Shooting a wedding takes some preparation. You can't just walk into the venue cold and start snapping away. Well, you can. But you're not going to get very good pictures and your business will be ruined before it even gets off the ground. If you want to be the photographer-in-demand, you'll start shooting a wedding weeks in advance.

As soon as you find out where the wedding will be held you need to start checking out the venue. Visit at the time of day when you'll be there for the wedding so you can see what the lighting's like. Check out the different rooms that the bride and groom will be using to get ready. Look for different shots and angles you can get to make your pictures more exciting and unique.

Do the same thing wherever the reception's being held and any other venues where the clients wants you to take photos.

Familiarize yourself with all of these locations well in advance and start making checklists of the shots you want to get. You'll undoubtedly have a list from the bride as well, so it's also a good idea to organize these lists along a time line so you don't miss any crucial shots.

Checking out the venues in advance will also let you see what kind of equipment you'll need. In most cases, you'll probably already have everything that's necessary but better safe than sorry. What if you waited until the day of the wedding and then found out you'd need a special wide-angle lens to get the special shot of the church the bride wants?

If you really want to get picky about it your preparation for shooting a wedding should start with your initial consultation. Find out everything you can about the wedding while the client is sitting right there in front of you. Start keeping lists right then - what special shots are they looking for? Where's the wedding? Where's the reception? What time does everything start happening?

Being prepared well in advance will also help you win future bookings. Too many photographers wait until the bride's walking down the aisle and then end up ruining the wedding because they forgot a camera or didn't allow enough time for portraits or they didn't bring the right lens for the lighting. They're also stressed and nervous because they're not prepared.

You, on the other hand, well be calm and cool and professional because you took the time to get organized. Because everything went to smoothly the bride and groom will feel comfortable recommending you to their friends.

A professional photographer plans ahead and takes the steps necessary to be prepared for any emergency when shooting a wedding. And that's when you get the best shots. The shots that can skyrocket your business reputation.

If you'd like to learn how I got published in over 70 wedding magazines and blogs, download my free photography marketing guide to getting published and learn more about shooting a wedding.