What Brides Consider When Making the Decision About Having A Backdrop at Their Wedding
There was a time when having a backdrop setup at a wedding was the norm. The couple, wedding party and guests would gather in front of the backdrop for portraits throughout the evening. If you look through wedding albums from 25 or so years ago, you will likely see some of these portraits that were shot in front of a backdrop.
Looks Outdated
Today, backdrops are outdated, and most couples opt to skip this part of the wedding photography. It just feels very 1970’s, and with today’s more artistic approach to wedding photography, backdrops are no longer needed. The look today is more natural. Backdrops look artificial, so they are not a good fit in today’s wedding albums.
Miss Other Shots
Another problem with having a backdrop is that your photographer will need to spend much of his or her time snapping pictures there. This means that the photographer will not be in the reception as much and is very likely to miss some of the best moments of the night.
Candid Shots
Instead of needing to be tied to the backdrop, free your photographer to be present in the reception, snapping shots of people laughing and dancing. These candid shots are much more appropriate for today’s wedding albums and will allow you not only to remember who was at your wedding, but to actually see your guests enjoying the party.
Natural Backdrops
For portrait style photographs, choose natural backdrops instead of artificial ones. A beautiful fountain, a crystal blue lake or a fireplace in your reception venue is a much more appealing choice than a backdrop that can be rolled up and stored in the back of your photographer’s van.
Even for engagement photos, natural backdrops are a much better choice. Today’s brides tend to lean to wedding details that are less artificial and stiff than in time past. It only stands to reason that the backdrop, which is somewhat of an archaic choice, would be omitted in favor of allowing the wedding photographer to get some more candid, fluid shots.
Of course, if you are set on having a backdrop at your wedding, your photographer will be more than happy to accommodate your wishes. If you do, consider paying extra to have two photographers present. This will allow one photographer to handle the photos by the backdrop while the other one will still be free to capture all of the candid reception shots.
This will give you more options once the proofs come back and you are selecting photos for your wedding album.
