The Wedding Montage

Courtesy of WGA vendor Daren Chong Photography

“If a picture paints a thousand words, then why can’t I paint you?” – Bread, “If”.

One thing I secretly look forward to at weddings (besides the favours, hehe) is the montage. It’s not that I’m really desperate for some entertainment, although it does help to distract one from hunger (which may increase with every pre-dinner speech). To me, the montage is more than just a collection of moving photos (some of which can be just a tad humiliating) to decorate the bare walls at a reception. Properly done, it has all the potential to carry the very essence of the wedding itself. It offers the guests a way to emotionally connect with the couple and allows everyone to share a slice of their happiness.

There are different ways of going about it, each with something different to offer:

a) The Journal

b) The Documentary

c) The What-You-Missed

Courtesy of WGA vendor Louis Pang Photography

The Journal

Probably the most popular style of montage, this is a far-from-random collection of photos that chronicles the romance of the happy couple. It usually showcases pictures of the bride and groom at different stages (everyone’s favourite being the cute and chubby childhood) and also of them in every phase of their relationship.

If you want to try this… Don’t limit your selection of photos to any one phase of your life and/or relationship. And don’t be afraid to share the embarrassing funny shots – they’re priceless, and you know it

Courtesy of WGA vendor Fifoto Photography

The Documentary

This is usually done by a good friend or close family member. For my sister’s wedding, my cousin interviewed everyone from our grandparents to our best buddies, digging up dirt and getting people to comment on the two of them, which was pretty hilarious. Throw in some “aww…” pictures and we had a really good show!

If you want to try this… Be sure you know exactly who you’re interviewing – you don’t want to surprise the bride and groom with a piece from someone neither of them wants to see!

Courtesy of WGA vendor Stories by Integricity Visuals

The What-You-Missed

Many people (especially Malays) have their solemnization and their reception on different days, both of which may see a varying guest list. A nice gesture would be to have a slide show with pictures of the solemnization ceremony, recapturing the magic of that special day for everyone at the reception.

If you want to try this… You’d better be able to work fast! Best to seek professional help – ask your photographers if they can do it for you, like this couple did.

Well, there you have it. Pictures, anyone? xoxo