Worried about the aesthetics of your wedding? Fear not. Here are some helpful thoughts on different parts of a standard wedding day to consider to help you get the most out of your photos!
On the day I am there to serve you and whilst I will do my utmost to get the best photos I can, my biggest focus is to make sure I’m not in your way and to help make this element if your day fun! There are a few simple things you can do to help me capture the beauty of your day in the best way possible!
BRIDAL/GROOM PREP:
Tidy work-surfaces and make your beds - these might seem silly but keeping the background clear of clutter helps keep the focus of the photos on you and your wedding party. Taking three minutes to tidy away a few things can make all the difference to your photos. It can be a job you give to a bridesmaid in advance so you don’t have to worry about it on the day.
Is there a window in the room you’re getting ready in? If so, I’d recommend getting ready facing the window. It allows the most natural light on each of you so your photos really pop. If your window is behind you and you can’t have it any other way, do not fear - I can still work with this, but where possible natural lighting is the best.
Let me know about the details that are important to you so I can showcase them. Are you wearing your grandmothers wedding ring or a necklace which means something to you? I want to highlight the things that matter most to you. If you let me know beforehand, I’ll make sure to capture them.
Bridesmaids first look at the bride. If you have been getting ready in a separate room from your bridesmaids then get have your MOH have them line up so the photographer can capture their emotion when they see you! This moment can be missed in the rush but is a lovely memory to have captured.
Father of the bride first look. These photos are often such special moments of Fathers doting on the bride. Take a moment before heading to the venue to connect with your parents can be a lovely moment and something beautiful to savour through a photo.
CEREMONY:
Get your celebrant to ask guests to have phones and cameras away. Walking down the aisle you want to see your guests faces and their reactions to how beautiful you look. Having their phones away also allows me to capture genuine moments of your guests as well as you! Leave the photographs to me and this enables your guests to be fully present with you on the day.
Making sure there is space between the last bridesmaid and the bride walking down the aisle gives me the best chance to capture the grooms first reaction and the bride walking down the aisle.
Ask your celebrant to move to the side before the first kiss. If they move to the side before they announce you husband and wife and allow your first kiss it, this allows the focus to fully be on you and enables me to capture the moment.
Embrace the first kiss!! this is the moment PDA is absolutely acceptable! Enjoy being married - everyone loves this moment.
Consider your backdrop. If you are having flowers or foliage frame the alter in any way consider the colours behind you. If the background is trees outside, green foliage won’t stand out in the photos. Conversely, if the backdrop is white, lots of foliage will really pop. When you’re paying a lot of money for flowers, you want them to shine. If you aren’t sure about this, showing your florist pictures of the aisle and talking this through will be something they can help you with.
CONFETTI:
Have your guests lined up in 2 rows If you have lots of confetti have them more spread out and if your confetti is minimal have them a little closer.
Make sure your guests throw up instead of at you. The photos look better and this way you don’t choke on pieces of ‘confetto’ (singular for confetti) ((FUN RIGHT?))
COUPLE PORTRAITS:
Think of somewhere nearby. I sometimes will drive my clients a short 5 minute distance so we can get some photos away from the guests. If you aren’t sure what is around a quick google can highlight any beauty spots in the area.
Focus on each other! Your wedding day goes fast so take a moment to just enjoy being around each other and take it all in. I’d recommend scheduling five minutes camera free after the couple photos to just enjoy being married. Savour the moment!
GROUP PHOTOS:
I would recommend limiting these to about 10-15 otherwise they can drag on and take up time you would want to spend having fun with your friends and family!
It is worth giving the list of photos you want to two friends who will know most if not all the people in the photos (usually a a groomsman and bridesmaid does the trick). If they have the list in advance they can be a big help in spending up photos.
Consider any personal touches in these photos. Do you want simple shots, a picture of everyone cheering a glass, silly photos, some kind of activity? Group photos can be tailored to reflect you as a couple. I personal love when couples bring personal touches to this part of the day.
SUNSET PHOTOS:
Assuming the sky is mostly clear there is the most beautiful light in the 30 minutes before sunset. We call this the Golden Hour. During this time the light is bouncing sideways giving a very soft and vibrant light. Depending on the date of your wedding, you could factor in the overall structure of your evening so that there is a relaxed 15-20 minute slot you can nip outside and get some beautiful golden images. This also works if yo have guests minding outside and can make for some beautiful candid photos.
For example, on the 30th of June the sun sets at 22:05 so the ideal time for portraits in this golden hour would be from around 9:35 in between dances. It can be a lovely moment to savour together at the end of the day and produces beautiful photos.
Make sure to pray for mostly clear skies!
Conversely, if you think it might rain, why not buy a few white umbrellas to help get group photos without standing in the rain getting wet. They pop in photos and do the job of protecting everyones outfit in the rain!
DANCING!
First of all, if you are Scottish, it goes without saying that a ceilidh is amazing!
If you have a DJ and they have disco lights having them turn these lights off for the first few dances as this will stop one of you having a blue face in your photo.
Something I love to do is to capture slow shutter images with fairy lights. They create these beautiful light trails which add a feeling of movement to your photos and capture more of the action!
SPARKLERS:
Bring spare lighters! You would be surprised how long it can take to light fireworks and with a few drinks in your guests it can be a fiddly affair with matches so I would highly recommend spare lighters!
These are always great photos and such a fun way to end the evening! If you are doing this, ask a few people to sort it in advance.
The most important thing is to enjoy your day!
I have curated this guide in the hopes that it helps you if you’re nervous about your photos and to inspire some creative ideas but the best way to get photos is to have a photographer you trust who can take care of these details and has thought through the process of your day in advance.
Scott