Your wedding day is going to go by fast. Like, really fast. You’ll be surrounded by all of your closest family and friends in one place and you’ll want to spend time with everyone.

Most timelines are packed full and don’t allow much space or breathing room. Portraits of the bride and groom can become an afterthought in the craziness of the day if things are running behind.

Romantic portraits of just the two deserve will be the images that you frame beside your bed, and they’ll also be the images that will fill your album for generations to enjoy.

These images are always my favorite not only because they show off the joy and happiness of the couple but because it is such a sweet part of the day.

For this part of your wedding day, you get to be alone with your groom.  You will have a chance to connect, flirt, kiss and cuddle before the craziness begins.

Here are some tips to get the most out of these portraits-

Do an adventure session- Most people haven’t had professional photos taken of them since their senior portraits and doing that hardly makes an expert. Treat your engagement photos as a trial run for your wedding photos.

You do a trial for your hair, make-up and the ceremony so why not for the photos too? It’s a chance to get comfortable being affectionate together in front of the camera. If you have a good connection with your photographer, they’ll put you at ease in front of the camera. Learn more about what makes Adventure Session so unique with Lumos Images here.

Speaking of feeling comfortable, a lot of people are nervous in front of the camera and that’s totally normal. You don’t know where to look or if your smile looks forced or where to put your hands. I know it’s tricky to do, but the best thing to do is to focus on your guy and pretend the camera isn’t there. You’ll stop worrying about how you look when you’re looking into the eyes of your favorite guy, and he is making you laugh.

Do a first look- It gives you so much extra time together on your wedding day. Couples who don’t do a first look spend about three fourths of their wedding day apart (unless you have a midday ceremony).

The best time for couple’s portraits is right after the first look. You can see each other, take in the awesomeness of being with your HUSBAND -woohoo!- and then get some great portraits when you’re at the height of your giddiness. When those portraits are done, you can grab the rest of your wedding party and family to get those shots taken care of. That way, after the ceremony you’ll be ready to party with all of your guests.

Sneak out for sunset shots- the time of day for these shots will vary depending on where you get married and the time of year. It might come right after your ceremony if you’re getting married later in the day in the fall. If you have a 3:00pm ceremony in the summer, this might be right after dinner or before your first dance.

Regardless, you’re going to want a few minutes out of your reception to go chase the perfect golden light. You’ll get a quiet moment with your groom. It’s moments like these when you can slow down for a minute to let the amazingness of the day soak in.  Obviously you worked hard to put together your reception so you want to enjoy it and you don’t want to be rude to your guests, but a good photographer will be able to capture a variety of shots in only 10 or 15 minutes and then you can get back to celebrating!

Do a day-after session- this is great for couples who are planning a lot of travel in their wedding day or who aren’t doing a first look and will have limited portrait time. It doesn’t technically have to be the day after (you’ll be exhausted!), but at some point after your wedding day, you can get all dressed up again and explore a new location for portraits. You’ll have the luxury of time, and the session will have a more relaxed vibe than your wedding day. You can time it so it’s during the best light of the day and pick a location that is significant to you that you wouldn’t be able to go to on your actual wedding day. Bonus points- if you have a furry friend who couldn’t be involved on your wedding day, this would be a great time to include them in some shots!

 

Want some help going through your wedding day timeline to see how to get the most out of your wedding photos? I help put together timelines for each Lumos COuple to make sure you get the most out of your day. Fill out the form below to get in touch. I’d love to buy you a drink and get to know you!