If you’re reading this you either know someone preparing to get married or you yourself are trying to make your big day a little smoother. As a wedding photographer in Seattle I’ve photographed my fair share of weddings at many different venues both indoor and outdoor. Some of these tips might not apply to you but here are my top 10 wedding day tips to get the best photos. If you know a couple getting married would you mind sharing this post with them?

So here they are:

10 Wedding Day Photo Tips

1. Unplugged Wedding

I can’t stress enough how amazing a wedding day can be when everyone is actively engaged during a wedding ceremony. You spent countless hours picking the right details for your wedding, your colors, flowers, wedding venue. You invite all of your family and friends to your beautiful wedding. You’re up at the front and look out to the wedding guests and what do you see……guests staring at their phones taking pictures or videos.
But how do you get people to be an attentive guest of the ceremony and not glued to their iPhone photos?
First you can have your wedding officiant share a quick announcement even before anyone walks down the aisle. Something like, “Mary and Scott are celebrating their wedding today with all of their friends and family and would like you each to be present. Please refrain from using your cell phones as they have hired a professional photographer to capture the ceremony.”
Second, you can make a sign that reminds people it’s an “Unplugged Wedding Ceremony” See the pic below from a Seattle backyard wedding!
People not taking photos with their phones during the ceremony leads to cleaner ceremony photos and also eliminates the possibility of someone stepping into the aisle and blocking the photographers from getting those important shots you paid them to take.

Backyard wedding photography COVID confetti

2. Look at each other not the officiant

You love each other so much and are enjoying your day so far. You get up to the front of your ceremony and are so nervous. During your wedding ceremony there are many times you will either face each other or the officiant. When you face each other I always tell my wedding couples to look at each other and not the wedding officiant. Much of a wedding ceremony has the officiant talking while everyone listens. Most people when they are paying attention to someone talking they naturally look at them. So peoples tendency is to look at the officiant.
How many couples look back at their wedding photos and say, “awe babe I love how you’re looking lovingly at the officiant”. haha No, you want those looks at one another. So listen to the officiant…..and look at each other!

3. Officiant…move bleep get out the way!

Anyone know that Ludacris song I’m referring to? HAHA
Everyone loves that first kiss. It’s the first time as a married couple you are able to share that special moment with the love of your life. What better way to remember it than to have your officiant photo bombing your first kiss. When you meet to talk with your officiant ask them if they can announce you as a newly married couple off to the side so they are not in the background of this important moment of your life. Check out this photo below of the first kiss at a wedding at the Golf Club at Newcastle…..notice no officiant. Boom! Beautiful clean background! Print that pic and get it on the wall!

4. Take your time! Enjoy that first kiss!

I’ve photographed a lot of weddings…..a lot. Not once have I ever missed a first kiss photo. Catholic weddings sometimes can be tricky and there isn’t much warning when the priest will ask you to kiss.
But when it is time to kiss……enjoy the moment….I always recommend a 5 second first kiss. This also gives the photographer time to get several different shots. I like to shoot one wide and one a little tighter.

5. Family Photo Drill Sergeant

I always tell my couples that family photos are photos that everyone wants, but no one wants to do. I am very aware how important family photos are and I have received many emails from former brides saying how the picture I took of their grandma was the last good photo of her however wrangling all of those family members in and out of photos can take some time and patience. When I do family photos at a wedding most times I don’t know who Uncle Bob is versus Uncle Mark. I always recommend having one family member per side that can help with yelling out family names of who’s supposed to be in the next photo. YOU’RE UP UNCLE BOB! So pick a family member that knows everyone in the family and can help direct people.

6. Confirm when hair and makeup will be done

Wedding timelines are so important. They are important to keep the day moving smoothly and make sure nothing gets missed or rushed. Wedding timelines are not perfect…..things get off sometimes for things that are outside of your control. The one part of the timeline I see things getting off the most are hair stylists and makeup artists going over the time they said they’d be done. I get it…..they want your hair and makeup to be perfect. As a Seattle wedding photographer there are lots of amazing hair and makeup artists I know that do great with this.
If hair and makeup go too long the only things to rush or cut short are some of the most important parts of your day….your wedding photos.
One wedding I can remember where the hair and makeup went 45 min longer than originally planned. As a wedding photographer I can try to gently remind everyone of the timeline but I can’t stop hair and makeup until it’s done. We ended up with only 10 min for portraits of the bride and groom. So I always recommend talking to your hair and makeup artist to confirm the time you’ll be done and make sure it fits within your wedding timeline.

7. On Rainy Wedding Days Bring an Umbrella, but Not Any Umbrella Will Work

Being a wedding photographer in Seattle I have had my fair share of weddings with rain. It happens unfortunately and unlike family photos or high school senior photos we can’t reschedule your wedding. If you think your wedding is going to have any kind of weather I always recommend bringing an umbrella or two. Not any umbrella will do though. For wedding photos in the PNW I always recommend either completely white or completely see through. White will always bounce bright white light back onto your faces and clear will obviously let all the light through. Leave your logo umbrella at home! And definitely don’t bring that black umbrella…..unless you want your photos under the umbrella to look like you’re in a dark cave.

8. A First Look is a MUST

Most weddings I shoot have a first look before the ceremony but if you’re still considering skipping the first look and seeing each other for the first time when you walk down the aisle…..stop! Don’t do it! Doing a first look can still be intimate and special. I always try to have the bride and groom in a location where it’s just the two of them. The look on couples’ faces are priceless. So much joy in seeing your bride for the first time in her dress. Doing a first look allows us to take photos of the two of you and your bridal party before the ceremony. It also allows us to do family photos. Most couples after a ceremony are ready to party and let loose a little. So do a first look……you won’t lose out on those feelings if it’s done right. Then when it’s time for the reception you can let down your hair, bustle up that dress and have some fun!

9. Clean up that getting ready location!

Some venues have small getting rooms which many times can quickly become cluttered with bags, makeup, finger foods and other misc items. I remind all of my couples that whatever is in the room might be in the background of their photos. I do my best to shoot at angles that eliminate clutter in the background but many times I can’t avoid that Subway wrapper with the half eaten sub. So try to keep the getting room clean for clean wedding photos!

10. Grooms Get rid of the Bulge

Grooms and groomsmen are usually wearing pants and throw that brand new iPhone MAX in their pocket and BOOM you’ve got the BULGE…..the dreaded cell phone bulge. No one wants to see a cell phone bulge in their photos. When talking to your groomsmen kindly ask them to either put their phone in their breast pocket of their jacket (if wearing one) or back pocket of their pants.

groomsmen wedding photography at Golf Club at Newcastle

BONUS TIP

11. Lie to Your Family About Start Time for Family Photos

Ok so I’m not a big fan of lying to people but when it comes to family photos during a wedding you wanna make sure everyone is there. When we work through your timeline for your big day I always like to decide on a time for family photos (let’s say 2pm for this example) and have the couple tell their family that photos are 1/2 hour earlier (tell them 1:30pm). Many family members haven’t seen each other in a long time so they aren’t going to stand around asking, “hey I thought family photos were supposed to happen right now?” No, they are going to mingle and enjoy each others company. Telling family members photos are 1/2 hour earlier than when they actually are supposed to happen ensures that any family stragglers or family stuck in traffic will be there. Definitely don’t wanna miss anyone!

Hope these 11 tips can help out future couples with their wedding planning! As a Seattle wedding photographer I always want to provide the best photos possible to my couples and these are a few things I do to make sure we get them!