Must have wedding photos (as told by a wedding photographer)
Today I want to chat a bit about must have wedding photos, from my perspective as a seasoned wedding photographer. Firstly, let me say that the MOST important thing to remember when it comes to your wedding day, is to let go of LISTS. I know I’m contradicting that statement since I’m writing this blog post which can be seen as a list, haha. But the main point I want to share is to trust your photographer when it comes to any must have wedding photos you’re hoping for on your wedding day. If they’re busy trying to keep up with a specific list you have written out, genuine moments can get lost in the shuffle.
Personally, I have a list in the back of my mind of poses and photos that I like to take for each wedding. However, I never try to make a couple fit into this “box” of a certain look I’m trying to achieve in their gallery.
I work hard to ensure that the gallery ultimately showcases who they are and how they interact with one another naturally.
That way, when the newlyweds are looking at their wedding gallery later, they can be confident that the photos they see feel like THEM. My hope for you is the same!
We know that the choice of hiring a wedding photographer isn’t made lightly – and it shouldn’t be! When deciding on investing in your dream photographer for your wedding, it’s a really big commitment. If you’re still in your search, hopefully this post helps clarify what you might want to be looking for when it comes to wedding galleries from the photographers you’re considering.
To me, following through on my style and the must have wedding photos I provide my couples is one of the best ways I can serve them.
PSST… If you want to see posts expanding on making important choices like choosing your photographer, check out these posts:
Is A Professional Wedding Photographer Worth It? and How to find a wedding photographer
If you’re liking this post about must have wedding photos and want to talk more, let’s connect:
The best ways to see if your wedding photographer is right for you are the photos they take at nearly every wedding and HOW they take those photos. Browsing through blog posts of multiple wedding galleries will allow you to see the similarities. Below is a summary of my own go-to’s when it makes sense for the wedding I’m documenting. Of course, I don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach.
Your must have wedding photos should feel as unique as you are, they just fit within the same aesthetic of my brand!
Instead of super specific photos, I’m sharing more generic scenarios in this post, because it is much easier to personalize the idea than it is a Pinterest board.
Flat lays
Not important to every couple but it’s a great way to showcase the special details implemented on the day you’ve worked so hard to curate. Flat lays typically include your invitation suite, wedding rings, extra florals, etc. Check out my post on all-things-details here.
Details of the venue
You chose your venue for a reason, so I seek it out and emphasize on the qualities you love. I always consider what makes your chosen venue special lean into my attention to detail to help tell the full story of your day. What makes your venue extra-special? The view? The surrounding buildings? The secret garden? Artwork on the walls? Overall vibe? Whatever it might be, I like to pull in details from the surrounding space into your gallery. This is one of the best ways to make your gallery feel immersive every time you browse through the photos.
Your guests
If you opt for an elopement, micro wedding or big wedding, the people you invite into your precious day are there for a reason. I love to capture them, too. Whether that be candid photos during your ceremony, grab-and-grin photos during cocktail hour, genuine laughter during toasts. Or fun photos of them tearing it up on the dancefloor. I try to be the one to capture moments you don’t even realize happen on your day. This includes documenting the people who are a part of your story and the new legacy you’re building.
The primary “must have wedding photos” you would think this post would focus on: Actual poses
Oh, yeah, I absolutely fuse these in too. I use gentle guidance than I do strict posing. Giving you a variety that has more of a gender-neutral approach. Taking turns hugging from each other behind, giving each other cheek kisses, poses that might generate big belly laughs, etc. Really, I just want you to feel warm and fuzzy throughout portraits. It is your wedding day, after all. It should feel like the most ultimate date night! Of course there’s going to be cuddles and kisses. 😉
Bonus: I also try to incorporate movement into poses, like walking away or toward the camera. Or simply swaying a little while holding each other in an embrace. Adding in movement allows you to shake off the nervousness and to get more natural-looking photos. It especially helps if you have a videographer working alongside of me, because wedding films definitely require more movement.
With all of that said, if you are ever uncomfortable or don’t want to do a certain pose, just tell me and we move on. No hard feelings, no agenda, just learning from one another and making sure you love your photos, too. Again, the goal is to have photos that feel like YOU. My job is to help pull out genuine interactions and sometimes goofy pose prompts help and sometimes they deter from the experience. This is why I approach each wedding and session with flexibility to meet each couple where they’re at.
Photos of you smiling at the camera
This one will always make your grandma happy. Yes, we want the creative “hero” photographs and the genuinely candid photographs. But one of the most timeless photos of your gallery you might find yourself coming back to is this one. The standard smiling at the camera photo with the love of your life is one of my must have wedding photos, for sure!! This goes for family photos, too! I will forever prioritize your formal photos and make sure they’re print-ready for you and your family.
Ceremony and reception details
Especially empty space photos – I do my best to carve out time for this in your timeline. Making sure we can arrive with enough time to capture the ceremony space before guests arrive. And reception room details before guests come and take their seats. You and your chosen vendors worked so hard to pull off the perfect aesthetic, the photos will help you step back into that memory over and over again.
Side note: Even if the couple I’m working with doesn’t think of these as must have wedding photos, I know their planner and florist might. So I’m capturing details with them in mind, too! As long as we have the time, I work to get variety to lift up the other small businesses pouring their heart into this day, too.
Showing off the rings
The visual reminder of the commitment of your marriage. This legacy you are starting together. Photographing the rings during the details and flat lay portion of your wedding day is helpful, yes. But I do try to emphasize a photo here and there of you wearing your rings, too.
Must have wedding photos: Candid moments!
I will forever be anticipating what might happen next. The more experienced the photographer, the more in tune we can be when a truly candid moment might take place. It’s based on a mix of our own intuition as well as the flow of a wedding day itself. Sometimes, special moments create special reactions. I try to always be ready for the response, funny or sweet. As I tell my clients, everything is a moment. Let it flow naturally!
Like what you see here? Want to see if I’m available for your wedding? Contact me today!
Okay, I think those are all of my thoughts! I hope this helped give you some ideas or confidence when it comes to what your wedding gallery might look like. Again, look through portfolios will help you see common go-to’s that your potential photographer captures. It will help build that trust that the must have wedding photos you want, they’re already looking to document, too.
Remember! If there is anything specific that you want, don’t be afraid to ask! Communication is key, but if you provide us with a really specific list of photos, it’ll be hard for us to accomplish what we do best – document your day as it happens organically. No need to worry, you’ve hired an expert! Let us do our thing so you can sit back and enjoy your wedding day!
