Tips for
Better Wedding Photos
Throughout our journey as wedding photographers we’ve seen it all. The mishaps, the funny coincidences, the things that went just right, and the moments of uncontainable joy. Here are just a few of the things that will help your day run seamlessly while looking and feeling effortlessly you!
Getting Ready
We love the anticipation as you prepare to walk down the aisle. The photos of these moments deserve to be just as beautiful as those of the ceremony. We like to photograph the finishing touches of this chapter. Try your best to keep clutter to a minimum at our arrival time. If you have multiple spaces, designate one as your “clean space” where you’ll be getting into your clothing for photos. We recommend this be a room with lots of windows where we won't have to use lamps or artificial light.
Booking a large hotel suite or Airbnb with multiple rooms will make this a lot easier if you have a large wedding party or family and will allow your guests the space to move around freely. We also love shooting in sentimental locations like your family home or your own home.
Flatlay Details
Have all your details ready to go when your photo team arrives. You’ll most likely be in the middle of hair and makeup and we want you to enjoy that process. Having your detail items together before we get there means you won’t have to get up and scramble to find everything. Putting it all together in one box means we can easily move to the area with the best lighting.
Items you’ll want to include; your engagement ring and wedding bands (all of them!), wedding gown, veil, shoes, bouquet, invitation suite (two copies), dinner menu, family heirlooms, favors, ceremony programs, customized matchbooks...etc! These details help tell your story in your final curated gallery, but feel free to include or exclude whatever makes sense to you.
SUPER TIP: Ask your florist for some loose flowers and greenery when they deliver the bouquet and boutonnieres so we can style them with your details. We recommend they drop these off 30 minutes prior to our arrival time.
Family Portraits
Our advice- keep it simple! Stick with siblings, parents, and grandparents for your immediate family formals, especially if taking these prior to your ceremony. Save extended family and friend photos to for cocktail hour and throughout the night. We often team up with the DJ or band to call large groups to the dance floor while dinner is happening.
As a note, too many extended family photos can lead to some extreme photo fatigue from you and your partner. We like to limit these to 2-3 groupings so you can focus more on having fun!
For help creating your photo list check out your wedding worksheet. We have a template in there that should help you get started!
Portrait Timing
When it comes to photographing your loved ones we typically need:
30-45 minutes for bride and groom portraits
30-45 minutes for wedding party shots
20-45 minutes for family formals (usually parents, grandparents, and siblings)
This is the minimum amount of time we need, but we may need extra time for larger groups or if we need to travel. We also always plan at least 30 minutes of cushion time in case anything runs behind.
To keep timing running smoothly, we recommend you share your photo list with all of those involved. This will set expectations and give your loved ones the ability to fully show up for you and your partner.
Ceremony
Limit technology during the ceremony! It’s a small touch that goes a long way. Not only does it allow your guests to be totally present, but it also ensures there aren’t cell phones and cameras blocking our shot of you two during the important moments.
We do understand that sometimes a family member or friend may be recording for a loved one who wasn't able to attend. Let us know if this is the case and we can collaborate with them to make sure we’re both getting the best shot!
Have your officiant make an announcement similar to this: "Partner 1 and Partner 2 ask you kindly to be present with them on this beautiful occasion. If you choose to take photos or video, make sure that your phones and cameras are used discretely and do not go into the center aisle."
Reception Lighting
Capturing the mood of your event is very important to us. While colored/flashy lights are fun for party time please make sure your DJ knows that they should be turned off for special dances and formalities like your first dance, toasts, and parent dances.
For party time...go crazy with them if you'd like!
As for uplighting, we love it! If your venue offers it, go for it! Make sure you select a neutral-colored light for this. Warmer tones like amber, rose, and soft white are ideal. Colors like green, blue or magenta bounce onto your skin and don't photograph nicely.
For a more elevated look, we recommend hiring a lighting production company. They can ensure the mood is set for exactly the vibe and atmosphere of your dreams!
Portraits Locations
We want you to have beautiful portraits of you and your loved ones. Often times this means going to an alternate location for photos. If your venue doesn’t have a lot of outdoor space or has timing limitations, this may apply to you.
-When selecting a location for portraits, opt for something that matches the vibe of the rest of the day. For example, if your reception venue is a historic ballroom with grand architecture, look for a portrait location that also has architectural elements.
-Consider the size of the space to the number of people in your party. If we have to photograph a 20 person bridal party, we’ll need a considerable amount of space to capture everyone together.
-Before committing to a spot, check to see if any permits or permissions are needed to shoot there. Many places will require this and you don’t want to be turned away on your wedding day!
Your Vision & Mood Board
With all this talk about your aesthetic and the feel of your day, we want to know exactly what that is! Share with us your Pinterest boards, inspirational images, and design layouts from your florist and wedding planner. We want to see it all! The colors, the flowers, the invites, the portrait inspo. These details guide how we approach your day to ensure that the photos match your vision.
It’s also important that you take a moment to reflect on the feel of the day yourself so you can fully show up to make it a reality. Are a lot of your inspo images of tender intimate moments between the couple at their reception? If you want those photos too, then you have to be mindful to have a lot of tender and intimate moments with your partner during the party.
Hire a Wedding Planner
We can provide you with all of the tips and tricks that we’ve picked up over the years, but nothing will help you as much as hiring a planner. Planners range from full service planners who will help with vendor coordination and event design to month-of coordination. We recommend that you at least have a day-of coordinator on your side. Most venues come with a venue coordinator who makes sure catering and reception run smoothly but these will not make sure hair and makeup is running on time or helping wrangle wedding party. This means you can spend your day connecting with your friends and family without having to worry about all the logistics.
Having a planner makes for better photos. Having a planner or coordinator who takes charge allows us to focus and stay in a creative mindset to beautifully and artfully capture your day.
