How to Prepare Your Wedding Photos?

Wedding photos are the eternal memento of the most beautiful day of your life. It is essential to prepare them well to ensure they are successful. From capturing the preparation of the couple, the couple’s photos, to the cake cutting… capture your emotional moments beautifully through the lens of an expert photographer. Discover in this article the tips from our wedding planners to prepare your photo session with natural and authentic poses, as well as our creative ideas for wedding photos that will add fun to the celebration.

 How to Choose Your Wedding Photographer?

Research and Selection

Choosing the right vendors is crucial, especially if it’s your first time. The fear of disappointment or lack of reliability motivates couples to be more demanding. Start by consulting reliable sources recognized in the wedding industry, such as professional directories like Zankyou, wedding blogs like “La Mariée aux Pieds Nus,” or ask your wedding planner for recommendations. Also, look at reviews from other clients online once you’ve made your preliminary selection. If you’re planning a wedding abroad, we recommend working with a local photographer. They will be familiar with the lighting and the must-see spots of your wedding location, saving you travel costs and reducing the carbon footprint of your event! Finally, compare quotes to select the photographer who meets all your criteria and aligns best with your budget. Note that you should book your photographer at least a year in advance.

Consult the Photographer’s Portfolio

We recommend checking the wedding portfolios of photographers to evaluate the quality of their work and their artistic style. Portfolios are the photographer’s commercial showcase and can be viewed on their website or Instagram. These portfolios are usually thematic and organized by region, wedding theme, or type of ceremony. Take the time to browse all categories for a comprehensive overview of their work. If you’ve hired a wedding planner, trust their experience and seek their advice in choosing your wedding photographer.

Couple Photo Shoot: Immortalizing Your Love

Choosing the Perfect Location and Time

The couple’s photo shoot is an intimate moment filled with complicity between the spouses. It can be scheduled during the wedding:

• Before the ceremony, known as the “first look”
•  After the ceremony, during the welcome cocktail

Before or after the wedding:

• Before the wedding date, known as the engagement session
• After the wedding, known as the “trash the dress” session

If you want to capture the emotions of the moment, opt for a photo shoot on the wedding day. If you prefer to enjoy this moment without time constraints and be more relaxed than on the wedding day, we recommend scheduling the photo session before or after the wedding. The shoot can take place at the wedding venue or outdoors by the sea or in a city center.

Tips for Natural Poses

Not everyone finds photo sessions easy. Creating natural poses can be challenging, especially if you’re not used to being in front of the camera. Before starting the photo session, take a few moments to relax and get into a positive mindset, which will reflect in the photos. Share a glass of prosecco with your witnesses or do some breathing exercises to release any signs of stress and be as relaxed as possible. During the session, interact with your photo partner to create chemistry and adopt natural postures. Spontaneous and authentic moments often occur when you’re engaged in an activity or conversation. Movement is also an excellent way to forget the photographer’s presence, like a slight head movement or a gentle touch. The photographer will be there to guide you and make you feel comfortable throughout the session.

Wedding photo ideas: Adding Fun and Originality

Your couple photo shoot can be a fun and romantic experience, capturing beautiful memories of your love. Use your wedding setting as a backdrop if you’re marrying in Italy, with an original photo session among olive trees, trulli, or in a charming historic center. Typical accessories and objects can also personalize your wedding photos. Whether it’s a wedding car or whimsical props, get creative with your wedding photos. Let your body language express itself with fun or romantic poses.

Wedding Photo Ideas

A Photobooth to Entertain Guests

A photobooth during the dance party is an excellent way to surprise and entertain your guests. Choose a strategic location that is visible and accessible to everyone. Set up a decorated corner that matches your wedding theme using accessories, signs, flower decorations, and lights. We recommend hiring a professional animator to handle the setup of the scenographic and photographic equipment and be present throughout the event. Professional photographic equipment will ensure better quality prints, with the option of having digital versions. Some photobooth setups also offer a videobooth option, allowing guests to record video messages or boomerangs. These whimsical and offbeat photos complement the official photos from your wedding photographer.

Disposable Cameras on Tables: An Interactive Activity

Encourage interaction among your guests during the wedding dinner by providing disposable cameras. This original initiative allows your guests to contribute to the photo report of your wedding evening. You can also create a photo challenge with rules distributed in an envelope on each dinner table. Remember to collect all the cameras at the end of the evening! Or better yet, entrust this task to your witnesses or wedding planner. You’ll have delightful surprises when developing the photos!

Creative Group Wedding Photo Ideas

Group wedding photos can be a fun and creative moment if well-organized and not too long. If your witnesses or guests have chosen a dress code, a group photo is a must. Opt for an asymmetrical group formation and ask your photographer to play with perspectives. Provide accessories for your guests, like branded glasses or straw hats, to create a cohesive and relaxed scene. Soap bubbles or smoke bombs are also interesting artistic accessories for original group photos. Finally, “surprise” poses break away from traditional static group photos, allowing for spontaneous guest reactions. To keep the wedding pace, limit the group photo session to a maximum of 15 minutes.

Creating an Unforgettable Wedding Photo Album

Photo Selection

Creating a successful wedding photo album requires careful selection and layout. Choose a variety of images in terms of colors, formats, and angles for a more dynamic result. Include some black-and-white photos for a vintage and poetic touch. Then, organize your photos to tell the story of your wedding day. Start with the preparation photos, then the ceremony entrance, couple photos, and finally the wedding dinner and celebrations. Don’t forget to include photos of your wedding design, from floral decorations to table plans, as they are part of your wedding theme! Ensure optimal print quality for a stunning result and better photo preservation.

Personalized Layout and Design

To make your wedding album a precious keepsake, pay attention to the layout. Use collages, montages, and dynamic layouts for visual interest. Use various fonts and text sizes while respecting the wedding theme. If you have a wedding logo, it has its place in your photo album! Play with photo arrangement and format for a more visual result. There are different photo album formats: classic album with glued photos on each page, photo book with photos printed directly in the booklet pages, or box album with framed photos individually placed in a memory box.

Last Wedding Photo Ideas: A Photo Book that Tells Your Story

Bring your photos to life with storytelling. Start your album with an introduction, perhaps illustrated by your wedding invitation, and a conclusion on the last page with an excerpt from your thank-you notes. Add quotes, captions, or personal comments to accompany the photo narrative, giving the album an emotional dimension. You can also sequence your album into chapters to distinguish key moments of the day, creating a continuous storyline throughout the pages. Enjoy reading the beautiful story of this unforgettable day together on your wedding anniversaries.