How to get the very best photos of your wedding

On the day of your wedding, you will not have time to think about your wedding pictures. Unless you have hired a professional photographer to handle ALL of your wedding photos, you need to plan ahead.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• a list of ALL the pictures YOU want taken
• someone to take candid shots before and after the wedding
• a time frame for the still photographs to be taken

1. Sit down about a week before your wedding and MAKE A LIST of all of the combinations of people you want pictures of. For example: before wedding; bride with all attendants; bride and mother; bride and flower girl, etc. There will not be enough time after the wedding to take all of the pictures! If any pictures can be taken before the wedding, arrange for them beforehand.

2. Go over this list with the person who will be taking your pictures as soon as possible so they can look over it and ask any questions they may have. Most anyone who has taken wedding pictures before will have questions about your picture wishes. Also, give a copy to your wedding planner so that they are aware of your wishes.

3. Give copies to everyone in the wedding and the people who you think will want copies of the pictures of the wedding so everyone will have a chance to make requests BEFORE wedding day.

Tips & Warnings

• Ask your grandparents and close friends if they have any special picture requests so you can make arrangements.
• Have another person, if necessary, to take candid shots during the whole wedding process to add to your wedding album.
• The groom and the male attendants can more easily have pictures taken before the wedding since men do not take as long to get dressed. They can be asked to arrive 15 minutes early and to expect to be photographed soon after arriving.
• The bride and her attendants should be next and yes, before the wedding! The groom can step out of the room for about 20 minutes so he doesn't see the bride. The male attendants can be photographed with the bride before the wedding if time permits....just not the groom!
• Any pictures taken before the wedding will be a blessing for everyone involved. After the wedding, everyone wants to eat and see the new Mr. & Mrs. dance, cut the cake, and throw the bouquet and garter. No one wants to wait around for pictures even though they will all want a copy!
• Be prepared for complaints and extra picture requests.
• Be polite but firm about sticking to your list since everyone knew in advance what the picture schedule was.