Wedding Day: Pre-Ceremony Wedding storybook IDEAS

Getting Ready

• Shot of wedding invitation
• Bride(s) and bridesmaids getting their hair and makeup done
• Dress hanging, jewellery laid out, shoes etc.
• Bouquets and buttonholes/corsages
• Bride(s) putting on dress/veil with help from mother of the bride or bridesmaids
• Bridal party having fun
• Close up of dress details
• Putting on jewellery
• Putting on shoes
• Close up of bride holding bouquet
• Mother and bride portrait
• Father and bride portrait
• Family shots
• Bride(s) spending moment alone
• Bridal party walking down stairs/leaving the house
• Bride and father in wedding car/walking to ceremony
• Groom(s) and groomsmen getting ready
• Groom(s) spending moment alone
• Wedding ring shots

The Trip to the Ceremony/Venue

• Bride(s) and father/mother
• Bride(s) and bridesmaids/flower girls
• Groom(s) and groomsmen/page boys
• Shot of the wedding car

Wedding Day: Wedding Ceremony Photo ideas

Some churches prefer not to have photos during the ceremony, particularly within the mass, so check with your celebrant in advance to see what their policy is.

• Shots of empty venue/church, including altar, flowers, interior and exterior details
• Groom and groomsmen waiting inside venue/church
• Guests outside and inside church
• Ushers handing out program
• Bride(s) arriving in wedding car
• Bride(s) stepping out of car
• Bride(s) and bridesmaids at back of venue/church
• Bridal party entrance
• Bride(s) walking up the aisle
• Groom’s reaction
• Father/mother giving bride away
• Exchanging of vows
• Lighting of unity candle
• Ring bearer
• Exchanging of the rings
• Participants such as readers, the officiant, musicians etc.
• The first kiss as a married couple, and the moment after
• Signing the register
• The recessional/couple walking back down the aisle
• Newlywed shot
• Confetti throwing
• Greeting guests outside venue
• Couple in the back seat of wedding car

Wedding Day: Post-Ceremony Wedding Photo ideas

Most couples set aside time after the ceremony for their wedding portraits, although it’s becoming more and more popular for couples who have a First Look to take them before the ceremony. Either way, your portrait session will probably take between 40 minutes and two hours, depending on the location and the shots you require. Talk to your photographer if time is a priority for you. Make sure to prepare a list of all the people you want in the portraits, as well as the specific combinations you require. It’s also a good idea to ask a close friend outside of the bridal party to work with the photographer on rounding people up.

Couple Shots

• Portraits of the couple alone
• Portraits of bride/groom on their own

Bridal Party

• Couple with bridesmaids/groomsmen
• Couple with entire wedding party
• Bride(s) with bridesmaids/maid of honour
• Groom(s) and groomsmen/bestman
• Couple with any children in the wedding party

Family

• Couple with each of each set of parents
• Couple with both sets of parents
• Couple with siblings
• Couple with close family members

Informal shots

• Shots with friends
• Shots of guests eating, drinking, and chatting
• Any specific groups of friends, eg. college pals, school mates, team mates

Wedding Day: Wedding Reception Photo ideas

If someone has made something for your reception – like a friend who baked the cake or an aunt who stitched the bunting – it’s a nice idea to add that to the list to you can give them a photo of their handy work!

• The reception space set up, before room fills up
• Details and room decor shots, including table settings, place cards, favours, centrepieces etc.
• Wedding cake detail shots
• Couple arriving
• Toasts and speeches
• Cutting the cake
• The first dance
• Bride(s) dancing with father/groom(s) dancing with mother
• Couple mingling with guests
• Guests dancing
• Musicians, singers, DJis