The Best Wedding Photographs

After many years photographing beautiful weddings across the UK and even into Europe, I thought I would put together a few tips I’ve learned along the way to help you with your wedding planning and to make sure you get the absolute best wedding photography you can. I often give these hints and tips to my couples ahead of their wedding day and over the years have found they really help to make the day run smoothly and result in amazing wedding photographs. A little thinking ahead can mean you have time to relax and enjoy your wedding day and can trust your photographer to do their thing and create magic!

1. Keep in touch with your photographer

I love getting to know my couples and find it really helps to stay in touch regularly so that on the day we know we are working from the same page and we all know what will be happening and when. I send questionnaires to my couples to gather all the details of the day and love to stay in touch via social media. Your photographer will probably ask for a list of family members for any group photos you might like… this means they will be super organised on the day and will know ahead of time how long they will need to allow for this so things shouldn’t run late. You can then relax knowing your photographer knows the plan and will do their thing! If you feel like you know your photographer well you will be more relaxed on the day which will always mean better photographs!

2. Allow Plenty of Time

When you are planning the timeline of your day I would always recommend allowing a little extra time on to everything just in case. Having plenty of time will mean that you will be able to relax a little between the big moments of your day and not feel rushed, and will also allow your photographer the time to be creative. Allowing for delays as you are getting ready will mean you feel calm and relaxed before your ceremony, and adding plenty of time for your drinks reception will mean you don’t have to rush any formal photos. You will want the ‘must have’ shots that a wedding day brings but often the most memorable photos are the ones your photographer will capture of the moments in-between. Things often take longer than you’d think on a wedding day so this will also ensure the day runs smoothly and you have time to see all your guests.

3. Look for the light

It’s all about the light!! This can really make or break a photograph and will probably be all your photographer is thinking about! You can make their life easy by choosing the rooms with the best natural light. If you are having hair and make-up artists they will probably also be in search of natural light and it’s best for photos if you can be positioned facing a window with a little space around you. If you’d like photographs of your outfit before you get dressed it’s best to hang it in the lightest room you can find with minimal clutter. You could also get dressed in this room too. Most household (and some venue) lights have a very orange glow so generally it’s better to have curtains open and lights switched off, but your photographer will know what’s best and might have their own lighting kit if needed. Interesting light, like shafts of sunlight beaming through barn windows and the flare from a sunset across a field, are obviously the dream for photographers but, unfortunately, you can’t always predict the weather!

4. Getting ready tips

When the time comes to get dressed it’s always better to get whoever will be helping you (bridesmaids, groomsmen, family members etc) to get dressed first. That way when you are putting the final touches to your outfit they won’t be helping you in their pyjamas. Also, if you’d like things like rings, stationary, jewellery and shoes photographing, make sure you have them ready for your photographer so they know they are important to you and don’t get missed.

5. Enlist help

Asking someone from your wedding party (or possibly a family member) to be on hand during group photos is a great idea. If you make sure your helper has a copy of your photographers group list and also knows who the people on the list are, they will be able to help gather guests when they are needed which will save so much time for your photographer! This will also mean the pressure is off the two of you and you can relax and enjoy. It will also mean you won’t be standing around for hours waiting for your group photographs to be taken…. because who wants that?

6. The confetti shot!

If the confetti shot is something you are really wanting, you’ll want to make sure you are prepped and ready a little in advance. It’s a good idea to check with your church or venue to see if and/or where they allow confetti and also make your photographer aware of this too. If you’d love a really epic confetti photo always make sure you buy more than you think you’ll need, so each guest can get a really good handful. Make sure it’s biodegradable but the tissue paper confetti is the best for that ‘floating in the air’ effect for an amazing photo. 

7. Check the rules

Always check with your ceremony officiant about their rules for photography! I once photographed a wedding at a church where they didn’t allow any photography at all… if this is the case you’ll want to know in advance so you aren’t disappointed on the day and, if you’d like to, can plan extra time for photographs afterwards. More often than not your celebrant, vicar or registrar will be happy for discreet photographs to be taken, but it will help your photographer to know in advance of any particular rules so they can make sure to be in the best position. I like, wherever possible, to stand near the front facing the couple, so I can capture the excitement and emotion on your faces during the ceremony!

8. Golden Hour

Golden hour is the holy grail of wedding photography. If you get sunshine on your wedding day your photographer will undoubtedly be hinting at you to get some couple portraits just before the sun sets. Depending on the time of year this might mean straying a little from your timetable! If you are getting married in the summer (in the UK) you would probably get some lovely light in the time straight after your meal and speeches. If you are happy to sneak out for five minutes between main course and dessert to make this happen then you can do. I never insist on golden hour portraits as sometimes you want to be enjoying the moment with your guests and I wouldn’t ever want to drag you away, but if the sunshine is there I like to ask if you fancy making the most of it. The light at this time is exceptionally beautiful and can create killer photographs you’ll definitely want to hang on your wall!

9. Embrace the weather!

In the UK we are blessed with all sorts of weather, whatever the time of year you get married! It’s good to be prepared with umbrellas or a change of shoes should it rain… and transparent or white umbrellas work best as they don’t create a strange colour cast or shadow on your faces. BUT… my best advice would be to embrace whatever comes on the day. Some of the most fun photographs can come from rainy days and no matter the weather, your guests will be having the best time on your day.

10. Relax, enjoy and smile!

Finally, even if you’ve done all your planning and have prepped for every eventuality, there will probably still be something that will go differently to how you’re expecting it to! Relax, enjoy, smile, and let you suppliers do what they do best and all will turn out brilliantly. Try not to worry about anything on the day itself… if you are relaxed, having a good time with your guests and are enjoying being married to your favourite person, your photographs will tell that story. Even if the cake topples over or your trousers split, your photographer will probably capture some hilarious reactions and they might just be your favourite images. If you are still looking for your photographer and would like more information about my packages you can find out more here Follow me on Instagram for more tips and to see regular updates