Amazing wedding photos start with you! You get to set the stage and determine the tone of your images. You get to decide how you want you photos to feel. Do you want a timeless feel? How about super trendy? Maybe you want pops of color everywhere and bold statement pieces in the background. This is where you get to be as creative as you want.
No matter what style you choose for your wedding, there are some key things that will help your photos look even more amazing. So let’s take a look at some of those.
Have FUN!
One of the best ways to have absolutely amazing photos is to have a ton of fun. You’ll be smiling, laughing and having a blast. Natural smiles make for the BEST pictures and when you are having fun, natural smiles are abundant. Your happiness will also rub off on your wedding party, so they’ll look great too!
If your significant other can get a little stiff with pictures (we all can sometimes), make a mental note of some things that make him or her smile. Your photographer will probably have some tricks to get natural smiles from you both, but making each other laugh on your own is way better.
Even Numbers
Having even numbers in the wedding party helps your formal wedding party pictures look great. Human eyes like symmetry. We like things that look balanced. This isn’t so noticeable when the entire wedding party is in the pictures, but when it’s just the bride with her girls, having three on one side and three on the other looks better than having three on the left and just two on the right. Our eye is naturally drawn to the center of the image (or the most important part, which is the bride in this case) and if the bright white dress is not on the center, our brain tells us that something is a little off. So keep your wedding party to even numbers for both the bridesmaids and the groomsmen.
Balance the Wedding Party
This one is long the same lines as the last one, but having the same number of bridesmaids and groomsmen helps tremendously. Have you ever seen wedding photos where there are three more bridesmaids than groomsmen? It can totally work and it does! But when it comes time for pictures, where to place those extra bridesmaids can become tricky. Some people will be matched in pairs while others will need to be trios to make sure there isn’t a group of three bridesmaids standing alone while everyone else is paired up.
Drink a little…
…but not too much! I get it. A drink or two can really help you relax and enjoy your day. Wedding days can be stressful with so much going on, but try to not get carried away with the alcohol. This includes the night before the wedding. Hung over wedding parties are not always very happy and heavily intoxicated ones are worse. With the celebration of the day usually comes lots of alcohol which can lead to a drunk wedding party when it comes time for photos. This is not the best idea for photos that will last a lifetime. So take it easy on the alcohol and everyone will be happy, alert and ready for great photos.
Eat!
Most couples are so busy on their wedding day that they forget to eat and drink plenty of water. Food and water really make all the difference in the world to your photos. Plus, if you eat, you can drink a little more, right? No one wants to be hangry at their own wedding, but forgetting to eat can quickly lead to that. You want to look happy and totally in love with the person you are marrying, so make sure a little hunger doesn’t make you want to end your picture time early.
A good way to be sure you eat after the ceremony is to request that catering company send someone over to you with a few appetizers from the cocktail hour. Your guests will be busy eating and drinking while you get your pictures done, so having a little snack to hold you over is a great way to keep those smiles and happy “just married” energy for your photos. The pictures after the ceremony and at sunset are the ones that you will be hanging on your walls.
Enjoy
There really is no right or wrong way to style your wedding and no matter what you end up deciding on, your pictures will be gorgeous. Your wedding will be one of a kind and you and your guests will enjoy the wedding immensely. This is the best day of your life and you get to spend the rest of your days with the person you love most in this world. There’s no way to do that wrong! So enjoy your day and do it your way. Your wedding photographer will be there every step of the way to capture the big moments you expect and the small moments you didn’t even realize were happening.
