We have compiled a list of Tips to help create the perfect Wedding Day Photo Shoot…
BRIDAL PARTY PREPARATIONS…If your Photographer will be meeting with you before the ceremony to take photos of you and your bridesmaids getting ready, it is highly recommended that you have somewhere at your preparation venue that is spacious, well lit and free from clutter so that your Photographer can capture you getting ready, relaxing, and if time permitting, able to capture some formal photos of you and your bridal party dressed and ready. If you would also like photos of your accessories captured prior to you getting ready, make sure to have items ready such as your bouquets, garter, perfume, jewellery, shoes, veil etc.
GROOMING FOR THE GROOM & GROOMSMEN… A small thing some nervous grooms & groomsmen forget to do is make sure their hands & nails are clean! There will be shots taken during the day that will be a close up of your hands, so make sure those hands & nails are picture perfect.
DON’T FORGET THE KEY PEOPLE… To ensure that key people such as Mums, Dads, Siblings or Grandparents are all included during the day’s photos, make sure to introduce your Photographer to these people prior to the commencement of the ceremony. That way we can ensure to capture them enjoying the day as well.
GUESTS WITH CAMERAS (VERY IMPORTANT)… Whilst we absolutely love to see, and encourage, your Family Members & Guests to capture you on camera in their own special way, it is also very important to ensure that your Photographer/Videographer is able to capture those all-important, once off moments during your ceremony without being blocked by a guest. Because you have made an investment for professional results, it is always a good idea to have a chat to your guests prior to the day to ensure they do not block the path or the view of your Photographer/Videographer. Too many times we have seen unco-operative guests ruin a beautiful, once in a lifetime image by either standing directly in front of the Photographer/Videographer, or by standing on the opposite side of the couple during priceless moments like exchanging of the vows and rings, or the all important first kiss as a married couple! So at the end of the day, there’s a great image of both of you exchanging your kiss, plus happy Uncle John and his handy cam full frame in your photo!
POSITIONING OF THE BRIDAL PARTY DURING THE CEREMONY… So that your Photographer can capture images of just the both of you during the ceremony, always ensure that your Maid-of-Honour & Best Man are standing a fair distance from you. Your Photographer can guide you on the day as to what a good distance would be for your bridal party to stand from you.
WALKING DOWN THE AISLE… Brides should walk down the aisle slowly, head up, bouquet tipped slightly forward. Try not to stare down at the floor or march solidly down the aisle. Just relax, and glide your way down the Aisle
CAPTURING THE PERFECT FIRST KISS… So you’ve both exchanged your vows and rings, now it’s time for the all important first kiss as Husband & Wife! So that your Photographer can capture that perfect moment, make sure your kiss isnt over and done in a split second! It’s always a good idea to give us an encore straight after the first kiss with another! Your family & guest photographers will also appreciate this photo opportunity!
GUEST & FAMILY PHOTOS AFTER THE CEREMONY… It is always a good idea to capture a large photo of all of the family members and guests straight after the ceremony before your guests start to wander off! Your Photographer will organise the whole group for the photo and then can advise family members and guests to stay close by for individual family photos. We highly recommend that you provide a list to your Photographer prior to the day of family/guest combination photos that you would like taken during this session and if possible, have a family member assist the photographer in rounding up guests for their turn.
BRIDAL PARTY MAKE UP TOUCH UPS… It is highly recommended that the bridal party bring some make up with them to the location photo shoot so that they can touch up their make up before the photo shoot, as well as before the reception.
CHILDREN IN THE BRIDAL PARTY… We absolutely love the inclusion of children in the bridal party! Their innocents and presence on the day gives us so many wonderful photos opportunities. What we also need to remember though is that it is such a big day for the little ones, and they do tend to get tired or bored very quickly. We always suggest that photos with the smaller members of the bridal party be conducted as soon as possible after the ceremony whilst they are still excited and happy. If they are invited to join the bridal party on the location shoot, we highly recommend that a family member or friend also be invited to mind the children whilst the bridal party have their location shoot photos taken. This gives the bride & groom an opportunity to relax and have fun during their shoot knowing the little ones are looked after.
LOCATION SHOOT REFRESHMENTS… The Location Photo Shoot is not only a time for more photos, but it’s also a time for the bride and groom and bridal party to relax, re-charge the batteries and unwind, ready for the next big part of the day, the Reception! It’s highly recommended that the bridal party bring some refreshments to the shoot including lots of water (most important), nibblies, and perhaps some alcoholic drinks for the bridal party. And if the littlest members of the bridal party are joining you, a great idea is to bring some water, fruit juice, snacks and perhaps something for them to do, ie a book, computerised video game etc.
HOW TO POSE DURING YOUR LOCATION PHOTO SHOOT… The best way to pose for your photos – don’t pose! We love to capture a more relaxed, natural style of photo, with natural expressions and emotions. So the best way to achieve this is to act as natural as possible. Don’t be afraid to have a laugh or be a bit “silly” with your bridal party! The key for a natural look is if you see the camera pointed in your direction during the day, look elsewhere, but DON’T turn your whole body away from the camera. When asked to walk together or with the bridal party, you don’t need to line up perfectly, or walk slowly etc. Just walk together at a slightly slower than normal pace and make sure not to block the site of your fellow bridal party members. When working with just the two of you, we will get you to stand in a pose that is familiar and comfortable to you both.
If there are times where a “posed photo” is required, a few key points to remember are… For the Girls, shoulders back and chin slightly up. The key to remember is that the part of the body that is closet to the camera will always look bigger in photos. So if you want your lower half of your body to look smaller, lean the top half of your body forward, and vice versa. For the boys, a great standard stance is to turn slightly side on to the camera, but turn your face towards the camera, chin up, and have one hand in your pants pocket, the other by your side and to slightly lean back one leg. Your photographer will also help you with the perfect posing position during your day.
Our last tip – JUST HAVE FUN!!!!
Couple: Eliza & Jason
I’d just like to say a huge thank you to Yaku for being apart of our special day, he truly is a professional, we had a blast the whole time he took the photos and for half the time I totally forgot he was there lol he just blended in. Thank you so much for being apart of our lives and capturing every moment of it 
