If you have been putting your photo list together for your photographer (or even if you haven’t!) here’s a list of 50 must-haves from the day!
1.) Of course you will have hundreds of photos of you in your wedding dress taken from every conceivable angle….but what about the angle that YOU first saw it hanging in the bridal gown boutique. You need to preserve the memory of the first time you saw it and fell in love with it!
2.) The day will fly by in a whirlwind blur of small moments and when you sit quietly to have your makeup done, you have the chance to relax (temporarily!) to prepare for the day and reflect on what’s to come!
3.) If you are a fan of the “getting ready” process, its important to remember the men in the party too, so be sure you include polishing shoes, doing up ties or attaching buttonholes.
4.) You have spent days and days choosing the perfect accessories to suit your look, so be sure that these are highlighted both in bridal portraits, as well as in still life compositions – lets get arty and creative!
4.) ……and don’t forget His accessories! socks, cravats or ties, pocket handkerchief, belt and special shoes cufflinks etc.
5.) Make sure that time is spent on your rings. You will need two shots…one to show them before the ceremony, to symbolise the marriage and of course another one when you have officially tied the knot!!
6.) Probably one of the easiest to forget pictures is the one of all your wedding stationery which may not be available on the day, but is still part of the story, in the same way that your flowers and cake are. So be sure to save at least one copy of your ‘save the date’, invitations and order of service.
7.) The bridal bouquet is one of the most important of all shots. It has such enormous symbolic power and also will reflect the style and mood of your day.
8.) A shot like this showing all the bridesmaids bouquets will remind you of all your trusted and loyal friends who have been close to you and helped you create your special day. Something that shows their personalities and part of the reason that you love them..
Fun shot of bridesmaids with bouquets civil partnership Nottingham Wedding Photographer Beverley Perkins
9.) …and again, don’t forget the guys buttonholes! You went to the same amount of trouble to choose the composition and style of their buttonholes as you did with all the other flowers.
10.) A posed shot of you in your gown that’s worthy of a fashion magazine, just before the ceremony looking like a princess, is a must-have too!
11.) Mirrors are one of my favourite tools for capturing fantastic images. They can help to disguise a small room so that more information is included in a creative way, and can also mean you can include additional people. Having Mum fluff your dress or help with jewellery whilst Dad stands quietly on one side can often be an effective image for mood and memories!
12.) Quite often if things run late, there isn’t the time for beautiful bridal portraits, so be sure to get plenty done whilst you’re still at home or in the ‘getting ready’ suite of your hotel.
13.) Your escort plays such a huge role in the day’s proceedings. Chances are, it will be someone who has been your supporter all or most of your life, so the last minutes before you leave are precious ones to be shared
14.) the car ride or walk to the ceremony door with last minute words from Dad (or your chosen attendant) can be very emotional and worthy of capturing.
15.) The modern bridal party shot, is usually relaxed and fun, but shows the personalities of those special people.
16.) If you can think of something a bit different for your groomsmen, too, that will add a bit of flavour as well!!
17.) you also need a shot of you and your family in an informal pose…not perfect but perfectly happy
18.) Sunshiny, overexposed or Black and white bridal portraits can be uber-romantic and timeless. Arriving in the bridal car or swishing in the sunlight or floating your veil in the wind are all great options. – Or maybe all of them if there’s time!
20.) Don’t forget it’s your Big day, so if you want some special shots that have a bit more drama then be sure to ask your photographer and be sure to leave enough time for the photos.
21.) You probably invested a lot of time, energy and money into the ceremony venue details which makes your wedding so special and pretty, so make sure your photographer includes them all.
23.) What time was the service?
24.) Not everyone has their parent or family friend to preside over the ceremony, but let’s face it ! If there wasn’t a vicar/ registrar /official, you wouldn’t have been able to make it legal!
25.) The aisle walk: No matter who accompanies you, this is the big moment and one you will want to treasure and hold forever.
26.) and of course you want to remember the groom’s face when he first sees you coming down that aisle. For most people, its not what they expect! It can be such an emotional and tender moment that it would be sad to miss it.
27.) THE Kiss!! what else is there to say! Got To Include that!
28.) Candid shots of your family and friends during the service are a must have as well. You will be so wrapped up in the moment you will miss often touching or funny moments, so seeing what went on afterwards “behind your back” is always wonderful.
29.) Children often lose interest very quickly in the proceedings and its always fun to know what they got up to whilst you are saying your vows
30.) There will be so many special moments that you will want to relive again and again, but the moment when it becomes official and you legally go from being single to married only happens once, so be sure to capture it from every angle!
32.) Whilst confetti is becoming less common at a lot of weddings because of ‘clearing up’ issues for the venue or danger to wildlife, the recessional shot is still an important part of the event and should always be included. A creative photographer can always think of something!
33.) Wide angle shots of the venue or the reception room without any people in them all add to the atmosphere of creating a wider picture of the big day;- especially when you are creating your wedding album.
34.) Table settings, centrepieces and favour gifts will all be gone the day after, so be sure that your photographer captures all this detail before the guests arrive.
35.) Interesting and cute wedding-day signs are other details that can easily be overlooked on the day.
36.) We all love a tasty ‘horses doofers’ and cocktails, and you probably spent hours at tasting sessions (poor you!) selecting your favourites for your guests to enjoy. So be sure to remember those mouth watering morsels. (especially if you are off having couples pics whilst they are being served and you miss them!!)
37.) Your caterer will not only make something that tastes scrumptious but also looks divine and you need your photographer to make the pictures reflect those fantastic colours and flavours in a visual way so you can relive them over and over afterwards!
38.) Which of course brings us to the next edible delight…the cake! You chose it with so much care, so be sure to have it recorded with equal creativity.
40.) So, talking about the special time you go off to have some beautiful couple portraits made…be sure your photographer makes the most of all the special areas at the venue that make it the reason for your choice.
46.) There will be so many other unexpected moments that you may not even think of before the day, but your photographer will know to record them in a discreet and sensitive way.
47.) If you have live music or entertainment at your event, don’t forget the people who entertained your guests when you “walked In” and/ or had your guests on their feet clapping and dancing all night too!
49.) If you have ordered entertainment for the evening, small cameo pics of the people involved all add to the flavour of the day
50.) Speeches is usually the next essential photo opportunity. It can be such an emotional part of the day, where we toast absent friends and thank ones that are present, regale our guests with hilarious and moving stories, and generally have a laugh and cry!
51.) You might not remember your first dance, so this one is totally a must-have image!
52.) A classic “Just Married” shot is a fantastic way to end and album and herald the beginning of your new lives together.
53 .) Don’t forget a wide angle view of the venue. Sometimes they are a bit hidden away at the end of a long drive way and are only used for big events like weddings and so you might not be able to go back for a look….
