How to Create a More Photogenic Wedding

One question Brides ask me a lot is “what can I do to make my wedding look good in photos?”. When it comes down to it, curating “moments” is the most important part of planning that dreamy Instagram-worthy wedding.

Emotional moments, intentional decor, curated details and lighting are all essential ingredients to creating those magical wedding photos that you have been in awe over when searching Pinterest.

Making your wedding day as dreamy as those inspiring photos you have been pinning doesn’t need to be complicated. Let me show you how!

Obviously, your wedding day isn’t all about how it looks on camera, but by keeping these few tips in mind you will be sure to achieve those jaw-dropping wedding images every bride dreams about. Your photographer can big a huge resource to you in planning the tedious details of your wedding day, use their expertise! I know I love it when a bride comes to me and trusts me enough to ask for my opinion when planning their big day.

Emotional moments

A lot of people think emotional moments will happen naturally during the wedding day. And while this is true to some degree, if you don’t prioritze time in your day for them to happen, they won’t! Too often, the craziness of the day becomes the focus of the day. In order for your photographer to capture those beautiful moments they 1. Have to happen and 2. Need to be nearby and ready to photograph it.

One of my brides, Megan, really wanted a special moment with her bridesmaids on her wedding day. She decided she would do a bridesmaid’s first look before she walked down the aisle. She added it into her wedding timeline and made sure everyone was informed of the plan. On her wedding day, it turned out to be the sweetest moment with her closest friends and the genuine emotion really showed through in the pictures.

Don’t let the craziness of the day become the focus of the day

Carefully curated details

Can we take a minute to admire these wedding details? Seeing all of your details laid out together just makes me giddy. However, oftentimes they are completely forgotten about amid the wedding chaos.

Before your wedding day, think about what details you want images of. I recommend taking some time and discussing this with your partner. The Bride and Groom usually have specific items they really care about and want to be included. For her, it might be a charm her grandma gave to her. For him, maybe it’s a special flask he received from his best man.

Once you decide which items you want to include, write up a list and make sure your photographer has it before the wedding day. here is a list of items I always recommend to my couples: rings, ring boxes, necklace, shoes, invitation & envelope, seating card, stamps, perfume bottle, cologne bottle, cuff links, bouquet, boutineer, extra florals and greenery from florist, vow books, and handwritten notes. Once you have your list ready to go and have given it to your photographer, consider asking a member of your bridal party to be the person in charge of details. Their duty should include making sure all of the items are collected the day before the wedding and giving them to the photographer while the bride and groom are getting ready. That way the bride and groom aren’t adding another list of things to remember to bring on their wedding day.

Intentional decor

Wedding decor can be really expensive and time consuming. When I was planning my wedding, I was seriously overwhelmed with all the choices and ideas that I had. A wedding planner or wedding stylist can really come in handy when it comes to making your vision a reality and alleviating some of that stress. They are also great at making sure that things look awesome on camera AND in person. If a wedding planner isn’t an option for you, or you just feel lost in your wedding vision, creating a mood board can be a really powerful tool in seeing how your ideas will come together. I like taking inspiration images from pinterest, instagram and google and positioning them onto a blank page on my computer. If you like things to be physical, you could also print the images out and put them in your wedding binder, or on a poster board.

When deciding where to put decorations, try to think about what is around it. If you created a really beautiful moment with a wall of flowers, collection of candles, or greenery but it is in the darkest corner of your venue, your guests and photographer might not even take notice of the beautiful decoration.

Lighting

Lighting can either be a photographer’s best friend or greatest enemy. Indoor lighting and outdoor lighting are huge factors in how your wedding photos turn out. Although every wedding photographer should be comfortable and capable of shooting in a variety of lighting situations, there is nothing that can replicate the creamy golden glow yumminess that happens right before sunset and sunrise.

With that in mind, really consider the time of day when scheduling your first look, ceremony and reception lighting when planning your wedding and ask your photographer for advice on timing if you need it. Your venue coordinator will also be able to tell you what the lighting is like at different times of the day in the different locations of your venue. Simply changing the direction of your wedding backdrop could drastically change the lighting. For your reception, keep in mind that your photographer will likely need to use extra lights and flashes. Your DJ or band might also bring colored strobes and lights, make sure they fit the look of what you want to achieve and that they won’t interfere with what your photographer needs.