I photographed Jackie and Addison’s wedding in the beautiful Bryn Mawn Presbyterian Church and on the ground of The Merion Golf Club. During the walk through to scout for locations, Addison was quite well versed on the various landscapes of the golf course and the tall grasses of the fescue immediately caught my eye as a potential spot for some interesting formals. Jackie and Addison were troopers are we drove around in the golf cart and hiked through the terrain for some great formals. They even humored me and laid down in the grass reminiscent of an Andrew Wyeth painting! The party that followed was full of fun and some emotional toasts. What a wonderful wedding!
Dress color matters! Bride’s maids dresses have come a long way. Great collections of dresses that suit every size and shape. The colors are fabulous too, but bear in mind that not every color dress looks good with every skin tone/hair color. Keep that in mind when choosing your colors. You want everyone to look great and that red or fuchsia dress may not look so hot on a read head. Some girls wash out in those paler shades too. Paying attention to these details all help in making photographs that look outstanding and leave an impression. 
More on dress color! Following along with choosing a dress color that looks fabulous on your bridesmaids, you also need to keep in mind how the colors will look at an indoor reception. Taking formals inside keeps you from having to deal with the elements, but make sure that if you have a bright red carpet in your reception area, it works with the color of your dresses and flowers. Photos have an impact if the colors are not competing.
Planning sessions are a must. I try to get to know the couples I work with so that I can achieve what they are looking for in their photographs. The more information that can be discussed ahead of time, in terms of family dynamics, who must be in the formal photos, do you want a few minutes alone before the formals, are detail shots important, etc. – all these pieces of information help me to create a timeline that flows and you wind up with the must have images in addition to all the ones I capture that are candid. The planning session prior to the wedding is one of the most important tasks in planning your photography. 
Don’t forget the guys! Getting ready photos are popular and really help tell the story of the day. Sometimes, the guys get forgotten though, and it really shows when you are looking at the proofs. If I am covering the bride and her friends getting ready I like to have my second photographer spend equal time with the guys. I can sometimes sense the resistance by the groom during a planning meeting, but I have never had them tell me they were sorry later. I have had some bride’s feel bad when looking through the proof gallery, that her guy was short changed!
To get an album or not? Well, that is entirely up to you. I always offer the option of getting an album later, however you get a better price if you book it with the wedding. That said, planning a wedding is a huge undertaking and can add up. There are many reasonably price album options available so approach the photography aspect with an open mind. Web galleries eventually get taken down so you will want something to have, be it an album, cd, proof book or loose enlargements for framing. Oh yes, I always store your images so even if it is a year or so later, my album designer and I are more than happy to get creative with your album.