Wedding Day Tips and Tricks for Amazing Wedding Photos!

About a month before the wedding my clients receive a detailed “Tips and Tricks” email to help them plan for the perfect wedding day experience. Here are some of the highlights of what’s included.

Two weeks before your wedding date:

– Please make sure that your balance has been paid in full. If you are not sure, please ask. 

– If you have not yet completed the questionnaire that I provided, please do so. I will need this information on the day of your wedding.

– Tie up any loose ends with ALL your vendors. Make sure that your wedding day timeline and vendor contact information are up to date. Confirm the start time, location, and timeline for the day.

– Come up with a hashtag to share with your guests if you’d like them to share photos from your wedding.

One day before

– Be sure to have everything you will need on your wedding day packed and ready to go BEFORE your rehearsal. 

– Check the forecast and, if necessary, have a rain plan in place with the ceremony site and/or venue and pack umbrellas (I will also bring my own).

– Make sure your wedding party and family have the itinerary and know exactly where they need to be when.

– Get a good night’s sleep! 

On the Day of your wedding

– Take some time to yourself in the morning to relax. Yoga or exercise are great ways to mentally prepare for your day. 

– Be sure to get hair and make-up started on time so that your schedule does not get pushed back.

Getting Ready

– Think about the light when you decide where to put your dress on (and your final touches). I will place you in good light when I arrive, but I won’t have to move you if you have already considered that. Also, if you are getting ready in a hotel, you might be able to request a room with a window that faces out to the sun.

– De-cluttering the room where you are getting ready will improve the look of your photos and save time. Make sure any plastic bags, hangers, water bottles, phones, keys, purses, etc are tucked away so that they do not become part of your photos (I usually spend time tidying up if you have not already, but rather be taking pictures). 

– Have details and out ready to be photographed (rings, shoes, jewelry, “something borrowed…”, flowers, invitation (if you think of it!), veil, etc.

– Guys should leave cufflinks, shoes, ties, jackets for when the second photographer arrives. If time allows, the guys will go outside for photos before the ceremony. Dad(s) can also be a part of this. 

– Ask your bridesmaids (and moms, if present) to be ready with hair and makeup done and dresses on by the time you are putting your dress on. 

– Try not to spend too much time getting ready in the bathroom. The light is bad and it will be cramped. Using mirrors in good window light while surrounded by your bridesmaids makes for a much better photo.

– Opening gifts from each other before the wedding makes for a sweet and touching moment prior to the ceremony. 

– Plan to have your dad come by once you are already so that we can document him can see you for the first time. 

Ceremony

-Consider a screen-free ceremony. Guests stepping in the aisle to take photos can be very challenging to the professional photographers and can result in us missing an important photo – Bride and bridesmaid hold follows at your belly buttons and (everyone) remember to smile on your way down the aisle. -Speak up during your vows and look each other in the eyes. 

– Take a moment to look around and take it all in.

– If you have kids coming down the aisle have a treat or reward with the groom to encourage them to make it down with a smile! – Ask your officiant (in advance) to step aside when you have your first kiss.

– When you walk up the aisle as husband and wife, please walk slowly and pause briefly at the top so I can get a quick picture!

Formal Photos

– Follow me (quickly) from the ceremony to the photo location so that guests do not stop you to congratulate you (you will never get out of there!) – If you plan to sign your license, please make sure that is part of your timeline so we leave time for it.

– Please discourage guests from lingering during our formals. Additional cameras can be very confusing and distracting during this time and can delay the process. Only those involved in formals should be present.

– Make sure that all family members involved in the family formals know exactly where to be when. It is very helpful to put a family member on each side in charge of wrangling family members for formals (this helps a lot since I will not know everyone by name).

– Let me know if any photo combinations should be avoided (this should already be in the questionnaire, but if anything has changed, please let me know).

– For the bride and groom formals, we will wander off a bit so that we don’t have distractions. I will place you in pretty light and a good backdrop and step back a bit. This is a great moment to celebrate the fact that you got married. Feel free to request champagne for this time. Following this time I will give you more direction with posing (but will still keep it natural).

– General tips for posing (will be giving you these directions during our formals as a reminder): 

If it bends, bend it. Create an S curve with your body (shoulders and hips go in opposite directions),

No dangling hands. Men, use pockets. Ladies, hold onto your husband.

Chin up shoulders down.

Smile, giggle, kiss, repeat. Have fun and enjoy the time together.

Reception

– Be sure to communicate any changes in the schedule to vendors throughout the evening (If you have a planner, that will be their responsibility.)

– If you have a lot of kiddos coming, it might be helpful to have coloring books and activities set up for them (and maybe a babysitter for later!)

– If possible, try to do the cake cutting and dancing in the best light. 

– Don’t forget to eat 🙂 

– I will want to steal you for 10-15 minutes at sunset to get some photos of the two of you in pretty light. Ideally, this will happen after toasts and dancing.

End of night

– Before I leave I will check in with you to make sure you do not need any additional shots and then I will say goodbye 🙂 

– HAVE SO MUCH FUN!!

Are you planning a wedding? Let me know how I can help you create the perfect day to celebrate your love.

Colorado Wedding Photographer, Boulder Wedding Photographer, Colorado Elopement Photographer, Colorado Engagement Photographer