Must-Take Photos

Don't let your wedding day memories fade! Capture them all with a great collection of wedding photos. (expert advice)

| edit this article | about this guide | more wedding articles »

Your wedding is a very special day full of sentimental moments and precious memories.  Without a good collection of wedding photos, many of those memories will soon fade away.  By supplying your photographer with a list of must take shots, you can be sure to capture the most important of those moments so you'll always remember. 

Before the Ceremony

• Your wardrobe - the veil, wedding gown over a chair or hanging on bedpost, the garter, shoes beneath gown, etc.
• Bride and bridesmaids getting ready.
• Groom and groomsmen getting ready.
• Bride and maid of honor; bride and bridesmaids; bride and parents; etc.
• Groom and best man; groom and groomsmen; groom and parents; etc.
• Your mom zipping your dress, fastening your necklace, or adjusting your veil.
• The husband-to-be tying his tie.
• The bride or groom looking in the mirror or out the window.

The Ceremony

• Guests arriving; bridal party arriving; you getting out of the car at the ceremony site.
• Guests taking their seats.
• Each member of the bridal party walking down the aisle.
• Your father giving you away.
• You and your fiancé at the altar.
• Everyone at the altar.
• The audience.
• Vow exchange; close-up of ring exchange; kiss; and other ceremony traditions.
• Shot of musicians.
• The processional and the exit.
• You and your new husband leaving the ceremony or in the car or limo.

Planned Poses

These photos can be taken before the ceremony, but are usually taken right after while guests make their way to the reception.

• Full length shot of you.
• You and your new husband.
• Family photos - bride and groom with your parents, his parents, and all parents.  Poses with siblings and grandparents.
• Bridal party photos - you and your groom with the bridesmaids, with the groomsmen, with the flower girl and ring bearer.

 Must Take Reception Photos

• Inside and outside the venue; table arrangements, decorations, food displays, gift table, centerpieces, etc.
• The receiving line.
• Head table; parents table.
• Toasts.
• Special dances.
• Shots of the DJ or band.
• Guests on the dance floor.
• The cake and the cake cutting.
• The bouquet toss and the lucky girl catching it.
• The garter toss.
• The getaway car and the departure.

Depending on your photography package, select the photos that are most important to you.  There may be other shots that you consider a must as well.  Keep in mind that each photo will require about 5 minutes and you'll want to allow enough time for the photographer to capture a few creative shots of his own!

Member Comments

1 95 2 lilychavez28

07/12/2009 at 07:15 pm thank u, it has been so helpful the advice cos I forgot very important pictures.

1 76 2 MelindaDianda

05/24/2009 at 10:23 am I feel like the only things left out are the special touches that make the wedding unique and your own. For instance, our theme was Italy and we did each table marker a city in Italy. Our photographer captured those and each time we look at the photos we remember our theme and how unique our wedding really was. Also, any items hand made or special-made, like a menu, are great to have photographed to capture the feel of the event.

20 1 5 chungnguyen

02/07/2009 at 12:09 am I agree with Margaret's comment. I think most photographers already know what they need to photograph, BUT if you have something special planned or a special arrangement, make sure you tell your photographer about it. Well, now that I think about it, it doesn't hurt to go over the list once to set out your expectations and put the trust in your professional to deliver the goods. And then some. It's usually the photos you don't plan for that are the most memorable. (:

2144 2367 96K margaret

02/05/2009 at 10:10 am I agree with everything in this article. One word of advice is to not make the must-take photo list too long because it might crowd the creativity of your photographer. The most beautiful photographs from our wedding were the ones that the photographer took based on her own aesthetic.