cars tips

Julian, owner of Serendipity, gives advice about choice and style of cars for wedding photography

Have you given thought to you choice of car? The car you choose to transport yourself and your bridal party to and from the ceremony makes a definitive statement about you and the wedding you want to have. Do you want a demure, classical wedding with elegant cars from yesteryear, or a shining limo or stretch hummer if you want to indulge in a little show-offery.

Older cars were made as a prestige item containing interesting surfaces and textures with romantic lines and curves that appeal at a distance. Detail and textures that appeal when closer. They were designed to be a beautiful moving sculpture that was born out love for beautiful objects, not wind-tunnel testing. A classic car can add glamour and romantic mystique, which will delight your guests and your photographer with the ease at which he can work with the grace and elegance of the cars lines.

The opposite is a limousine, which is hard to photograph for many reasons. The length and lack of maneuverability of a limo makes it hard to reach out of the way location shots. It's probably easier in a wedding to choose a smaller car, or even hire a limo for fun and a smaller, special vehicle that makes a statement. The hard lines and stark colors of a limo also present a problem when intimate and frank action shots. Black is usually best because a brides dress contrasts against it and we can work with the reflections off back. A black matte finish helps highlight the brides facial features, hands and dress.

From a photographers point of view, the best cars were made between 30s and 50s, with flowing lines which were born from a designers pencil, rather than a utilitarian profit-centred approach. Cars were made to be aesthetically pleasing to enhance the buyers prestige and comfort.