Wedding Photography Checklist
Yesterday I talked about a wedding planning timeline to keep you organized and on track. Today I’d like to talk about another list that may help you capture lasting memories of your wedding day – the wedding photography checklist.
Long after the wedding is over you will be able to relive that day, over and over, by having a professional photographer capture moments that may have faded with time. Don’t cut corners when it comes to documenting one of your life’s most precious days. Check out the following list and go over it with your photographer. You don’t want to miss any special moment or person. Some of these may seem obvious but you would be amazed in all the excitement of the day that one could be overlooked. A competent photographer will have your list with him on that day so nothing gets overlooked.
Portraits
- Bride, full length
- Wedding portrait of bride and groom
- Bride with her parents
- Bride with mother
- Bride with father
- Bride with grandparents
- Bride with sister(s) and brother(s)
- Bride with maid of honor
- Bride with Bridesmaids
- Bride with ring bearer and flower girl
- Groom, full length
- Groom with parents
- Groom with Father
- Groom with Mother
- Groom with grandparents
- Groom with sister(s) and brother(s)
- Groom with best man
- Groom with groomsmen
At The Ceremony
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Parents being escorted to their seats
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Groom coming down the aisle (parents may escort him)
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Bridesmaids coming down the aisle
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Flower girl and ring bearer coming down the aisle
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Bride coming down the aisle (both parents maybe escorts)
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Bride’s father giving her hand to groom
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Wedding vows
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Ring exchange
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Bride and Groom together (formal)
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Bride and Groom exiting
At The Reception
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Receiving line (greeting the guests)
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Entire room
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Buffet table
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Cake table
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Ice sculpture
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Guest book and gift table
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Table decorations
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First Dance
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Guests dancing
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Best Man toasting the couple
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Bride and Groom toasting each other
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Bride and Groom cutting the cake and feeding each other
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Bride tossing the Bouquet
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Groom removing the garter and tossing
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Bride and Groom with special people in their lives
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Newlyweds getting into the limo (leaving reception)
These are some of the must have photos. Some other ideas are having a friend (not the professional photographer), who is good with a camera, shoot photos of each of the guests at your receiving line. Why? It might be fun to have a separate photo album of all those that attended your special day. The fun thing about this is you never know when one of these special people in your life will leave this world.
Before I go I’d like to talk a little about the photographer you hire. First shop around unless you know someone who has shot previous weddings and they come highly recommended by someone you know and trust. Know if they are credible. Ask to see their work ahead of time so you know for yourself.
Some questions to ask or know about a photographer:
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Will the one you are meeting with be the one at the wedding
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Is the person showing you albums the one who will shoot
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Does the photographer have back up cameras just in case
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What is the price/how do you charge? What does this pricing include?
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What about proofs?
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Are their any restrictions?
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Will the photographer have your checklist along that day
As with anything else, for your wedding, get a contract. All the details need to be in writing. It will save you time in the end if situations arise. This is not the time for amatures so choose wisely and you will have memories to cherish forever.
Comments are always welcome.
Uncategorized | Vicki Hasemann | September 20, 2009
It is the most annoying thing that happens that day and one of the most important long-term things.
Seize the Day,
Rob
Emergency Preparedness For the 21st Century Family
Your info is so comprehensive that you can create a List of Wedding List!
Numerology Expert Helps Understanding Personality for Better Influence & Persuasion</a
Wow, nice check list. You are really putting in the work with this.
Thanks,
James
BusinessAndMarketingMakeover.com/blog
How about the bride getting ready. That seems to a popular choice as well. It can be such an intimate moment – soft focus.
Pushing companies from good to great, Kate
Great checklist. I don’t think I could handle that many shots . . . but then again I am more likely to grab my priest when that day comes and do the wedding in 2 weeks or less. Too much life to live!
Finding the health formula, Katie
Great photography checklist. I think photos from one’s wedding, as well as from ALL specials events are must haves. Even photos from some of the “regular” times in life are nice to look back on.
Health, Fitness for Working People — Darryl Pace
Once again your professionalism shines. Great checklist. As for me I hated the picture part of the wedding, even though I know the importance of it.
Robert Martin
http://www.carbuyinghq.com
Your site is worth thousands, of dollars, hours, and warm memories.
Your site is worth thousands, of dollars = encouraging
hours = blood sweat big time
and warm memories = that is a warm fuzzy
My Dad used to photograph weddings as a second job on the weekends. To this day I love to look at different shots of weddings – I’m such a girl.
Keri Eagan
Anything Alternative
Hi Vicki,
great to build a check list to remind yourself and your professional photographer on your special day of the photos you most certainly want on your wedding day.
Happy Dating and Relationships,
April Braswell
Single Baby Boomer Dating Success Expert
As much as the thought of these things makes my head spin, all the more reason for a checklist. When you are in the moment, enjoying your day, anything to make it less stressful is great and you don’t have to regret missing the shots you wanted for the album.
This is good info for anyone planning a wedding.
Jen B
The Harwood Center – Tinnitus, Chronic Illness, Fears, and Anxiety
We had family pictures taken back in 2000. I’m talking the parents, sisters/brothers/outlaws/grandkids (each individual family)the whole ball of wax. It took forever. One picture of the immediate family (parents brothers and sisters) never got taken. My brother is gone now and I always look back that we didn’t sit down and make a list.
Vicki http://www.bridalthreads.com
These are some great suggestions. It really is important to capture all the pictures you’ll want because you only get that one shot. Nothing guarantees that this will get done more than having a checklist.
Steve Chambers
Business to Business Sales Training Expert
Great post.
Also…make sure the guests have enough available to drink whilst all the photographs are being taken – don’t underestimate the time it takes – especially if you have a perfectionist photographer.
http://www.martin-wright.com
Good checklist!
Greg Dougall, http://www.gregdougall.com
This is EXCELLENT! I’ve never heard this suggested before, but it is a fabulous idea. I thought immediately of my oldest sister’s wedding. My grandmother kept telling the photographer that she was the bride’s grandmother and he kept sort of brushing her off. There ended up being no formal picture of her at my sister’s wedding at all! There was one snapshot that someone had taken of her and that was it. It was very sad.
Lisa McLellan
Babysitting Services – Babysitters and Nannies
Yes that happened to us too when we had family pictures taken. Now one member is gone and I regreat not having a list.
Vicki http://www.bridalthreadshq.com
Planning with a photographer on capturing precious moments is probably over looked. From what I’ve seen people just tell the photographer to take pictures.
Jose Escalante
http://www.JoseEscalante.com