Your wedding day is a tapestry of unforgettable moments woven together by love, laughter, and cherished memories. To ensure that every precious moment is beautifully captured, it's essential to have a clear vision of the specific shots you want for your wedding album. Before your big day, your photographer might ask for suggestions, or any inspiration you’ve found in the lead up to the wedding that you’d like to create yourself on your day.
Here are the top 13 must-have wedding photos that will ensure your memories last a lifetime:
1. The Look Back
The look back is a great shot highlighting either the Bride or Groom individually, I love to do this with the Bride while she holds her bouquet, her life partner in hand and has a giant smile on her face! It’s a great way to show off the dress and flowers, while also saying “We’re married and partners in life now!”
2. Under The Veil
Under the veil shots are BY-FAR my favourite shots to capture, and it’s why I ALWAYS recommend having a veil on your wedding day! It’s a great way to capture intimate, close-up photographs of you both, and show the real you. The playful, loving, giggling caring person inside that you show each other when no ones watching. The best time to grab these photos is during sunset, but your photographer can always capture these at any time of day, or even use studio lighting to ‘recreate’ the sun that just isn’t cooperating that day (the vertical photos above on the left is done this way!).
This one is a MUST!
3. The Veil Throw
Throw your veil girl! (Or ask a bridesmaid to do it)
These shots are absolute show stoppers - meant to be printed and hung on a wall and kept up for decades. It’s elegant, flashy, and romantic all wrapped up in one. A little secret though - sometimes these photos are photoshopped. Not the veil itself - usually theres a photographer or bridesmaid still in the photo that needs to be photoshopped out!
4. The Bear Hug
Bear hug your man from behind!
I think while traditionally a man would bear hug his wife/partner, this role reversal makes the interaction more intimate, and more telling of their relationship. It’s also a great way to show off your ring if you place your hand on his shoulder!
5. Ring Shots
Ask for photos of the rings!
The rings are a symbol of your love and marriage, it seems almost a given that they deserve to be documented. The rings shots are in my top 3 moments of the day - because I get to be creative, try new things, and slip away from the party for 30mins for so while everyone is dancing, into the cold air outside and create some magic!
6. Slow Dance
Your photographer may put you in a weird spot, or even on the edge of a cliff, but trust the process! These wide romantic shots capture the essence of your day, and the location you chose to spend this important day at. It tells a story not only of your relationship, but the story of the day. You can get some closer (tight) photos of the dance, but I always love and prefer the wider shots for reasons above - but your photographer will, and should, take both wides and tights of moments like these!
7. Fun Prep Shots!
While it’s great to have photos of you getting ready, and moments of your close friends and family helping you put on the final touches, it’s important to have fun in the morning! Don’t be scared to give your photographer a little more time in the morning and get creative with some fun photos to create the vibe for the day! I like to call this “Mimosa Hour”.
8. Black & White / Silhouettes
It’s not that B&W photos are back in style - they were never NOT in style.
B&W photos change the whole vibe of a photograph. Instead of focusing on the colours and vibrancy of the photos, you look at the subjects, the light, the textures, the shapes. It’s a whole different way to tell a story and create an image. It’s like taking a step back and trying a new perspective at something - you see something completely different. You can get great B&W shots throughout the whole day, if you mention to your photographer beforehand, he’ll take a few extra shots in the day, and send through a bunch of B&W variations from your day. Don’t be afraid to get creative - or let your photographer get creative!
9. Mum & Dad First Looks
If mum & dad, or any of them are getting ready with you in the morning, having a first look with them is always such a great idea! It only takes about 5minutes to set up, and it makes the moment so much more special. Ask your photographer if there’s enough time in your schedule for it (there always is!), and they can set it up in the perfect lighting conditions for you to remember forever.
10. Rain Shots
Raining during your reception - GOOD!
My favourite wedding receptions are when it rains in the evening, after the sun goes down - it’s not asking much is it? When it rains, I jump up and down with joy, grab an umbrella, the bride and groom, and head outside for a quick 5min photoshoot in the rain. The photos can turn out absolutely magical, and reminds me of the saying ‘trust the process’.
11. The Editorial
Editorial shots are sometimes forgotten about and not considered by couples for one reason - they’re posed and planned. 99% of couples don’t have experience in front of cameras, and don’t want to overly pose because they don’t know what to do - but guess what? It’s our job to do that for you.
These types of shots are absolutely stunning, and will be the ones you pick to print and hang up on your wall, they just take a little time to set up - which is why we always ask for extra time during the photoshoot, just in case something creative hits us! You don’t have to be specific about the editorial shots you want (but you can definitely ask them to replicate something identically for sure!), you just have to ask for something similar, or in the same vibe if they see it on the day.
12. The Blue Steel
“But why male models?”
Blue steel is such a great look for wedding photos! I always tell the bridal party, imagine you’re on the magazine cover for GQ, and there’s a cool explosion behind you and you can’t look back - because cool guys don’t look back at explosions.
This is a great look to break up the album and gallery between fun and serious. It’s also great in so many separate groups; Bridal Party, Bridesmaids, Groomsman and Bride & Groom - add it to the list!
13. Solo Shots
Not every shot has to be with the Bride and Groom together! Get some solo shots, so your partner can get a small print of it and put it in their wallet/purse to carry around.
Add these must-have wedding photos, you can ensure that every cherished moment of your special day is beautifully preserved for generations to come.
For idea’s and inspiration about the Essential Wedding Photos, read about in our post here.
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