Your wedding day should be one of the lasting memories of your life – you’re celebrating the
love that you share with your partner, surrounded by your closest family and friends. But the
magic comes in all the small moments, as well as the big ones, and it’s impossible for the
happy couple to be everywhere at once.
That’s where a good wedding photographer comes in. There’s no substitute for having high-
quality photos of your day, whether you simply opt for more formal shots or ask the
photographer to go for a more candid approach. In fact, booking a photographer, especially
if you have a specific person in mind, should be one of the first things you do after you’ve
arranged the date.
Many wedding photographers will want to work with you to ensure that you get the images
that you’re looking for from the day, so it can help to have done some preparation before you
meet with them. In this post, we share three ideas for group photos that will help you capture
your perfect moments.
GETTING READY
Getting ready in style has become an increasingly important part of wedding days,
particularly for brides. It’s time to spend with your closest friends, making yourself look your
best and celebrating this important moment in your life before you walk down the aisle.
Whilst there are sure to be some nerves in the air, there’s also a lot of excitement, making
this a great time to have some more informal photos done.
Make sure that you let everyone know ahead of time that there will be a photographer in the
room at certain points, so that they feel comfortable. If you’d like your photos to look
coordinated, then consider getting matching t-shirts or robes for everyone to wear, and
designating part of the room for bags, so that there’s no mess in the background. A clever
photographer will be able to get some lovely group shots without necessarily lining you all up
next to each other.
THE DRESS REVEAL
If you’re a bride who has managed to resist the temptation to share her wedding dress with
her bridesmaids, then the big reveal is a prime photo opportunity. Ask your photographer to
line up your chosen friends and get them to close their eyes, and then you can walk into the
room and get the dress arranged properly before they see you in it for the first time. The look
of amazement (and maybe even some tears) will make a beautiful photo to look back on. Johnny and I chose not to do a first look, so I did a dress reveal with my mom & it was such a special moment.
ALL THE KIDS
If you’re choosing to have children at the wedding, getting a group photo of them all together
will be appreciated both by you and their parents. It can take a lot of work to get young
children into their wedding finery, so it’s well worth capturing the moment.
Be prepared for this to be more informal – you’re unlikely to get everyone lined up in a row,
but that’s part of the magic. It’s best to try and get this photo done early in the proceedings,
as kids are more likely to get increasingly disheveled as the day goes on, as well as more
tired. Using cute props like balloons or glow sticks where age appropriate can add some
magic to your images. Although we did not have children at our wedding, we did get some fun group shots of our bridal party!
GUEST POST CREDITS
Author bio: Sophie Hayward
A keen wedding photographer, Sophie loves to capture the small magic moments that make
the day special. She aims to blend into the background so that her subjects feel at ease,
creating relaxed, natural images.
WEDDING CREDITS:
Photo: @thiswildromancephoto
Video: @vanillafilm.me
Planning: @fawnevents @fawnevents.laura
Design: @fawnevents.laura together with @evaacatherine
Venue: @lechacuel
Floral: @joyofbloomflorals
DJ: @secondsong_official
Catering: @willys_loco_tacos
Bar & Servers: @nationalbartendingschool
Sweets: @desert.villa.bakery
Rentals: @brighteventrentals
Tabletop: @hostesshaven
Photo Booth: @desertlunaphotobooths
Signage & Paper Goods: @velvetfoxdesigns
Neon & Wishing Well: @sketchandetch
Backdrop: @westandrose
Restrooms: @portabletrailerproducts
Transportation: @lin_lines_transportation
Dress & Veil: @ruedeseinebridal via @lovelybride @lovelybridela
Ring: "Rhapsody” by @heidigibsondesigns
Shoes: @bellinishoes
Bridal Jewelry: @erinfaderjewelry
BM Earrings: @stil.works
Hair: @lobixx1
Glam: @jackiemargotbeauty and @donnadoesbeauty
Hair Extensions: @glamseamless
Bridesmaids: @birdygrey
BM Robes: @birdygrey
Bridesmaids Capes: @bhldn
Bridal Robe: @BoudoirDressingGowns
Custom Hats: @stetsonusa x @cloudxiidesign
Groom + Groomsmen: @friartux