7 must have wedding shots
Bridal/Groom Prep - This is the morning you’ve been waiting for! Getting ready with your favs and about to marry the love of your life! What better excuse to pop open the bubbly and celebrate. These photos can be really fun and creative and preserve the moments leading up to your ceremony.
Top tip: Let your photographer know in advance if there are any specific shots that you want to get, such as someone helping the bride into her gown, someone fixing the groom’s tie or whether you are having the ever growingly popular, first look between the couple. If your photographer knows this, they can ensure everyone is in the right place at the right time!
2. Detail Shots - So.. You’ve spent all that money on a special fragrance to wear, shoes, jewellery, splashed out on the invites, flowers… So putting them all together for a beautiful photo to look back on is a great idea! Place all the items you want, including the rings if you want (or give them to someone easy to track down) in a box, ready for your photographer when the arrive and let them work their magic!
Top tip: In a world where everything is digital, you may have used a wedding website such as WithJoy to email your invitations. Buy a physical sample invitation as a keepsake and you’ll be able to use this in your detail shots.
3. The Vows - There is nothing more beautiful than watching two people stand up in front of their family and friends, and vow to love each other for the rest of their lives. It is such an emotional moment and the photos capture and preserve this. It’s such an important part of the day, Well… some might say the most important part!
Top Tip: Unplugged Ceremony for the win! There’s nothing worse than looking back through your photos you’ve paid a lot of money for, to see that Uncle Brian is in half of them with his iPhone 3 taking pictures. If you choose an unplugged ceremony, the registrar will announce before the ceremony for all guests to put phones away just for the ceremony and to trust your photographer!
4. Speeches - Now.. Not everyone opts to have speeches at their wedding. The day is tailored to you! Only include the things you really care about. But if you do go for speeches, you’re going to want to look back on those photos! There will be laughter and tears, and capturing these moments will help tell a story when you look back over your wedding photos in years to come! You’ll also get some great candid shots of your guests in their feels!
Top tip: If capturing photos of the speeches is important to you, ensure to consider the height of table decorations. The photographer (and the guests) will want to be able to see the faces of those delivering the speeches so you’ll want to make sure the table decorations don’t obstruct the view!
5. Cake Cut - You can turn the cake cut into a really fun moment! Pick a great song, gather everyone around and enjoy the moment! It’s a good way to get everyone together and to the dance floor just before your first dance!
Top tip: Discuss with your partner before the cake cut whether you’re going to stick with a simple cake cut, or if you are going to smash cake into each others faces! Might be a nasty shock if all of a sudden you get an eye full of cake!!
6. First Dance - Whether you have choreographed an absolute masterpiece that will go down in history, or you’re just winging it as the daredevils that you are, your first dance is a beautiful moment to share as newly weds and definitely one you will want to remember! The first dance can be quite daunting if you are not a Strictly Come Dancing superstar, but it doesn’t have to be perfect! Why not try a little spin, or a dip to give your photographer a little something extra to work with! You’ll end up with some great candid shots!
Top tip: Make sure to leave enough time for the two of you on the dance floor alone before inviting all the guests to join you. 60-90 seconds where all eyes are on you, to dissolve into the moment and give your photographer enough time to photograph you before everyone joins! Another tip for you if you’re really nervous about the first dance, do what I did! Practice in your living room every night for 2 weeks! It’s surprisingly romantic, and we still do it now, nearly 8 months on from our wedding haha!!
7. Party Time - Personally, I can’t leave a wedding reception until I’ve captured some shots of everyone busting some shapes on the dance floor! A lot of photographers rush out the door the second that first dance is done, but there’s something about watching a drunken Aunty Marge slut dropping to Beyonce Crazy in Love. The style of photos are often very different to the formal side of the day. This really adds authenticity to the photos and tells a different side of your special day!
Top tip: Depending on your photography package, your photographer may only capture your first dance. Make sure you iron out the timings before the day and if the dance floor shots are important to you, be sure to let them know! Make sure you hire a great DJ to keep everyone in the mood!
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