The Wedding Photography Checklist You Should Share with Your Photographer
As you hire a professional photographer, you’re putting your money and trust in them to capture your special day’s precious moments.
But there are some details you can share with your photographer through a unique wedding photo shot list. This ensures a stunning collection of your wedding photographs.
Your wedding day is a once-in-a-lifetime event, so ensure that your photographer understands your vision in your wedding photos. You can use this wedding photography checklist to tell your love story accurately.
Detail Shots
Many of the detail shots can be taken before your wedding. This helps your photographer focus on the people’s photos during the main event.
- Save-the-date and wedding invitation
- Escort and place cards
- Menu cards
- Ceremony program
- Special signs
- Gifts
- Wedding rings
- Bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages, and flower girl basket
- Wedding dress and suit
- Accessories (veil, shoes, jewelry, perfume, tie, garter, cufflinks, etc.)
- Ceremony and venues decorated (exterior and interior), without people
- Ceremony décor, altar, arch, aisle markers, etc.
- Guest book, favor table, table setting, and centerpieces
- Food and drinks
- Wedding cake
- Family heirlooms (if any)
Bride Getting Ready
The photographer should capture candid moments of the bride, including her bridesmaids and parents, preparing for the big day.
- Outside of the bride’s house, if not getting ready at the wedding venue
- Bride having her hair done
- Maid of honor, bridesmaids, and mother-of-the-bride having their hair done
- Bride having her makeup done
- Maid of honor, bridesmaids, and mother-of-the-bride having their makeup done
- Bride putting on perfume
- Bride, maid of honor, bridesmaids, and mother-of-the-bride together in dressing gowns (if any)
- Bride stepping into the wedding dress
- Maid of honor, bridesmaids, and mother-of-the-bride doing up dress’s ribbons, buttons, or zip
- Bride putting on the veil
- Maid of honor, bridesmaids, and mother-of-the-bride’s first look at bride’s dress
- Bride putting on jewelry and shoes
- Father-of-the-bride’s first look at the bride
- Bride helping her father with buttonhole
- Bride giving her mother a corsage
- Bride holding a bouquet
- Bride in full look
- Bride leaving for the ceremony
- Bride and mother portrait
- Bride and father portrait
- Family shots
- Bride walking downstairs
- Bridal party leaving for the ceremony
- Bride and father in wedding car
Groom Getting Ready
Have a second photographer to capture the groom getting ready simultaneously. This makes your wedding photographs well-balanced, capturing two sides of the preparation.
- Groom having his hair done
- Best man, groomsmen, and father having their hair done
- Mother of the groom having her hair done
- Mother of the groom having her makeup done
- Groom wearing the wedding suit
- Groom puts on accessories
- Groom’s parents coming in
- Mother attaching boutonniere to the groom
- Groom in full look
- Groom, best man, and groomsmen together
- Groom with mother
- Groom with father
- Groom leaving for the ceremony
- Groom’s party leaving for the ceremony
Pre-Ceremony/First Look
Most couples choose to see each other before their wedding ceremony. Besides the couple’s first look, you can ask the photographer to take photos of other first-look moments.
- Couple alone first look
- Bridal/groom reaction if the couple enters together
- Father of the bride first look
- Parents/grandparents of the bride first look
- Mother of the groom’s first look
- Parents/grandparents of the groom first look
Ceremony
The ceremony is where the couple will share their emotions and most treasured memories. So, share this ceremony photography checklist with your photography to document the important moments.
- Wedding guests arriving
- Groom and bride’s parents arriving
- Guests finding their seats
- Ushers assisting guests to their seats
- Bridal party and parents greeting guests
- Parents/grandparents seated
- Guests seated
- Flower girls and page boys
- Bride arriving in wedding car
- Bride stepping out of the car
- Groom standing at the altar
- Bride standing at the altar
- Maid of honor/best man arriving outside the ceremony venue
- Bridesmaids/groomsmen arriving outside the ceremony venue
- Groom chatting to his best man
- Bride talking to her maid of honor
- Officiant behind the altar
- Groom entering the venue
- Front shot of the groom
- Bride entering the venue
- Procession of flower girl, ring bearer, bridesmaid, groomsmen, best man, maid of honor, and parents groom and bride
- Bride walking down the aisle
- Front shot of bride
- Behind the shot of the veil as the bride walks
- Bride with father coming down the aisle (or whoever is leading her down the aisle)
- Groom and best man waiting at the altar
- Giving away of bride/groom
- Readings
- Exchange of vows
- Lighting of unity candle
- Ring bearer
- Exchange of rings
- First kiss
- Signing of register
- Participants such as the officiant, readers, musicians, etc.
- Witnesses signing the register (no photograph of the official document
- Newlyweds walking back down the aisle (recessional)
- Confetti shot/rice throwing outside the ceremony venue
- Greeting guests outside the ceremony venue
- Couple leaving the ceremony venue
- Couple in the wedding car’s back seat
Couple Portraits
The photos of the newlyweds are the most essential part of a wedding photography checklist. Your photographer should get all frame-worthy images, including candid, sweet, posed, or more artful shots.
- Couple’s candid photos together
- Couple’s posed photos together
- Couple walking side by side
- Close-up of the couple’s hands with rings
- Couple kissing
Family Photos
Seeing family portraits after your special day is a heartwarming moment. So, have this family photos checklist to ensure the photographer will give you beautiful images of your loved ones.
- Couple with each set of parents
- Couple with both sets of parents
- Couple with each set of grandparents
- Couple with both sets of grandparents
- Couple with siblings
- Couple with close family members
Wedding Party Portraits
Communicate with your photographer to determine the best time for wedding party portraits to occur. These people have been there for you throughout the process; give them the spotlight.
- Bride with maid of honor/bridesmaids
- Groom with best man/groomsmen
- Couple with groomsmen/bridesmaids
- Couple with flower girls/page boys
- Couple with the entire wedding party
- Couple with any children at the wedding
- Couple with any pets in the wedding party
Reception
If you’ve dedicated much time and effort to designing your reception, ask the photographer to capture all the key details and moments.
- Wedding party arriving
- The receiving line
- Newlyweds grand entrance
- Guest sitting down at tables
- Guests enjoying cocktail hour
- Couple at their sweetheart table
- Top table with couple and parents sitting at it
- Photo booth, ice sculpture, etc. (if any)
- Speeches (each speechmaker)
- Couple and guests’ reactions to emotional/funny words
- Toasts
- Cake cutting
- DJ or band performing
- Bouquet/garter toss
- First dance
- Parent-child dances
- Special dances
- Guests dancing
- Last dance
- Sparklers or fireworks send-off
- Newlyweds leaving reception
- Getaway car
Share this wedding photography checklist with your photographer before the big day to ensure you are on the same page regarding your expectations.
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