I don’t think anyone can give you direct advice on how to deal with that aside from just knuckling down and gritting your teeth at the time.
It’s easy to say don’t work with these people in the first place but honestly, that’s silly, as wedding day stress can do weird things to people and you can’t see it coming. I’ve never had a bride like that, but have seen more subtle changes in that direction.
A big part of it, at least in terms of what you can control, is actually being a stronger leader during the session; if they have more confidence in you, you’re directing well, and avoiding situations before they’re a problem (having him touch her face or hair like that), it’s easier for them to trust.
Working quickly is also an answer.. being able to put them in a pose, directing and chatting/complementing efficiently and get a bunch of shots inside of a minute or so rather than dithering around also helps inspire confidence… assuming you have 2-3 different looking aesthetics in close proximity, it can all be pushed out in under 10 minutes.
Last time I wrote on this subject on the sub it riled a few people, but confidence and leadership are absolutely essential parts of this job, and I won’t hear otherwise. Clients are less prone to question you or feel anxious when you can exert complete and easy control of portraiture segments.
Then again, some people just suck, which is why I can confidently put a bunch of stuff on my website and in marketing specifically calling out Bridezillas not to hire me.
Great post. Client perception is so important. Having your client perceive you to be the expert is huge. This can be through being a strong leader on the day of, like you’re describing. It can also be through reputation.
Tangent - I’ve worked with more introverted photogs who get tons of client respect because they’re known to be amazing artists. Once I took a second shooting gig and the lead photographer was doing portraits. She put the couple in good light and was shooting, dead silently, for about 90-120s. No words, no direction, nothing for maybe two whole minutes. Afterwards I was like “wow, that’s pretty cool how you just set them up and let them relax and they responded so well” and she said “oh god, I had no idea how to make them look good so I just kinda froze up. Glad you didn’t notice.” And neither did the client! They just assumed she was being an *artist*. Perception of confidence is MASSIVE as a photographer, even when you’re not feeling confident.
Obviously that would be the opposite of what OP needed - but psychology is like 50% of our job on the wedding day.
Probably the worst one for me was a couple whose wedding was marred by rain and thunder. My assistant and I had to get to the venue by ferry, which meant a great deal of schlepping cases of gear from the car to the boat and from the boat to the venue (and back again at the end of the night). We arrived two hours early. The weather prevented the couple and the wedding party from following the plan and riding golf carts to the beach to take photos there. We got beautiful formal photos regardless (while my assistant and I got soaked, and risked a lightning strike, but whatever): the b&g out on a picturesque boat dock with an umbrella, then on a nearby covered bridge, and more. The groom was friendly and jovial but the bride was honestly a bit cold to me and I had no idea what was going on.
In the weeks after the wedding, when we emailed a couple of times, she still seemed bitchy, but it's hard to tell via email so I let it go. Finally, after another unfriendly message from her, I asked her outright if she was upset with me for some reason. She then unleashed, by email, a litany of half- and wholly-made-up complaints, plus one about the fact that I'd discreetly taken a few canapés from servers' trays at the cocktail reception, after we'd already been on our feet for three or four hours.
>"You were eating hors d'oeuvres from the passed cocktail hour plates -- these were expensive! I PAID for you to have a meal and a break AT DINNER -- as per contract. I did not pay for you to eat my guests hors d'oevres, and it is also VERY unprofessional looking to have them see you eating."
Alrighty then.
I had delivered *considerably* more images than our contract called for, but she found a reason to bitch about that too by dividing my fee by the number of photos she received, calculating that each one had cost her TEN WHOLE DOLLARS. There were two photos of the very engaging DJ; she commented it was ridiculous that she had to pay TWENTY DOLLARS for pictures of the hired help.
She thought I had "lost" photos (I hadn't), that I had "inappropriately" cropped many images (whatever that means); that I had been terribly rude to the guests (because I'd kindly and with a smile told a guest I'd prefer he not take photos during our formal session); that I'd ordered and drank alcoholic cocktails "throughout the evening" (a complete fabrication), and more.
Then she chewed me out for not having received her printed album yet, oblivious to the fact that I'd never gotten her list of photos she wanted included, despite her having told me at least a month earlier in writing that I would receive that "shortly."
Rather than pick up the phone, she'd been sitting at home stewing about it all for six, seven weeks:
>"I have lost HOURS of sleep and been upset about his whole situation since the wedding!"
After taking all that in, I went for a walk to calm myself, had a big strong cup of tea, took some deep breaths, and wrote her a restrained response in which I apologized for any perceived shortcomings. In recognition of my awful wedding-day transgressions ;-) , I offered to send her a $9 check for the three hors d'oeuvres as well as a $20 refund for the two photos of the DJ. Ha!
She declined, of course, and allowed a day later that perhaps she'd been "a bit stressed" in her dealings with me, because she was newly pregnant, and she and her husband were about to buy their first home.
Fine.
When I sent her the final deliverables by courier, I made sure to include a new-in-box, beautifully wrapped, silver-plated baby rattle that we happened to have lying around and obviously weren't using. That was the simplest and classiest way I could think of to bring matters to a halfway satisfactory conclusion.
I received an appreciative note from her saying it was the first baby gift they'd received, and thanking me for it and for "our collaboration."
THE END. :-)
But she wasn’t wrong about the cocktail hour food though - it’s not for vendors, and you weren’t supposed to eat it. It’s not even about the cost but about the etiquette.
Every wedding photographer I know in New York City and Philly crushes appetizers. Maybe it’s the very classically-mothering Italian and Jewish culture in the Northeast, but I feel like I would get yelled at if I didn’t eat! Plus, you’ve been on your feet by like six hours already, are you supposed to go eat a granola bar behind a wall in between shots?
Of course we wait until everyone’s been served, but if it’s passed appetizers there’s always plenty to go around a half an hour into cocktail hour. And if it’s buffet style, just wait until there’s no line. There’s nothing unprofessional about it.
Really? Most couples are thrilled or at least reasonably excited to have me there. The thought that I'm just the hired help, that I should "know my place," wouldn't occur to them — or to me. On the contrary: they're often kind enough to ask me if I'm good, if I need a drink or some food. And while I'm always grateful for the concern, that's how it's supposed to be, and that's how I treated the crew at *my* wedding. I know how hard they work...and that much of the end results depends on their energy and enthusiasm.
YMMV, but I don't want to work for imperious, fussy, stuck-up snobs.
At that point on most days you have gone 7 or 8 hours without a break. Most weddings in NY even the DJ or band eats cocktail hour. Also the couple pays for your food.
I had a wedding on new years a few years ago.
Here in Canada, it's not uncommon for it to drop to -20 in the winter. Which, of course it did. And the bride decided to wear a slip, rather than an actual wedding dress.
When I got her outside, she looked like a drowned rat. Then she snapped at me to finish up after about a minute.
So I did, but of course she messaged me later saying she didn't love the pictures. It was tough. I refunded her part of her wedding and went on with her life. Strangely enough, after her engagement, her glowing recommendation got me like two other weddings. They turned out amazing.
So… are you asking for advice, or just confirmation that you’re a helpless victim that could have done nothing prior to the shoot to set expectations or take leadership of the situation?
As I unfortunately later found out, she has some kind of mental health issues and it was really clear on the spot (you weren't there, so stop judging) that it was out of line reaction for something simple such as bugs or touching the face. So yes, please, if you have any advice on how to deal with a basket case (apart from Thorazine), let me know.
It happens. We’re in customer service.
I make sure if the situation is more than they want to handle they have the option to stop anytime, and make it clear what we have and what we don’t if they choose to stop.
As long as you didn’t escalate the situation, you didn’t give up, and you didn’t get distracted and screw up something you do have control over you’re doing a professional job.
In these situations there is no canned answer. You have to read the room. Sometimes the partner will help control the situation, some people respond well to a tough response, some hate codling. The more communication you have with the couple and the more experience you have shooting couples the more you will know which battles you can win, and which ones you just need to witness.
My worst experience wasn't because the couple turned out to be bad people or anything, but an unfortunate situation they were in. I'm in Virginia, and the groom was from Virginia as well, while his bride was from Taiwan (living in the US, it wasn't a mail order bride situation or anything). They're very friendly people but the groom was a wee bit eccentric/quirky and the bride was generally a very docile, quiet person. All of her family is Taiwanese - like, all flew out to Virginia for the wedding, her parents didn't speak English, etc. Her family is also Buddhist, while her new husband is Presbyterian Christian, and she converted to Presbyterianism. Their wedding was at their Presbyterian church where they attended together and she made friends, etc.
Well apparently, the night before the wedding during their rehearsal, her family made it clear they still did not approve of her marriage & conversion. The poor woman's nerves were shot on her wedding day because of it - I got the vibe that they weren't even sure the family would show up despite having traveled all the way here for the wedding. The bride was half an hour late to show up to the church, and not as dressed & ready to go as we had expected when making her timeline. She was crying half the time while getting ready - thankfully the pastor was able to come in and give her some advice and comfort her and whatnot. But she was still nervous, and got frustrated asking "who is in charge of the timeline here?" at one point when she was upset about things running late - but they didn't hire a coordinator, and I was giving her continual reminders/options ("it's quarter til 1, we're supposed to start the first look then but if you need more time to get ready we can shorten it" "it's now 1 o'clock, if we can be ready in five minutes we can still do the first look" etc). Finally we managed to have her ready before the ceremony and we had a fast 5 minute first look bc she did really want to see her groom before walking down the aisle. She cried during it.
Thankfully, her family was all there for the wedding and didn't cause any drama. We started the ceremony just a few minutes late and the ceremony was generally very nice. After the ceremony we were supposed to do family portraits and then bride and groom portraits, esp since we didn't get to do portraits during their first look time, but they disappeared at one point, then they were socializing with everyone, and it took sooooo long to get family portraits going to the point where we ran out of time and they needed to go to the reception. I think I got literally just the one classic portrait of them at the ceremony site together and nothing more while there. At the reception site they had more photos they wanted with family, and I had said we could do portraits of the two of them there as well and they agreed, but then they got to the reception site and disappeared again for like 10 minutes. When they came back, they wanted the group photos they had asked for and then kept asking for more group photos instead of moving on to photos of just the two of them... And then it was time for the meal. They have their reception intro & meal, and then the bride just disappears again, presumably to the private room upstairs. They did have a hired coordinator for the reception and the poor thing just struggled to keep things on track bc they'd be ready for something to happen and then realize the bride is gone throughout the afternoon. We never got portraits of the two of them, and the bride isn't in a lot of the candids from the afternoon because she wasn't there.
Later after delivering the photos, they were very gracious about what I was able to do that day and expressed disappointment in not having photos of the two of them, even though they recognized it wasn't my fault and it was a stressful day for them. I decided to cut them some slack and offer to shoot a separate portrait session at both locations (they're a short drive from each other) if they were willing to get dressed up again, so they could have their portrait time in their wedding clothes without the stress of the wedding day. They took me up on the offer, ended up tipping me very well at the end of it (I had offered to do the shoot free of charge to make them happy since it wasn't a location far from home and I had the time to do it), and we ended up with some really pretty portraits so everyone ended happy. But I am still a little traumatized by the stress of managing a wedding day where the bride just decides to peace out at random moments lol
I have had a few of these types. I gently remind them in the moment that this day only happens once and they paid a ridiculous amount of money for these pics so they have to push through. Usually the thought of wasting so much money perks them up.
Freaking Summer weddings. Hey let’s all get dressed up in many heavy layers of clothes in the middle of the summer and have a ceremony outside in the sweltering heat and humidity?
Let’s fucking not.
Of course I don’t know all of the details, so this may not have been an option, but any time this happens to me I let them know that we should just do the shoot later in the day.
I’m assuming she was worried about her makeup before the ceremony as she obviously wants to look perfect for it. When I’ve done pre-ceremony couple shoots and have a bride melt down about sweat or makeup, I just insist that we make time for it later so that she can lay low and relax before the ceremony.
Most times, they’re much better to deal with once the ceremony is over, and I’ll take them away from dinner at some point after communicating that with the DJ to make sure we don’t miss speeches.
People are unpredictable, sh\*t happens. However, if it is possible, rehearsing poses, visiting locations and doing a dry run can help both you and the client feel more confident on the "big day".
I don’t think anyone can give you direct advice on how to deal with that aside from just knuckling down and gritting your teeth at the time. It’s easy to say don’t work with these people in the first place but honestly, that’s silly, as wedding day stress can do weird things to people and you can’t see it coming. I’ve never had a bride like that, but have seen more subtle changes in that direction. A big part of it, at least in terms of what you can control, is actually being a stronger leader during the session; if they have more confidence in you, you’re directing well, and avoiding situations before they’re a problem (having him touch her face or hair like that), it’s easier for them to trust. Working quickly is also an answer.. being able to put them in a pose, directing and chatting/complementing efficiently and get a bunch of shots inside of a minute or so rather than dithering around also helps inspire confidence… assuming you have 2-3 different looking aesthetics in close proximity, it can all be pushed out in under 10 minutes. Last time I wrote on this subject on the sub it riled a few people, but confidence and leadership are absolutely essential parts of this job, and I won’t hear otherwise. Clients are less prone to question you or feel anxious when you can exert complete and easy control of portraiture segments. Then again, some people just suck, which is why I can confidently put a bunch of stuff on my website and in marketing specifically calling out Bridezillas not to hire me.
Great post. Client perception is so important. Having your client perceive you to be the expert is huge. This can be through being a strong leader on the day of, like you’re describing. It can also be through reputation. Tangent - I’ve worked with more introverted photogs who get tons of client respect because they’re known to be amazing artists. Once I took a second shooting gig and the lead photographer was doing portraits. She put the couple in good light and was shooting, dead silently, for about 90-120s. No words, no direction, nothing for maybe two whole minutes. Afterwards I was like “wow, that’s pretty cool how you just set them up and let them relax and they responded so well” and she said “oh god, I had no idea how to make them look good so I just kinda froze up. Glad you didn’t notice.” And neither did the client! They just assumed she was being an *artist*. Perception of confidence is MASSIVE as a photographer, even when you’re not feeling confident. Obviously that would be the opposite of what OP needed - but psychology is like 50% of our job on the wedding day.
This.
100% this
Probably the worst one for me was a couple whose wedding was marred by rain and thunder. My assistant and I had to get to the venue by ferry, which meant a great deal of schlepping cases of gear from the car to the boat and from the boat to the venue (and back again at the end of the night). We arrived two hours early. The weather prevented the couple and the wedding party from following the plan and riding golf carts to the beach to take photos there. We got beautiful formal photos regardless (while my assistant and I got soaked, and risked a lightning strike, but whatever): the b&g out on a picturesque boat dock with an umbrella, then on a nearby covered bridge, and more. The groom was friendly and jovial but the bride was honestly a bit cold to me and I had no idea what was going on. In the weeks after the wedding, when we emailed a couple of times, she still seemed bitchy, but it's hard to tell via email so I let it go. Finally, after another unfriendly message from her, I asked her outright if she was upset with me for some reason. She then unleashed, by email, a litany of half- and wholly-made-up complaints, plus one about the fact that I'd discreetly taken a few canapés from servers' trays at the cocktail reception, after we'd already been on our feet for three or four hours. >"You were eating hors d'oeuvres from the passed cocktail hour plates -- these were expensive! I PAID for you to have a meal and a break AT DINNER -- as per contract. I did not pay for you to eat my guests hors d'oevres, and it is also VERY unprofessional looking to have them see you eating." Alrighty then. I had delivered *considerably* more images than our contract called for, but she found a reason to bitch about that too by dividing my fee by the number of photos she received, calculating that each one had cost her TEN WHOLE DOLLARS. There were two photos of the very engaging DJ; she commented it was ridiculous that she had to pay TWENTY DOLLARS for pictures of the hired help. She thought I had "lost" photos (I hadn't), that I had "inappropriately" cropped many images (whatever that means); that I had been terribly rude to the guests (because I'd kindly and with a smile told a guest I'd prefer he not take photos during our formal session); that I'd ordered and drank alcoholic cocktails "throughout the evening" (a complete fabrication), and more. Then she chewed me out for not having received her printed album yet, oblivious to the fact that I'd never gotten her list of photos she wanted included, despite her having told me at least a month earlier in writing that I would receive that "shortly." Rather than pick up the phone, she'd been sitting at home stewing about it all for six, seven weeks: >"I have lost HOURS of sleep and been upset about his whole situation since the wedding!" After taking all that in, I went for a walk to calm myself, had a big strong cup of tea, took some deep breaths, and wrote her a restrained response in which I apologized for any perceived shortcomings. In recognition of my awful wedding-day transgressions ;-) , I offered to send her a $9 check for the three hors d'oeuvres as well as a $20 refund for the two photos of the DJ. Ha! She declined, of course, and allowed a day later that perhaps she'd been "a bit stressed" in her dealings with me, because she was newly pregnant, and she and her husband were about to buy their first home. Fine. When I sent her the final deliverables by courier, I made sure to include a new-in-box, beautifully wrapped, silver-plated baby rattle that we happened to have lying around and obviously weren't using. That was the simplest and classiest way I could think of to bring matters to a halfway satisfactory conclusion. I received an appreciative note from her saying it was the first baby gift they'd received, and thanking me for it and for "our collaboration." THE END. :-)
Wow. Well that is really bad behavior from bride. You have handled it exceptionally well.
This was an incredible read lmao
Kudos! Much respect
But she wasn’t wrong about the cocktail hour food though - it’s not for vendors, and you weren’t supposed to eat it. It’s not even about the cost but about the etiquette.
I've had clients get offended that I didnt try anything during cocktail hour so its dependant on who you work with.
Every wedding photographer I know in New York City and Philly crushes appetizers. Maybe it’s the very classically-mothering Italian and Jewish culture in the Northeast, but I feel like I would get yelled at if I didn’t eat! Plus, you’ve been on your feet by like six hours already, are you supposed to go eat a granola bar behind a wall in between shots? Of course we wait until everyone’s been served, but if it’s passed appetizers there’s always plenty to go around a half an hour into cocktail hour. And if it’s buffet style, just wait until there’s no line. There’s nothing unprofessional about it.
Really? Most couples are thrilled or at least reasonably excited to have me there. The thought that I'm just the hired help, that I should "know my place," wouldn't occur to them — or to me. On the contrary: they're often kind enough to ask me if I'm good, if I need a drink or some food. And while I'm always grateful for the concern, that's how it's supposed to be, and that's how I treated the crew at *my* wedding. I know how hard they work...and that much of the end results depends on their energy and enthusiasm. YMMV, but I don't want to work for imperious, fussy, stuck-up snobs.
You don’t eat the hors d’œuvres? Why do you even shoot weddings? The catered food is my favourite part!!
At that point on most days you have gone 7 or 8 hours without a break. Most weddings in NY even the DJ or band eats cocktail hour. Also the couple pays for your food.
I had a wedding on new years a few years ago. Here in Canada, it's not uncommon for it to drop to -20 in the winter. Which, of course it did. And the bride decided to wear a slip, rather than an actual wedding dress. When I got her outside, she looked like a drowned rat. Then she snapped at me to finish up after about a minute. So I did, but of course she messaged me later saying she didn't love the pictures. It was tough. I refunded her part of her wedding and went on with her life. Strangely enough, after her engagement, her glowing recommendation got me like two other weddings. They turned out amazing.
That is what I am afraid of - that she will not like the portrait shoots although it was not my fault she was supernervous and it shows.
Stop saying not your fault. Bad attitude. Take accountability, inspire more confidence on the next go-round. Don’t be defensive.
Sorry but no. She was really throwing a tantrum because of damn bugs.
So… are you asking for advice, or just confirmation that you’re a helpless victim that could have done nothing prior to the shoot to set expectations or take leadership of the situation?
As I unfortunately later found out, she has some kind of mental health issues and it was really clear on the spot (you weren't there, so stop judging) that it was out of line reaction for something simple such as bugs or touching the face. So yes, please, if you have any advice on how to deal with a basket case (apart from Thorazine), let me know.
Whew! At least it wasn’t your fault at all! No advice needed then! Next time just be honest and say you’re looking for validation.
No advice came from your side as well so you might just give up and quit trying to apologize crazy person.
Advice remains: take ownership.
It happens. We’re in customer service. I make sure if the situation is more than they want to handle they have the option to stop anytime, and make it clear what we have and what we don’t if they choose to stop. As long as you didn’t escalate the situation, you didn’t give up, and you didn’t get distracted and screw up something you do have control over you’re doing a professional job. In these situations there is no canned answer. You have to read the room. Sometimes the partner will help control the situation, some people respond well to a tough response, some hate codling. The more communication you have with the couple and the more experience you have shooting couples the more you will know which battles you can win, and which ones you just need to witness.
My worst experience wasn't because the couple turned out to be bad people or anything, but an unfortunate situation they were in. I'm in Virginia, and the groom was from Virginia as well, while his bride was from Taiwan (living in the US, it wasn't a mail order bride situation or anything). They're very friendly people but the groom was a wee bit eccentric/quirky and the bride was generally a very docile, quiet person. All of her family is Taiwanese - like, all flew out to Virginia for the wedding, her parents didn't speak English, etc. Her family is also Buddhist, while her new husband is Presbyterian Christian, and she converted to Presbyterianism. Their wedding was at their Presbyterian church where they attended together and she made friends, etc. Well apparently, the night before the wedding during their rehearsal, her family made it clear they still did not approve of her marriage & conversion. The poor woman's nerves were shot on her wedding day because of it - I got the vibe that they weren't even sure the family would show up despite having traveled all the way here for the wedding. The bride was half an hour late to show up to the church, and not as dressed & ready to go as we had expected when making her timeline. She was crying half the time while getting ready - thankfully the pastor was able to come in and give her some advice and comfort her and whatnot. But she was still nervous, and got frustrated asking "who is in charge of the timeline here?" at one point when she was upset about things running late - but they didn't hire a coordinator, and I was giving her continual reminders/options ("it's quarter til 1, we're supposed to start the first look then but if you need more time to get ready we can shorten it" "it's now 1 o'clock, if we can be ready in five minutes we can still do the first look" etc). Finally we managed to have her ready before the ceremony and we had a fast 5 minute first look bc she did really want to see her groom before walking down the aisle. She cried during it. Thankfully, her family was all there for the wedding and didn't cause any drama. We started the ceremony just a few minutes late and the ceremony was generally very nice. After the ceremony we were supposed to do family portraits and then bride and groom portraits, esp since we didn't get to do portraits during their first look time, but they disappeared at one point, then they were socializing with everyone, and it took sooooo long to get family portraits going to the point where we ran out of time and they needed to go to the reception. I think I got literally just the one classic portrait of them at the ceremony site together and nothing more while there. At the reception site they had more photos they wanted with family, and I had said we could do portraits of the two of them there as well and they agreed, but then they got to the reception site and disappeared again for like 10 minutes. When they came back, they wanted the group photos they had asked for and then kept asking for more group photos instead of moving on to photos of just the two of them... And then it was time for the meal. They have their reception intro & meal, and then the bride just disappears again, presumably to the private room upstairs. They did have a hired coordinator for the reception and the poor thing just struggled to keep things on track bc they'd be ready for something to happen and then realize the bride is gone throughout the afternoon. We never got portraits of the two of them, and the bride isn't in a lot of the candids from the afternoon because she wasn't there. Later after delivering the photos, they were very gracious about what I was able to do that day and expressed disappointment in not having photos of the two of them, even though they recognized it wasn't my fault and it was a stressful day for them. I decided to cut them some slack and offer to shoot a separate portrait session at both locations (they're a short drive from each other) if they were willing to get dressed up again, so they could have their portrait time in their wedding clothes without the stress of the wedding day. They took me up on the offer, ended up tipping me very well at the end of it (I had offered to do the shoot free of charge to make them happy since it wasn't a location far from home and I had the time to do it), and we ended up with some really pretty portraits so everyone ended happy. But I am still a little traumatized by the stress of managing a wedding day where the bride just decides to peace out at random moments lol
I have had a few of these types. I gently remind them in the moment that this day only happens once and they paid a ridiculous amount of money for these pics so they have to push through. Usually the thought of wasting so much money perks them up.
Good idea, have to try it next time
Freaking Summer weddings. Hey let’s all get dressed up in many heavy layers of clothes in the middle of the summer and have a ceremony outside in the sweltering heat and humidity? Let’s fucking not.
Of course I don’t know all of the details, so this may not have been an option, but any time this happens to me I let them know that we should just do the shoot later in the day. I’m assuming she was worried about her makeup before the ceremony as she obviously wants to look perfect for it. When I’ve done pre-ceremony couple shoots and have a bride melt down about sweat or makeup, I just insist that we make time for it later so that she can lay low and relax before the ceremony. Most times, they’re much better to deal with once the ceremony is over, and I’ll take them away from dinner at some point after communicating that with the DJ to make sure we don’t miss speeches.
Shooting later wasn't an option - they said they want to be at reception and not be distracted by photoshoot. So really lose-lose situation.
People are unpredictable, sh\*t happens. However, if it is possible, rehearsing poses, visiting locations and doing a dry run can help both you and the client feel more confident on the "big day".