Being The Authority...without being unusually authoritative

Read Time – 4 Minutes]

As a successful wedding photographer, "authority" sort of comes with the title.

You see it all happening in real time, and as a visual person, you usually discover new and more efficient ways to do it better the next time.

If this sounds even close to your personality (and you're pretty talented behind the camera), a world of weddings is waiting for you.

Older generations like to call their experience Wisdom, but I prefer Enlightenment...just kidding, I really don't, but when other people see how bright you are, THEY might.

Having experience makes you extremely valuable.

Combine experience or wisdom with a winning attitude and a servant's heart, and you become the go-to person at any event.

The wedding was going to be outdoors in the backyard of the bride's home.

It was going to be a pretty significant affair with the high-powered wedding planner running the show.

I didn't have to worry about being The Man at this wedding because he was already in attendance. My biggest concern was making sure I didn't step on any toes, although we had worked together several times, and his feet weren't that large...and he would more than likely be wearing shoes, but you never knew with him.

Given the logistics of the outdoor ceremony, I attended the wedding rehearsal.

These can be invaluable if you're in a new venue or out of town and need to know the lay of the land.

The lay of this land was a ceremony on the north end of the pool, with the guests both sitting and standing around the pool.

This unpredictable setup could be challenging, especially since it was my job to grab as many angles as possible while shooting by myself. I was very glad I could see things in advance to plan my attack.

The wedding officiant was a family friend who happened to be a judge and was (at least legally) authorized to oversee and approve this union.

This was his first wedding.

Everything moved along nicely thanks to the organizational acumen of the planner, and there were no issues...until the end.

As expected, our legal authority skimmed over the vows, but to tidy up the rehearsal, said, "By the power invested in me by the state of Oklahoma, I now pronounce you husband and wife," followed by a fun little pre-game kiss from the couple and applause from everyone.

The planner immediately hopped back in, informed the wedding party and parents how to disperse, and continued on with the other facets of the festivities.

I, however, had to fix something before this game was broadcast to the world.

I didn't make a show of it, because that would have been unusually authoritative. I did, however, need to play my role as The Authority.

It was about 30 minutes later when I introduced myself to the judge. I mentioned to him the routine of the post-game photos and how I would get his taken right away so he didn't have to wait around (something nice to do, btw.)

We chit-chatted a bit, and that's where I learned that this was the first wedding he's ever officiated.

I thanked him for doing this for the couple, and then I tactfully approached my real issue.

"During your closing, I think I heard you say, "By the power invested in me by the state. I'm pretty sure it's VESTED."

The look on his face confirmed it. "Oh my gosh, I did!" he said. "Thank you for telling me that!"

And that small and seemingly insignificant mention kept that judge from publicizing his line to the full congregation.

On the wedding day, he was flawless and even thanked me again. Perhaps if I ever get into legal trouble, I'll have an ally in my corner.

The payoff here is that you ARE an authority, and you should not be afraid to act like one.

Your couple hired you for your expertise. Sure, it's probably for your camera skills, but if you worked your playbook properly at your initial client meeting, you've proven to your couple that you're not just a photographer, you're a fully vested wedding professional who can help with anything with the word "wedding" at the beginning.

If you're interested, I chat about some ways to make that first meeting impactful in Issue #25 and Issue #37.

Another important takeaway is to be fully present during the full wedding. You can learn a lot by paying attention to details, and you can learn even more by talking with the other dozen or so wedding professionals you'll encounter on a wedding day.

Don't underestimate the value of this knowledge. It might not impress your family or friends, but it will impress a bride debating the pros and cons of a Mermaid vs Trumpet vs Fit & Flare wedding dress style or whether or not peonies are in season in September.

Your challenge is to offer this knowledge when necessary, but not flaunt it or challenge other professionals with it.

Peter Parker's Uncle's advice still applies.

And as a final bonus tidbit of information:

Vested means you have been given the legal authority or "power" to do something.

Invested refers to dedicating resources like money or time to something, expecting a return.

As Thomas Jefferson or The Notorious B.I.G. says, "And if you don't know, now you know."

Knowing how to be a good authority figure at a wedding is one of the little parts of the "inner game of wedding photography."

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