Memories fade, so you need to make sure you capture every part of your wedding day on camera.
Once you’ve selected a photographer that suits your style, they should go through all the types of wedding photographs you want. While some will have their own shot list, make sure you add your own fun wedding photography ideas too. The last thing you want is to feel like you missed special moments six months later!
Take a look at our list of some of the most important photos to make sure your photographer captures them on your big day.
1. Getting Ready
As it’s usually the first part of your day, the whole process of getting ready can often feel like a blur and you’ll barely remember it. But often it’s all about the anticipation where you’ll be feeling giddy and excited, which can make for some lovely photographs to look back on. It’s worth thinking about the other people who’ll be there too. For example, the moment when a father sees his little girl in her wedding dress is a definite (happy) tear-jerking moment that should be preserved in time.
2. The Wedding Dress
This one seems obvious, but it can sometimes be overlooked that you want a single image of just the dress. Whether that’s on a hanger, when you’ve first put it on, or the flashy shoe shot, get a snap to remember all those special little details. You might want to do the same for those bridesmaids’ dresses that took forever to choose.
3. Travelling to the Wedding Venue
Getting yourself to the venue is usually the stressful part of a wedding day, as you’ll be too busy making sure you’ve got everything you need! Usually, you’ll travel with close friends and family, so it’s the perfect opportunity for a photograph and it will help you remember the moment. It’s also a great opportunity to have some fun with the mode of transport you’ve chosen. Perhaps the groom is really excited about making his grand entrance in the Ferrari or speedboat – make sure you capture his big moment!
4. The Wedding Guests
Of course, it’s obvious that you’ll want plenty of pictures of all your guests. However, you should consider putting together a list of any specific pairings of people you want that your photographer might miss – all your university friends, your aunties, and your third cousin who has travelled from overseas just to be there. It’s also a great idea to get photographs of your guests arriving because you won’t be there to see them for yourself!
5. Bride and Groom First Look
This is a new trend that’s emerged from across the pond where the bride and groom stage the moment they see each other for the first time. You might prefer to stick to the old superstition of not seeing the bride until she walks down the aisle, but staged first looks can be a great opportunity for a little quiet time to ease nerves before the wedding ceremony. It’s a priceless way to capture the look on your partner’s face and gives you a truly unique wedding photo.
6. The Wedding Bouquet
If you have a fresh flower bouquet then you’ll definitely want to get close-up photographs of it from all angles, as it won’t last much longer than a week after the wedding. To truly preserve the memory, you could take a few of the flowers and have them dried and pressed to keep in a frame. Of course, let’s not forget the moment the wedding bouquet is thrown…there’s a lot of scope for some fun photos of your bridesmaids!
7. The Empty Wedding Venue
Your wedding venue holds such importance and it will never look more perfect and pristine than before the guests arrive! After endless hours of planning all the decor and little details to make your special day perfect, make sure you have a photograph to appreciate all your hard work. You might want to get some snaps of the wider location, whether it’s the rolling countryside, stately gardens or a sunny beach.
8. Personal Mementos
Whether it’s the seating chart you spent hours creating, the handmade flower arrangements and favours, or the wedding cake made by someone close to you, be sure to note down any specific details and DIY wedding decor you want to photograph that have extra special meaning.
9. The First Kiss
What better way to capture the love than with a first kiss as a married couple? You’ll hopefully be spoilt for choice when it comes to photos for this particular moment, but it’s still worth making sure that you get one that feels genuine and authentic. Different photographers have different styles and you’ll have a preference too. Get a selection of formal, posed, candid and in-the-moment images.
10. Confetti Throwing
Time to celebrate! The confetti throw is one of the most impressive wedding photographs. For best results, get more confetti than you think you’ll need and have the photographer prepped and ready for the release.
11. The First Dance
Whether you have your first dance as just the two of you or you get everyone up on the dance floor, it’s essential to have it photographed. You might want to stick with the traditional romantic first dance shots. Or, if you’re a couple that doesn’t take themselves too seriously, perhaps capture some of those less elegant dance moves and let the laughter shine through.
12. The Bridal Party
The bridal party will be made up of some of your closest friends and family, so why not have some fun? Mix up the shots with a variety of chilled out friendship shots filled with laughter to editorial arrangements that look like they’ve come straight from a magazine. Photographing your bridal party is an opportunity to truly capture the individual personalities that make your group special.
Most seasoned wedding photographers will capture the most important parts of your wedding day and get great wedding venue photos without much direction. However, it’s good to consider fun wedding photo ideas that reflect your style and personality.
