Wow- you're getting married- and with all the excitement and hysteria, you'll need a cool head to sort through the logistics- the mechanics of planning the best wedding photography for your day.

The weather- especially Melbourne's renowned multi-season-per-day climate display- is something you cannot plan for, sometimes not even with 24 hours' notice. Have a backup plan to deploy if things don't go the preferred way with the conditions outdoors.

Copyright can be a sensitive issue for some, and the best policy here is openness with your wedding photography provider.

Most wedding photographers are quite open-minded individuals, and will grant you a licence for unlimited personal use. Be mindful that the photographer needs to earn a living too- and this means anything outside the definition of "personal use" should be approached with caution. If your wedding venue believes you have the "unique" photo of their venue, don't just hand the image over to them, and bask in the glory of publicity! Ensure your wedding photographer provides a written release to the venue- and to you- that way every body is happy!

Where to go when it rains- to ensure there's no wedding photography washout!

A lot will depend on the following factors:

• The time of day of your wedding ceremony
• What time you are due at your reception
• The locations available to you in between
• Your tastes and preferences

Time does not magically stand still on the wedding day if there is a rain shower passing, or traffic congestion on the road.

Do everything to have time on your side. Be mindful that different locations take on their own moment of glory at one given time of day- with landscapes this is often the golden hour of twilight- the last hour of daylight. A beautiful post-sunset afterglow, if utilised by your wedding photographer- can provide you with absolutely stunning tones- the sort that gallery images are awash with!

Be mindful of the reception commencement time though- you don't want to be spending your photography time cruising all day in a limousine, and not being able to maximise the value of a great wedding photography shoot.

Your images, created by wedding photographers Melbourne will be yours for a lifetime- so they had better be good. They should not just meet your expectations, but exceed them. Ensure that you have scouted wedding photography Melbourne providers and selected someone whose style matches the types of images you can see yourselves in. Remember that "fad" images- excessive use of strange colours or effects- might be fine for 6 months after you collect your wedding photos, but at the end of the day, when it rolls on to decades later, you might not want to look fluorescent pink, wearing a shimmering blue taffeta gown, when the dress was really white!

The wedding mantra is to plan well and plan early. Hopefully these tips will get you thinking, about the times, locations and your own expectations. Have a wonderful wedding day.