10 Wedding Day Photography Tips for Brides

Being a California photographer who captures weddings as part of my specialty, I have worked with many brides over the years. There are certain things I do to get myself prepared for every wedding, like check my equipment, charge camera batteries, and get plenty of rest the night before the big day; but, what about the bride? What does she do to prepare herself for the most important photos of her life?

Below is a list of things I think would help a bride prepare for her wedding day photos.  I think if a bride and groom followed these simple ideas, they would greatly improve their wedding photos.

Get plenty of rest

It’s tempting to stay up the night prior to your wedding, getting the last minute details together or just partying, but avoiding sleep can be detrimental to your wedding photos the next day. First off, if you’re just tired, you may not look your best in pictures, add a cranky and a stressed out bride, then you have a recipe for not so great wedding photos in the making.

The solution, do all of your planning ahead of time and when it comes to the eve of your wedding, get to bed early and get plenty of sleep. You’ll be glad you did not only on your wedding day, but, after the ceremony, when you’re looking at your photos.

Eat and stay hydrated on your wedding day

This may sound like a no brainer, but it’s all too often I come across a bride during the formal portrait session who is either cranky, or delays the photography due to hunger and thirst.  By being cranky and/or delaying your photo shoot can lead to rushed photos and or you not looking so good in your wedding photos.

Solution, eat small, protein rich foods, like a protein bar or chicken strips. Protein keeps you full longer. Stay hydrated with water and avoid alcohol, especially in warmer or hot climates, like Southern California.

Plan your photo locations

For most weddings, they take place in a single location. Some weddings may take place in a church then the reception is held elsewhere. However, it’s not uncommon to find yourself wanting to take your wedding photos at locations other than the ceremony and reception site; like the beach or a park.

If you do decide to venture off to a new location or locations for your wedding photos, it’s a really good idea to plan this in advanced. Most often, your wedding photographer will know where they want to shoot.  Regardless of who decide where the photography will be taking place, you need to keep everyone involved informed. Print maps and directions for everyone involved in the photos. The last thing you want is to just “wing” the locations on your wedding day and run the risk of not getting the photos you want or losing family members form one point to another.

Have a list of people you would like photographed at your wedding

This is going to take some planning on the bride’s part, but it will help speed up the process of your wedding day photos as well as ensure that your family gets photos with you and your groom. Put together a list of family members that you would like photographed. For example, if you’re going to want your aunt photographed with you and your new husband, write it down. If you want a photo of just you and your aunt, write that down too. It’s best to put the persons name as well as their relationship so that anyone could help you get family and friends together for photos.

Assign someone to assist with family photos.

Now that you have your wedding day family photo list, you’re going to want to assign someone, like a bridesmaid or family member, to assist with getting everyone together for the photos. Your wedding photographer will not know who your family members are, so it’s a good idea that you have someone who is familiar with your family assist you with logistics.

By having an assistant, you are eliminating the wasted “searching for family members” time and ensure that you’ll get the photos that you want on your wedding day.

Allow enough time for photos

Ask any bride and she will tell you that her wedding day photos are the most important part of the wedding. But at the same time, she will tell the photographer that they have only 30 minutes after the ceremony to take the photos. Huh?

Give yourself time to take the photos that will tell your wedding day story for generations to come. First, consult with your wedding photographer to determine the amount of time they will need to capture your images. Once that has been determined, check with the wedding or reception venue about the timing. If you’re working with a wedding coordinator, consult with them to determine the timing. They will in-turn work with other vendors, especially your photographer.

Pre-shoot as much as possible

Even if you don’t plan on seeing each other prior to the wedding ceremony, you can still have your photographer capture as much of the formals as possible prior to the wedding ceremony.

Some suggestions would be to have all the groomsmen and bridesmaids photographed prior to the ceremony. It may also be a good idea to get some family photos taken care of before the ceremony as well. The only challenge you will have is to get people ready early. You will save a lot of time between your ceremony and reception should you pre-shoot some of the formals.

Provide your photographer with an itinerary

One sure way to have missed photo opportunities is to not provide your photographer with an itinerary of the day’s events. You want keep them in the loop, so provide them with a detailed list of events and some sort of time schedule. Of course, time schedules will change as the day unfolds, but you want your photographer to be aware of the events that are to occur during the wedding ceremony as well as the reception. This way, the photographer won’t run the risk of a missed opportunity photo.

Carry facial blotters

Ladies, you know what I’m talking about. They come in a small little pack and are used to blot your face for excess oil. These little things come in handy on a hot summer Southern California day! It’s a good idea to carry a pack or two around while you’re having your photos taken. They can help reduce the “shine” off your forehead and face; making for better photos.

Have a contingency plan in case your photographer is a no show

While the chances of this are slim, it does happen; your photographer may have trouble making it on time to you’re wedding or may not even show up. I was just taking to a young lady who attended her friends wedding last year. She explained to me that the wedding photographer just didn’t show or call. And no guest had a camera (That’s a bit difficult to believe), so the guests used their cell phones to capture the special moments. I’m not saying this will happen to you, but you just want to be prepared.

It’s always good to ask a friend or family member attending the wedding to bring along their camera. In addition, you may want to invest some money in the disposable cameras and have them sitting on the tables in the reception hall. Guests can use them to capture your special moments during the reception.

When it comes to your wedding photos, you can certainly leave everything up to the photographer and hope it all turns out peachy in the end. However, if you want to ensure that your wedding day photos will turn out their best, then following the tips above is a step in the right direction.

Article printed with permission from Southern California Wedding Photography