Wedding Photo Checklist

Checklists

Here is a list of possible wedding photos for your Big Day…

At the start of the day – bridal preparations

  • Bride and bridesmaids dresses and shoes shots – details and whole
  • Putting on makeup
  • Getting hair done
  • Getting dressed – buttoned, laced, putting shoes on
  • Details of jewellery, hair, veil, bouquet
  • Bride with bridesmaids
  • Bride with mum
  • Dad’s first look at bride
  • Bridal portraits – face, dress, window, waiting, smiling, smelling flowers
  • Bridal party leaving the house, getting into car
  • Bride with dad in the car
  • Bridal party arriving at the ceremony venue

 

If there is a second photographer – the groom’s preparations

  • Getting dressed
  • Details of cufflinks, cravat/boutonniere/funny socks?
  • Wedding rings
  • Groom with groomsmen
  • Groom with father/mother
  • Groom with best man
  • Optional portraits

 

At the ceremony venue

  • Groom with groomsmen, outside/inside
  • Guests arriving, waiting
  • Groom waiting at top of the aisle
  • Bride at bottom of aisle with father
  • Bridesmaids walking
  • Bride walking with father towards the groom
  • Bride and groom first look
  • Bride and groom looking at each other during ceremony
  • Both sets of parents watching the ceremony
  • Guests watching the ceremony
  • Taking the vows
  • Ring exchange
  • First kiss
  • Walk down the aisle
  • Signing of the register + official portraits with witnesses
  • Confetti shower – this can also happen on arrival at the reception venue
  • Mingling with guests and congratulations
  • Traditional photos with family and guests  – these include bride and groom with both sets of families, bridal party, groomsmen, other family members, and often a shot of the couple with all the guests together, space permitting – this can also be done at the reception venue
  • Depending on the agreement between the newlyweds and the photographer, the couple photos may now be taken – these are the photos of the bride and groom alone in various locations. The photographer will very likely know the best places, so he/she may suggest taking these photos in the vicinity of the ceremony venue, or at the reception venue, or even both.

 

At the reception venue

  • Reception  – if possible, the empty reception room in all its glory, details of table plan, tables, décor, favours, centrepieces, cake, anything DIY (the couple should tell the photographer if there are some particular things they’d like to have photographed)
  • Guests arriving at the reception venue
  • Couple arriving at the reception venue
  • Receiving line – this is also optional at the end of the ceremony
  • Couple and guests mingling, sitting down for speeches
  • Father of the bride speech
  • The groom’s speech
  • The bride’s speech – there is no rule for the bride’s speech or when it could be given, it’s the bride’s own choice
  • The best man’s speech
  • Guests listening/laughing – some photographers will take shots of each table separately, so the couple will have at least one picture of each attending guest
  • Cake cutting – the cutting of the cake may happen at various times at the reception
  • Food being served – with pictures of food if the couple wish
  • Bride throwing bouquet/garter – optional
  • First dance
  • Bride’s dance with father
  • Groom’s dance with mother
  • Guests dancing
  • Band/DJ
  • Any evening festivities – i.e. fireworks

Image by Andrew O’Dwyer Photography