedding photographer does not ad-lib or wing-it on a couple's big day. Modern-day photography is not only a coveted art form but a highly orchestrated undertaking. Some captured magical moments are golden and unexpected, but many of them can be anticipated by the photographer. The primed-and-ready wedding photog will not only get the job done, but will have more time and energy to be creative and spontaneous along the way.
  
  

Make a List

• Make a list beforehand of the shots you want to take. It will also help to get a list from the soon-to-be-newlyweds. This list may include certain locations, moments of the day, and different combinations of people they want in different photos. A list will help ensure that you don't forget to take a photo of the bride's favorite aunt, or heaven forbid, the bride's $1,000 Jimmy Choo shoes.
  
  

Tell a Story

• Wedding photos tell a story of the day. Often they begin with the bride-to-be and her wedding party at the salon or getting their make-up done. These are some classic and essential wedding-ceremony shots: the dress hanging or draped in a window, the bride looking out window, the Maid of Honor and bride's mom zipping up dress, the flowers, the groom doing his hair, the groom with his entourage of groomsmen, the wedding-party members walking down the aisle, the bride making her entrance, the groom waiting at the alter, the father giving away the bride, the exchange of vows and rings, the first kiss, signing the register, the bride and groom walking down the aisle, the receiving line, the bride and groom with the groom's side of the family, the bride and groom with bride's side of the family and the whole wedding party, and, finally, the bride and groom driving away with a "Just Married" sign.
  
  

The Reception

• If the bride and groom opt for photography at the reception, you will want to capture the room, the food, the table settings, the flowers, the guest tables, the speeches, the bride and groom's first dance, the bride dancing with her father, the groom dancing with his mother, the bride and groom's parents dancing, the guests dancing, the cake-cutting, the bouquet toss and the garter-belt toss. Typically, the photographer leaves after the speeches and first dances. By then, all of the landmark moments of the couple's big day have passed and been recorded for posterity.
  
  

Special Features

• Maybe you're shooting a winter wedding in a castle, and it's snowing outside, or the ceremony's in a greenhouse with outstanding architecture, or you notice the groom's great-great-grandmother is a spry and voracious story-teller who has single-handedly captivated the groom's men. Trust your shutterbug instincts, and capture the place, the feel, the people and the moments of beauty that resonate for you. Chances are, your couple will love them too.