So you want nice portraits on your wedding day? You want to look like yourself but way cuter? Cool! I’ll give you some tips for getting relaxed, natural, timeless wedding portraits.
Be flexible about your wedding portraits
Don’t get too attached to a specific location or pose. It’s ok to be inspired by other people’s wedding photos online or whatever. But always remember that you’re an individual and each couple is unique. You being you is so much more interesting, fun and beautiful than you trying to duplicate someone else’s look or style. Here’s more about being “Youer Than You“.
Relax and enjoy yourself
Guess what? If you’re all worried about random stuff you’ll look distracted and distant in your wedding portraits. How all the name cards turned out or if your guests like their favors or if there’s a rebel lock of hair on your head, etc should not be bouncing around in your mind. These things don’t ultimately matter 🙂 If you get married to the love of your life, YOU WIN! One of your most important goals for your wedding day is to enjoy yourself. Experience the first real moments as a married couple. Catch up with your people. Relish the deliciousness of the food. Sit back and take in the decor and the music. Your wedding day will only happen once, so enjoy your day! And if you’re enjoying yourself, your wedding portraits will truly look like it.
Let your wedding photographer guide your portraits
As a photographer, looking at someone through my camera’s viewfinder is totally different than just imagining how they’d look. Even though I’ve learned dozens of ways to photograph other people, I cannot pose myself. I need the photographer to tell me what to do or to guide me somehow. I literally have no idea how I look. (maybe that’s why I’m so camera shy? more on this later!) So unless you’re a seasoned model, neither can you “see” yourself. This is where a professional wedding photographer really shines. We know how to make someone’s portrait truly flatter them.
Consider overlooked locations
One thing I love doing is taking what looks like an ordinary location and creating beautiful portraits. Sometimes on the wedding day, we need to quickly pivot to Plan B and do portraits at an alternative location. I’ve done beautiful wedding portraits on a tennis court, outside behind the church or venue, in the parking lot at night, in a hotel lobby; I’ve even used a nearby motel as a backdrop. The possibilities are endless when you realize you only need good light and creativity to create beautiful wedding portraits.
If you’re in the midst of planning your wedding, Contact Me if you’d like to talk photography 🙂
Here are more blogs you may want to check out: Your wedding dress is yours, Wedding photos and my why, Planning engagement photos, and Couple portraits in Gowanus Brooklyn.
And lastly, some tips from Martha Stewart’s team: Wedding Photos that will Stand the Test of Time