Hey friends! I’m Leigh, a Charleston wedding photographer based in Mount Pleasant, SC. Over my 20 years of photographing engagements and weddings, I’ve learned a few tricks to survive. I am currently prepping my gear and personal items for this weekend. I have my first wedding of the 2020 season in Mount Pleasant, SC with this adorable couple. Weddings are long days for photographers and other wedding vendors! We spend up to 12 hours on our feet holding heavy equipment and multitasking. So, I thought I would share my top 5 Charleston Wedding Photographer Essentials that I bring with me to every wedding.

Here are 5 things I always bring with me on wedding days to help my day go as smoothly as possible:

Fanny Pack

My hands-free fanny pack is filled with extra batteries, memory cards and most importantly a wedding day emergency kit filled with double sided tape, safety pins, scissors, sewing kit, bobby pins and hair ties, and lastly over the counter medicine. You never know what will happen on a wedding day, I feel preparation is key to dealing with mini emergencies.

Protein bars

One for me and one for my bride- a hangry bride is not a happy bride and weddings are lengthy busy days. I’m an eater; like every 3 hours type of girl, so I like to be ready to eat when I get a spare minute. You never know when you will get a chance to eat while shooting a wedding. Ideally, your photographer should be provided food when your bridal party does as they need to be ready to photograph toasts and spur of the moment stolen kisses between the newlywed couple.

Electrolytes

I like to have a water bottle and electrolyte tabs on hand. There never seems to be enough time to hydrate properly on a wedding day and hello South Carolina heat can get to you! I try and fill my bottle up as much as I can. Know this, if offered a glass of water on a wedding day, I will always be grateful.

Comfy Shoes

My leopard print Croc ballet flats are simultaneously kinda cute and kinda ugly. Nevertheless, they are definitely oh so comfy! I’ve never gotten a blister wearing these babies even during 12-hour wedding days. Plus, they are easy to slip off when I need to stand on furniture to get the shot or kick off for beach ceremonies.

Positive Attitude

A calm positive attitude is crucial for a Charleston wedding day. I listen to guided meditations on my Insight Timer App in the car on the way to a wedding venue. You never know what hiccups might develop during a wedding day and I want to be calm and ready to deal with any stress so that I can help my brides remain happy!

And there you have it, a little insight into the creature comforts of a Charleston Wedding photographer.

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