I saw this fantastic post at the Digital Photography School–Must Have Wedding Shots. While this site is targeted more for photographers, this is a great resource for brides. After you’ve spent months looking at amazing bridal magazines and seeing beautiful pictures and visualizing what you’ll look like on your big day, it’s extremely helpful to communicate with your photographer the concepts that you have been visualizing so that they can try to capture those moments. It’s sort of like giving songs to a DJ to play for the wedding–you want to give them an idea of what you want to hear, but also give them the space to go where the music takes them.
Here are some of the key shots from the list they have and others from amazing wedding photos I’ve seen:
- Prep Shots – Bride & Groom (one of my fave shots is one with bridesmaids surrounding the bride and helping the bride get her dress on).
- The Dress – Hanging or Draped (preferably from window light)
- The shoes (seriously–how can you miss the shoes?!)
- The Window Shot – Bride facing out window with great soft light
- Bride walking down stairs (especially if there is some sort of spiral staircase involved)
- Bride Applying Make Up (love it when there is a great mirror reflection in this shot)
- Groom Fixing Hair
- Grooms Father & Best Man – Attaching Boutonnière to grooms lapel
- Groom and best men crew attempting to tie bow ties (my husband told me he and his groomsmen spent forever trying to figure out how to tie a bow tie–I would love to have seen the puzzled looks on their faces!)
- Groom waiting at the altar
- Church or other ceremony location wide shot (with & without guests)
- Bride walking down aisle ( Side Profile & Front ). Photos of guests gazing in awe at the beauty of the bride in the background.
- Father giving away bride
- Groom over the shoulder shot of bride
- Holding hands – Bride and Groom
- Bride & Groom Kiss
- Bride & Groom Leaving Church
- Wide angle shot to get in the Receiving Line
- Bride & Groom – Inside Limo Shot
- Reception/Banquet Hall Outside shot
- Detail shots before the guests get in–centerpieces, favors, all the things that the bride has worked so hard to plan!
- Shot of the Invitation (if you want this, make sure you save one or send one to your photographer)
- Food Shots (Cocktail Hour, Drinks, etc.)
- Shot of each table full of guests
- Shots of Bride & Groom with & without family
- Bride and Groom Portraits (can be done before the ceremony if you don’t mind seeing your other half before the ceremony, this gives you more time to spend with your guests)
- Bride & Groom with Bridesmaids & Groomsmen
- Bride and Groom Hand & Ring Portraits
- Rings shot close up
- First Dance
- Bride & Father Dance
- Groom & Mother Dance
- Bouquet Toss
- Garter Toss
- Cake Cutting, Bride and Groom Feeding each other
- Misc. Guests Dancing
- Bride & Groom Eating
- Best Man & Maid of Honor Toast/Speeches
- Parents speeches
- Bride & Groom Toast/Speeches
- Guestbook Signatures
- Children Dancing with Bride & Groom
- Bride & Groom’s Parents Dancing (Plus Grandparents)
- Bride & Groom “Just Married” Vehicle – Driving Away or any form of send off that you plan–there are some amazing shots when people have sparklers!
- …and my absolute favorite–the entire wedding shot. This includes everyone who attends the wedding and requires a bit of planning, a very wide angle lens, and usually quite a bit of height to get everyone in this shot. When it works out, it’s a great way to see everyone at your wedding, in “where’s waldo” style.
Any other ideas?
