The Ultimate Wedding Photography Shot List
Whether you are a couple that needs to provide a shot list to your wedding photographer or you are a wedding photographer looking to make sure you are prepared to photograph a wedding day, this list is for you! I have taken the time to compare my past weddings and have built the ultimate photography shot list below.
Of course there will always be specific items or events at a wedding that are not listed here, but that is specific to each couple! Keep in mind that while this list hopefully includes most things, it cannot be entirely exhaustive.
This shot list is ideal for a full day wedding. It will likely be too much for an elopement or intimate wedding; however, certain sections can be taken and fit into any wedding. So let’s get started!:
The Details —
The first thing I ask brides to do for me when getting ready for a wedding day is to set aside the detail items that they want to make sure I photograph. Couples spend months and even years collecting the items that are important to them and planning the details of their wedding day so I want to make sure that I represent those things as best I can in their wedding photos. Here are the key details:
Invitation suite
Save-the-Date
Ring box with rings
Earrings
Garter
Veil
Bouquet(s)
Shoes
Boutonniere
Cufflinks
Tie
Wristwatch
Personalized Items (i.e. napkins, glasses, etc.)
Wedding Cake Topper
Wedding Favors
Signs and Artwork (i.e. welcome sign, menu, guestbook, etc.)
Florals and Centerpieces
Ceremony Decor (i.e. candles, lanterns, altar, signs, etc.)
Couples, make sure to tell your photographer what items in this list you would like to include in your flat lays and how you want them to be grouped together. This will help your photographer know your preferences and then they can create beautiful photos out of your details with their professional knowledge.
2. Getting Ready —
The getting ready time at a wedding is filled with small moments that are so important to photograph. Photographers, keep an eye out for these small moments that you can catch; they are too sweet and candid to miss.
The Bride and her mother (or mother figure) putting on the dress. These photos are ones that you will cherish forever. Whether it’s your mother, step-mother, or another mother figure, this moment is so special and will not only be in your memory but it will be photographed and preserved for a lifetime.
4. The Groom putting on his suit pieces. Most grooms will have some combination of a tie, suspenders, cufflinks, a vest, and a jacket and it’s important to capture him putting on these items. I like to specifically photograph the groom adjusting his sleeves and cufflinks and straightening his tie. I also like to get the best man or one of the other groomsmen to help him put on his jacket; it’s a great way to include the groomsmen in the getting ready process.
At some weddings, family members that are involved in the ceremony, like parents or grandparents, are also present for the getting ready time. It is so important to photograph these moments. For instance:
5. Family heirlooms. It’s important to know if there are specific family heirlooms that are being incorporated into the wedding. Sometimes this is as simple as the bride’s something borrowed and sometimes it can be many items such as a late relatives jewelry piece out of memory for them, a gifted watch from the grooms parents, a pendant with a photo of a late parent of either the bride or groom, etc. Photographers, make sure to ask your couple ahead of time if there are items like these and make sure that your couple knows if there needs to be special time set aside to photograph these items, such as the groom’s parents wanting to give the watch as a gift and wanting to capture that on camera.
3. Bridal Portraits —
Here at Caitlin Marie Photography I offer four different wedding collections; some include a separate bridal session and some do not. When a couple chooses a collection that does not include a separate bridal session I always make sure to take the bride aside after the getting ready time to take a few bridal portraits. Here are a few shots that I always make sure to get of the bride:
3. “Sniff the Shoulder.” What? Sniff the shoulder? Yep! I use this term to cue my brides for a specific pose. If you tell the bride to sniff her shoulder, it results in a soft and sweet look that turns out beautifully in photos. I like to try this pose in a couple of different ways, both from the front and from the back as you can see below.
4. Full Frame. This one is very important. Always make sure to have a shot of the bride facing the camera that shows every aspect of her outfit. These will be cherished not only by the couple but is often a favorite of the bride’s parents as well.
5. Close-up of Bride & Bouquet. Finally, I like to include a few shots that are close-up and focus on the bridal bouquet. The bouquet is another detail that the bride spent so much time customizing and I want to make sure that it is in the spotlight.
4. Bridal Party —
The way that the bridal party is photographed will be determined by whether or not the couple has chosen to see each other before their ceremony. If the couple does a first look, then the bridal party photos can be done all at the same time. However, if the couple chooses not to see each other before the ceremony, the bridal party photos will look a little different:
Bride & Bridesmaids. You want to make sure to do the bride & bridesmaids’ photos after the florals have arrived if possible. That way there is the added beauty of their bouquets. Here are the main poses I make sure to get of the bride and the bridesmaids.
Bride in the middle. No matter how many bridesmaids there are, I like to include the traditional pose of the bride in the middle with her bridesmaids placed equally on either side of her. Some key things to remember for this pose in to have the bride hold her bouquet down on the “belt line” so that it is not too high. Also, the bridesmaids should tilt inward toward the bride and place their bouquet on the outer hip bone.
2. Bride and Maid-of-Honor. Make sure to include a photo of just the bride and her maid-of-honor. The maid-of-honor is usually the bride’s best friend or very close family member; because of this, I like to take a few of the traditional pose just standing together, as well as a few where they are looking at each other or huddling close. They’ll cherish those more candid shots forever.
3. Close-up. While I make sure to get these other major poses, I also want to make sure and catch the little moments between the poses. One of these is a close up shot of the girls and their bouquets. (You can never get too many bouquet photos!)
4. Huddle. Another great pose for the bride and bridesmaids is the “huddle.” I cue this by having the girls all put their bouquets close together in a bunch and then tell them to squeeze in together! This usually leads to such authentic laughs and beautiful shots.
2. Groom & Groomsmen. This is one of the most fun times I have while photographing a wedding day. The men usually have a lot less to do when getting ready so they are a bit more relaxed and are ready to have some fun. Photographers, encourage them to have fun! This is good advice for the entire day, but here particularly. It will make for more candid and authentic photos.
1. Groom in the Middle. This one is pretty self-explanatory, especially if you read the bride and bridesmaid section above. Make sure that you include the traditional shot of the groom in the middle with the groomsmen on either side.
2. Walking Forward. Here’s where having fun comes in! You start the guys out a ways off from the photographer and have them face you. Then, simply tell them to walk toward you while talking and laughing with each other. Usually the guys will feel goofy and give real laughs from that and sometimes they’ll even give the groom a good “punch to the arm” or something similar.
3. Pair up. I always like to do paired up photos of each of the groomsmen and the groom (and I do the same with the bride and bridesmaids too!). First, I do a standard pose of them standing together. Usually, with the men, a good pose for this is to have them put their hands in their pockets (with thumbs out!) or have them hold their wrist with their other hand. That way they don’t have the “What do I do with my hands??” experience.
Then, I like to tell them to come up with something funny to do together. This is always a hit and it’s a great way for each pairing to look a little different and for the grooms relationship with each of his groomsmen to show.
4. Serious. I’ll be honest; sometimes this works great and sometimes it does not, but either way you get great photos! Let me explain. When you get the guys that do really well at looking serious you get a great tough guy pose and it always looks very masculine. When you get the guys that just can’t be serious, they crack each other up trying to be serious.
5. Just the Groom. Finally, I make sure to leave time to get photos of just the groom. This cannot be forgotten! Get close ups of him both smiling and looking stoic and somber. Also, I always like to get some him looking away from the camera and doing things like adjusting his tie or cufflinks.
3. Entire Bridal Party. Again, this will either happen at the same time as the bride/bridesmaid & groom/groomsmen photos or it will happen after the ceremony depending on whether or not the couple is doing a first look. Either way, the poses are the same! It is important to note, both as a photographer but also as a couple, that if the entire bridal party photos will be after the ceremony it may be dark if it is an evening wedding and the after ceremony photos may have to be done inside your venue. With that being said, couples, make sure you take into consideration all of these factors when choosing the timing of the events on your wedding day. Here are the few main poses that I always include for the whole bridal party:
Traditional Group Shot. With this pose, I put the bride and groom in the center and have the bridesmaids line up on the side of the bride and the groomsmen on the side of the groom. Just like in the separate photos, have them both tilt in toward the bride and groom. The bridesmaids should hold their bouquet down on their outer hip and the groomsmen should either place their outside hand in their pocket (with the thumb out!) or hold one wrist with the other hand (as pictured above).
Celebrate the Kiss. Now it’s time to have some fun! For this pose, simply have the bride and groom kiss. Let them be as extravagant with the kiss as they want to and tell them not to stop until you say so. While they kiss, the job of the bridesmaids and groomsmen is to cheer and party! This pose is pretty easy to do because the photographer is just cuing everybody to celebrate. Just make sure, photographers, to remind the bridesmaids to watch where their bouquet is so that it doesn’t block any faces.
Couples. If there are an equal amount of bridesmaids and groomsmen I also like to do a few shots of the bridal party split up into couples. The key things to remember here are: (1) make sure that each of the couples is as “close” as all the rest. I only say this, because sometimes the pairings are of actual couples who are more likely to stand closer together and sometimes they are not so they are more likely to keep space between each other. Just encourage them that it looks better for each coupling to stand close for the photo.
6. Bride & Groomsmen OR Groom & Bridesmaids. The last two main poses that I include are just opposites of each other, so I have melded them into one. It’s a great idea to have the bride take a photo with the groomsmen and the groom to take a photo with the bridesmaids. I think it creates a good contrast and shows that the groups are just as important to the other spouse. With the men, I have them stay in the same place as the pose prior to this one which, for me, is always the groomsmen with the couple. It is so easy, then, to simply tell the groom to hop out of the shot and have the groomsmen scoot in around the bride in the middle.
Then, for the other shot, I have the groom stand in the center and equally place the bridesmaids around him. In the example below, there were only two bridesmaids, so it looked best to have the groom put his hands in his pockets and have the girls link their arms in his. In a situation with a larger amount of bridesmaids it would likely be better to have the bridesmaids just tilt in toward the groom with both of their hands on their bouquet.
5. First Look/First Touch —
Not every wedding will have a first look or a first touch but others will, so here is what to include for the varying types of first looks or touches.
The First Look. In the last few years, the first look has becoming a more and more popular choice for couples. There are many reasons for this, but that’s for another blog post! The first look is usually done in a secluded or private area so that it can be a special and intimate moment for the bride and groom. It generally happens between the getting ready time and the bridal party photos.
Make sure to take all of the photos that you can of the couple before the bride turns the groom around. I like to get a view of the bride behind the groom and the groom’s face before he sees his bride. There is always such a look of anticipation in their eyes.
The key to the next part is to let it be organic. Tell the bride to tap the groom on the shoulder or turn him around and then just let them have their moment. Your job, as the photographer, is to capture that moment without posing it. The posed couple shots will come later, but this time is about the couple being themselves.
2. The First Touch. Some couples opt to wait to see each other until the altar. Couples that decide not to do the first look before the ceremony will sometimes do a “first touch” where they meet with each other from around a corner and share a moment or prayer together before their ceremony. Obviously, the key here is to keep the couple from accidentally seeing each other. Many couples will have a small gift or letter to exchange with each other so make sure to capture those things during this time, or simply let them have their time together and photograph the moment as it happens. This is another scenario where it’s important not to pose the couple too much; they have planned this moment for their own joy and memories and it’s our job as photographers to capture it but not invade it.
6. The Ceremony—
The ceremony is usually one of the shortest but most important parts of a couples’ wedding day. Because it’s so quick it’s important to have in mind what shots need to be captured in the 20-30 minutes of the ceremony. Take a look at my usual formula under this gallery below.
Seating of family members. The beginning of the ceremony is usually when the groom will seat his mother and grandmother and any other key family members and it is good to photograph that moment. The usher will then seat the mother of the bride if she is not already seated so I like to photograph that too.
2. The groom and groomsmen at the altar. Once the groom has seated his family members he will take his place at the altar with his groomsmen and the officiant; I like to capture that before the bridesmaids and bride enter.
3. Bridesmaid procession. The bridesmaids usually enter next and I take a few shots of them entering and getting into place.
4. Flower Girl/Ring Bearer. If the couple has decided to have a flower girl and/or a ring bearer they will enter right before the bride comes down the aisle. There is always plenty to capture during this time because — let’s be honest — kids are hilarious and/or cute anytime they have something important like this to do.
5. Here comes the bride! Now it’s time to be ready (if you weren’t already). This is especially important if the bride and groom did not do a first look because this will be the groom’s first time seeing his bride. The entire group of guests will stand as the bride enters so be sure that you, as the photographer, are in a position to have a view both of the bride and the groom. This is where a second shooter comes in; one of you should be capturing the bride’s entry and the other should be stationed on the groom. Make sure to capture the first sight of the bride and then snap some more as she is coming down the aisle.
If her father (or stepfather/father figure) if accompanying her, the officiant will ask him to give her to the groom. I like to capture this moment because the bride and her father will usually share a hug or kiss and then she will meet her groom at the altar.
6. Front-of-ceremony view. Once everyone is set and the officiant begins to speak, I like to capture a full view of the ceremony. This usually includes at least the couple, but also the bridesmaids and groomsmen and the rest of the room if the venue lends itself to that.
7. Exchanging of vows. During the vows I like to snap a few shots close up of whoever is speaking, especially if they having handwritten vows that they are holding or reading from. At the same time, make sure to capture the emotions on the face of the one listening.
8. Special ceremonies. There are so many traditional practices during wedding ceremonies as well as unique aspects that couples choose to include in their wedding. Ideally, you should know what special ceremonies are taking place prior to the wedding day. Some examples of these special events are hand-fasting, sand ceremony, communion, jumping the broom, etc. You absolutely want to make sure and photograph as much as you can during these special events.
9. Exchanging of rings. For the rings I like to get a couple of wide shots of the couple exchanging rings, but I always make sure to get a few great close ups of them putting the rings on each other’s hand too.
10. “You may now kiss the bride!” Here’s another biggie! When it’s time for the kiss I always employ the “spray and pray” method. This is where you take multiple photos in sequence because this is arguably the most important part of the wedding ceremony to capture. I like to have as many photos of it as possible because (1) I like to have a lot to choose from and (2) the lead up to the kiss and their looks of joy after the kiss are so important to catch too!
11. Celebration. After the kiss, the officiant should do the official pronouncement and the couple will look out and cheer while their guests and bridal party cheer too! This is such a great time for wide shots of the whole room. I always get the best reactions from the couple when they look out at their guests. It’s just a great time of celebration for everyone.
12. Recession kiss. As the couple recesses back down the aisle, I ALWAYS have them stop about half way and kiss again. This is a popular shot for a reason, as it bookends the ceremony perfectly and it catches the happy faces of the guests looking back at the couple too.
One of the biggest mistakes I made at the first few weddings I did was overshooting during the ceremony! Just make sure to capture these key moments and you will be fine. Otherwise, you will end up with a whole bunch of the same photo of the bride and groom looking at each other at the altar — which is beautiful! — but you don’t need a hundred photos of it.
7. Family Portraits—
The family portraits usually take place immediately following the ceremony, because it is the easiest time to gather all of the family members from both the groom and bride’s sides of the family. This is another time when pre-wedding preparation is so important! I always get a list of names of all of the family members that will be in the family portraits from the couple prior to the wedding I also ask them to give me a detailed list of all of the groupings of people that they would like too. If you have this information ahead of time, it makes it so easy to quickly call out names and get through the family portrait time quickly.
I never worry much about posing during the family portraits beyond making sure that everyone is looking at the camera and that they can be seen. Especially during the larger group shots, it is so important to make sure that everyone is in view and that their eyes are open. The focus during the family portraits should be on time and efficiency. I do like to make sure and do a few different looks with the bride and groom and their parents; I have the bride look at her mom and the groom look at his dad and vice versa and do a few different parings of the parents with the couple.
Prior communication with the bride and groom is key for a smooth portrait time with them. First of all, you will want to know when the couple would like to do their portraits with each other. If they have chosen to do a first look they will often also want to do some or all of their portraits prior to their ceremony. Many couples will still want after ceremony portraits because of sunset.
If the couple has chosen not to do a first look, they will definitely be doing all of their portraits following the ceremony. Make sure that you are 100% clear on the couple’s expectations of how and when they would like to do their portraits so that you can fit it into their timeline accordingly with considerations to things like order of events, lighting, etc.
Traditional Posing.
It’s always good to start out with the traditional poses with the couple to get them used to the process. I usually have the couple stand together in the first spot we go to and put their arms around each other and smile at the camera. These feel so basic, but they turn out great and it eases some of the camera shyness before moving on to more poses.
2. Close-ups.
Make sure to always include close-up shots! They are so sweet and couples love to see those more intimate photos of themselves. Not only do couples love to see these shots, they are great for printing as well. There are a few key close-ups that I always do. The first of these is the hands with their wedding rings on top of each other.
3. Walk Away. Another prompt I like to use is to tell the couple to slowly walk away from me. I just tell them to walk slowly and look at each other from time to time. If the bride has an especially long train, she can hold it and play with it a bit while they walk. If she has her bouquet during this point, she should let that hang down by her side while they walk.
4. Walk Toward. Once they get far enough away, have the couple turn around and walk back toward you while still looking at each other. Both directions end up looking so great.
5. Location Portrait. Especially in beautiful Savannah, wedding locations are always stunning and couples spend a lot of time picking the location that best fits them. That’s why I like to photograph the couple in a wide shot that includes the beauty of the location that they chose. That could simply be them in front of the trees and moss or inside their venue at the altar.
6. Kissing Photos. It’s their wedding day and kissing photos are so great and must be taken, just make sure that the couple isn’t kissing in every photo you take. This is one of the more unexpected complaints I’ve heard from couples; they’ve seen friends and family get married and most of their pictures are kissing photos and they understandably want more of a variety.
The best way to ensure that there aren’t too many kissing photos is to specifically plan in your mind the kissing poses that you will use. A few of my favorites are a lean-in and kiss while the couple is walking away and I especially love to have my couples face each other and kiss while the groom dips the bride backward just slightly so that her back arches. It takes a basic kiss to the next level and always creates a beautiful photo.
Kissing photos are not bad! We want them! We just also want balance.
7. Over the Threshold. This pose is only to be used if the couple is comfortable with it so always ask and make sure they want it. I love to use this one when they do! Have the groom pick up the bride and hold her like he is carrying her over the threshold. Have the bride wrap her arm around the groom’s neck. I like to do one where they are looking at each other and one where they are just leaning in to kiss, too.
8. Forehead-to-Forehead. It always works to have the bride and groom put their foreheads together for some photos. Usually they feel funny about it at first which makes for some hilarious reactions resulting in the cutest photos; then, as they settle into the pose more, it becomes a more intimate look too.
9. Reception — It’s time to party! The reception is where the personalities of the bride and groom come out a bit more and they share sweet memories with their friends and family. There are a few key moments that are common at receptions that photographers should be aware of and ready to capture.
Entrance. The beginning of the reception for photography is usually the entrance of the bride and groom. Photographers, be in communication with the DJ so that you are both on the same page for the couple’s entrance. The DJ will pronounce them as they enter, so you need to know when to be set up, in place, and ready!
3. Father/Daughter & Mother/Son Dances. These special dances are so sweet and so important to capture. I photograph these dances similar to the first dance, but I tend to do more close ups of these than of the bride and groom. I do this because what I’m wanting to capture is the looks of love between the parent and their child. It gives you a glimpse into the special relationship that they have with their parents.
4. Signage & Details. Part of the reception decor includes signage and details that you want to make sure and capture. This is another item that the couple spent time to pick and curate so photographs of them are a must. Some examples are menus at catering tables, floral arrangements on guest tables, the head table, the cake table and cake topper, etc.
5. Speeches. Sometime during or after dinner there are normally speeches given by various members of the bridal party and family. Again, it is important that the photographer knows exactly when in the timeline these speeches will take place so that they know where to be set up. I like to make sure and capture a few shots of each speech, but I’m careful not to overshoot the speeches.
7. Full Dance Floor. Once the major events of the reception have been done, the DJ will open the dance floor and it will be time to party! The photographer’s job is to capture the fun! The key here is not to overshoot; get great shots, but remember that you will not want most of the photos to be of people dancing and neither will the couple.
8. Bouquet/Garter Toss. It is less common nowadays, but some couples will still do either or both the bouquet and the garter toss. Just make sure that you are in a good spot as the photographer to capture both the bride/groom and the guests.
10. The Send-Off— This is it! The final event of the night and the point where the bride and groom say goodbye to their friends and family and leave their wedding.
The photographer should step away from the reception a few minutes before the send-off so that they can get set-up and situated. Depending on the time of day, you may need to set up flashes and/or backlighting so that the send-off is lit enough.
The Set-Up. Before the bride and groom come out to leave, the guests will be led out to line up for the send-off. Because you as the photographer will be there already, I like to capture a few set-up shots. For instance, if it is a sparkler send-off, get some photos of the guests lighting their sparklers and getting into place.
The Beginning. As the bride and groom come out of the venue and join the line, I like to “spray and pray” again (take multiple photos) because they will move fast and people will be cheering. This is such a fun and candid moment so it’s important to just capture as much as possible.
Kiss in the Middle. Much like I do when they come down the ceremony aisle, I have the couple stop in the middle of the line and kiss. Usually the groom will dip the bride and it just ends up looking picture perfect!
The Getaway Car. Many couples will have a getaway car and it’s good to get some shots of them getting into the car and driving away. Definitely capture anything that has been added to the car like “Just Married” signs or banners, etc.
Thank you so much for reading this Ultimate Wedding Photography Shot List Blog! I hope it has been helpful to you whether you are a bride, groom, or photographer. As always, this blog is meant to help and includes the bulk of what I like to include in my weddings, but there is no way I can claim that it is completely exhaustive. If you have any other ideas or things you think I should add to this blog, feel free to drop a line!
Also, if you are interested in Caitlin Marie Photography photographing your wedding, I’d love to hear from you. You can check out my wedding collection pricing here or fill out my contact form and I will reach out to you!