Before your wedding at The Landmark, give your photographer a clear brief covering where the celebration happens, when important moments take place and who must appear in your photographs. Include the family details and personal preferences they could never work out from a timetable alone.
Aim to share the first version around a month before the wedding, once your programme is taking shape. Review it together and confirm changes during the final week. One document, supported by a conversation is easier to follow than instructions scattered across messages.
Confirm the exact space and photography access
The Landmark wedding venue page presents ballroom and poolside options. Tell your photographer which space you have booked and whether any part of your celebration moves between areas. A venue name alone does not explain where they need to be.
Include the confirmed address, room name, arrival point, earliest access time and coordinator’s number. Ask the venue where equipment can be placed and whether there are restrictions on flash, lighting stands or photography in shared areas.
If you want poolside portraits, confirm access for your particular booking. Agree on a meeting point so nobody spends the portrait window searching for the couple.
Describe the photographs you care about most
Choose three priorities before building a longer list. Perhaps you want relaxed photographs with your parents, a strong entrance sequence and natural reactions during speeches. Ranking these helps your photographer make sensible decisions when events overlap.
Share a few reference images and explain what you like: the expressions, gentle posing, colours or sense of movement. “We like how comfortable this couple looks” is more useful than “Please make ours beautiful.”
Discuss how much direction you welcome. If either of you feels awkward posing, say so. Ask for simple prompts and a manageable portrait session that fits around your guests.
Build the photography plan around your actual programme
Send a timed running order showing the photographer’s arrival, guest arrival, entrance, any ceremony, meal service, speeches, portraits and coverage end time. Include outfit changes and travel from another location, where relevant.
For each important moment, add its location and the person responsible for starting it. Mark anything that cannot move, such as an elderly relative’s departure or a ceremony time.
Ask your photographer to estimate how much time your requested portraits need. Leave room for gathering relatives, adjusting clothing and moving through the venue. Do not fill every available minute with another photograph.
If you are checking the Malay wedding package options, use your confirmed booking details when setting this schedule. The venue booking and photography coverage may have different start and finish times.
Explain cultural moments rather than assuming familiarity
List the traditions your families have chosen and explain their sequence. If your programme includes a nikah, bersanding, kompang entrance or greetings with elders, describe what will happen, who participates and which reactions matter most.
If your solemnisation takes place elsewhere and you are coming to The Landmark for the reception, make that distinction clear. The photographer can then plan coverage around your celebration.
Ask the relevant officiant or family representative about any boundaries around movement, flash or close photography during sensitive moments. Pass those instructions on beforehand.
Also mention personal details: an heirloom accessory, a parent helping with your outfit or a surprise performance. Explain their significance so the photographer understands why they deserve attention.
Write family groups using names
“Photos with both families” leaves too much unanswered. Prepare a short, numbered list with names and relationships, such as “Couple with bride’s parents, Salmah and Rahman.” Separate immediate family photographs from larger extended family groups.
Choose a helper who recognises the people on the list. For a large celebration, one person from each family may be more practical. Their job is to gather the next group while the photographer works.
Identify relatives who need seating, cannot stand for long or must leave early. Ask to photograph these groups at a suitable point rather than expecting them to wait through every combination.
Privately explain any sensitive family circumstances and the groupings you prefer. Clear instructions prevent awkward requests in front of guests. Let relatives know their photograph time before the day, too.
Agree on lighting and a rain alternative
Share your reception time, décor plan and any planned lighting changes. If the room will become darker for the entrance or a performance, your photographer should know before it happens. Ask whether a visit or recent photographs of the booked space would help them prepare.
If photographs of the finished décor matter to you, request time after setup and before guests enter, subject to the venue’s access arrangements.
For outdoor portraits, agree on a short window and an indoor alternative approved by the venue. Singapore experiences frequent rain and thunderstorms, so an outdoor plan needs somewhere sensible to move to.
Decide who will make that switch and tell the other suppliers. If outdoor conditions are unsafe, move inside. Avoid letting the whole programme drift while everyone waits for one particular backdrop.
Connect the photographer with the people running the day
Give your photographer the contact details of the venue coordinator, emcee and videographer, if you have one. Ask them to agree on positions for the entrance, ceremony and speeches so they can work together without blocking each other’s view.
Arrange a readiness cue before key moments begin. For example, the emcee can check that the photography team is in position before announcing your entrance.
Flag surprises privately through a trusted contact. If guests arrive in separate sessions, explain which family groups attend each one. For moments happening simultaneously in different spaces, discuss whether your booked team can cover both.
Set privacy and delivery expectations
Tell your photographer about guests who should not be photographed and any preparation areas you want kept private. Distinguish between taking photographs for your personal gallery and permission to publish them publicly.
Confirm these preferences in writing alongside the delivery arrangements: edited images, expected turnaround, gallery access and any album included in your agreement. If you need a small selection for thank you messages, ask whether that can be arranged.
Check who can approve additional coverage and how it is charged. This gives the team a clear decision maker if the celebration runs beyond the booked hours.
FAQ
When should we brief our wedding photographer?
Share your brief around a month before the wedding, then confirm any changes during the final week.
What should our wedding photography brief include?
Include your schedule, booked venue space, priority photographs, family group list, cultural moments and coordinator’s contact details.
Can we take poolside wedding photographs at The Landmark?
Confirm poolside access with the venue team before planning your portraits. Availability depends on your booking and event arrangements.
How can we organise family photographs smoothly?
Prepare a list with names and relationships. Choose a family helper to gather each group, prioritising elderly relatives and guests leaving early.
Should we explain our wedding traditions to the photographer?
Yes. Describe the traditions included in your celebration, their timings and any photography restrictions so your photographer can prepare.