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Tips & Advice
You want to remember your wedding day forever. Enter the wedding photographer, who’s there to make this part of your wish list reality. Whether you’re in the States or at another beautiful destination, there are some photo opportunities you really don’t want to miss, because these pictures will tell the story of your wedding day to your friends, your family and you long into the future.
So what are the must-have shots? Well, that’s up to you. But we’ve provided a suggested list so you can mark the ones you can’t live without, to guide your photographer through the preparations, the wedding and beyond.
Before the wedding –
• The dress, veil, garter and shoes lying across a bed or chair as the bride is putting on her makeup or getting her hair done
• Mom fastening the back of the dress or the clasp of a necklace or adjusting the veil
• Bride and bridesmaids getting ready
• Bride, dressed, looking out the window
• Bride pinning on dad’s boutonniere
• Bride, bridesmaids and parents leaving for ceremony
• Groom and father tying ties
• Mom pinning on groom’s boutonniere
• Groom pinning on Dad’s boutonniere
• Groom and parents leaving for ceremony
At the ceremony –
• Shot of wedding site
• Guests arriving (especially family members)
• Bride and parents arriving
• Groom and parents arriving
• Grandparents, groom’s parents and bride’s mom being seated
• Dad or Maid of Honor adjusting bride’s veil
• Groomsmen and groom line up
• Bridesmaids walking down aisle
• Maid of Honor walking down aisle
• Flower girl/ringbearer or mini bride and groom walking down aisle
• Groom waiting for bride
• Close-up of bride and father preparing to walk down aisle
• Bride and father’s first appearance to walk down aisle
• Groom seeing bride for first time in wedding dress
• Bride and father walking down aisle
• Behind bride and father, with groom waiting in background
• Bride’s father giving her away (raising veil)
• Shot of guests during ceremony
• Unity ceremony
• Exchange of vows and rings
• “You may kiss the bride” shot
• Bride and groom walking back down the aisle
• Guests throwing bird seed or petals
• Receiving line
Before the reception (still at church/ceremony site) –
• Bride alone at altar (full-length)
• Bride with Maid of Honor
• Bride with all bridesmaids (including Maid of Honor)
• Groom with bridesmaids
• Entire wedding party (including ringbearer, flowergirl, candle lighters, etc)
• Groomsmen with bride
• Groom with Best Man
• Groom with all groomsmen (including Best Man)
• Groom with parents
• Bride and groom with each set of parents, then both sets of parents
• Bride with parents
• Picture of wedding license and bouquet (hands with wedding rings crossed over license)
At the reception –
• Bride and groom arriving at reception
• Bride and groom’s table
• Decorations, centerpieces and table settings around reception, guest book, gift table
• The wedding cake
• The groom’s cake
• Toasting
• Cutting cake
• Bride and groom feeding each other cake
• Bride and groom’s first dance
• Bride dancing with father, Groom dancing with mother
• Guests dancing
• Musicians/DJ
• Bride throwing bouquet
• Groom retrieving garter
• Groom throwing garter
• Bride and groom leaving reception
This is just a sample list of pictures you’ll want from your wedding, whether it’s a destination wedding or something more traditional. Remember, for your beach wedding or destination wedding, you can be a little more creative. Add a shot of the bride and groom barefoot in the sand, watching a tropical sunset and kissing in the surf. These are the memories you want to keep and remember for the rest of your lives. |
