At the end of the day, your wedding shot list should include all the pictures that you & your partner deem memorable & important to have.
You’ve booked your venue and the wedding planning is in full swing. Yay! Now it’s time to meet with your photographer and create a shot list of your must-have wedding photos. Of course, you want pictures with family, but you can’t forget about the details and candid moments. We talked to MVPHOTOS about what pictures to prioritize on your wedding day.
1. Sentimental Specifics
“When I have my couples start brainstorming ideas for specific shots to add on their list I always ask them to include shots of items that are special to them,” suggests Madalyn Vermeer of MVPHOTOS. These items could include “grandma’s borrowed bracelet, a unique pair of shoes, a special gift from the groom, etc.”
2. The First Look
Modern couples are opting to share a private first look prior to walking down the aisle. This allows for a personal moment with priceless reactions that you should definitely add to your must-have wedding photos list. “I always HIGHLY suggest first look pictures. If you’re unfamiliar with what a first look is, it’s when the bride and groom get to see each other for the first time before the ceremony starts,” Vermeer describes. “Every time I photograph this specific moment on a wedding day, the photos always turn out so intimate and emotional.”
3. The “Celebration Tunnel”
“I always like to have my couples include some ‘out of the norm‘ shots such as a fun ‘celebration tunnel’ with the wedding party or a champagne pop or toast where the champagne sprays everywhere!” Vermeer encourages couples to think outside of the box as they always lead to some fun shots.
4. The Little Things
Vermeer says that if you don’t make time to capture the little things, you may regret it. “After photographing over 50 + weddings, I’ve come to find that my couples deeply regret when they look past having detailed shots of all their special elements captured in an eye-catching and memorable way.” You’ve spent so much time putting everything together, so let these details shine! “There’s something unbelievably sentimental about being able to look back on your wedding dress hanging somewhere pretty, your invites all laid out, your rings you spent hours looking for, decor, flowers, etc.”
“There’s something unbelievably sentimental about being able to look back on your wedding dress hanging somewhere pretty.”
See how MVPHOTOS captures all the details in this beautiful destination wedding in Punta Cana.
5. Immediate Family – Only!
Without a doubt, family photos can be one of the most stressful parts of the wedding day — but it doesn’t have to be! “When chatting about the specifics of family photos on a wedding day I always ask my couples to try & limit family photos to immediate family only unless either the bride or groom are specifically close to an extended family member.” If you don’t, you may spend too much time on these pictures and miss all those wonderful detail shots and candid moments later.
But if you DO want to include a family photo on your must-have wedding photos list, MVPHOTOS suggests doing just ONE large group shot immediately following the ceremony. This way, you won’t spend time trying to gather everyone once they’re disbursed during cocktail hour.
6. Candid Moments
Some of the absolute best shots from weddings are ones you may not exactly put on your list but are so worth having. Allow your photographer to tap into their inner artist and get creative by capturing sincere and intimate moments. These are the pictures that turn out to truly say 1000 words.
7. The Photos YOU Want
“At the end of the day, your wedding shot list should include all the pictures that you & your partner deem memorable and important to have,” Madalyn says. She suggests making a date night out of creating your shot list of must-have wedding photos. “Research and brainstorm unique & different picture ideas that you’d love to look back on in your gallery.”
Wedding Guys Wisdom: Our Pinterest page has 90+ boards with everything from floral to decor and wedding services to spark your imagination!
All images courtesy of MVPHOTOS
