Your wedding day is a milestone event that brings together a bunch of your special people, celebrates the love you share with your favourite, and is the result of months of planning and creative input. Recording the key moments of your wedding day in a creative way is the great honour of your photographer and videographer but it’s a good idea for you to share your wish list with them before the wedding so that they can make sure they include the shots that are most important to you. We chatted to local KZN Photographer, Bailee Guy, to get her input about some of the must-have photos for your wedding album. Read her suggestions to make sure that you get a wedding album to remember all the best parts of your day!
Here is Bailee’s pick of 8 wedding album photos that should be on your photo checklist:
- Bridal portrait
A bride is always at her most radiant on her wedding day, which is why we encourage you to relish this special time in front of the camera. Document all the details of your special glow on your happy day. Your hair and make-up, your dress, your shoes, your nails, your jewellery, your tattoos… all of it! Every bride is beautiful in their own unique way. Give yourself the gift of truly owning this moment in time and let your photographer capture your true essence and all your loveliness.
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- Creative shoot
Bailee challenges herself to capture a signature shot that is unique to every couple. This photo is taken during the creative shoot after the ceremony and usually takes place in a natural environment that represents the couple and the venue they have chosen.
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- Documentary style
These are the real and authentic moments that make up your wedding day. You won’t find any posed shots or cheese here. Just raw, unbridled emotions and ordinary interactions between you as a couple and your guests. These warm and engaging shots bring all the feelings of your day roaring back.
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- First looks
Tradition dictates that the groom sees his bride for the first time when she walks down the aisle but many couples these days are opting for a sneaky little moment together in a private spot before the wedding ceremony, which of course provides some wonderfully intimate and emotional photo opportunities. Irrespective of whether you are a fan of this new ‘first look’ trend or whether you would prefer for your partner to only see you as you start your walk down the aisle, there is a moment in every wedding when you look at each other for the first time in your full bridal attire and you feel the magnitude of what you are about to enter into – a lifetime partnership with your beloved one. That moment right there is definitely one to document! Then, of course, there are also the first looks of the mother/father of the bride, or the expression on your bridesmaids’ faces at the moment of the ‘big reveal’.
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- The Newly Weds
The pictures of you and your other half just after you have been pronounced husband and wife are often the happiest shots in your wedding album. You will want you photographer to capture this sense of jubilation and celebration – which, for many, has been intensified as a result of numerous lockdown postponements. We say ‘yes’ to happy shots like these!
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- Landscape
Some photos just feel epic. The composition, the lighting, the mood all come together to create a landscape photo that perfectly captures the setting of your wedding. Often referred to as the ‘money shot’, you will definitely want your photographer to capture at least one of these.
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- Ring-a-ding-ding
Your wedding rings are a timeless symbol of your devotion for one another, and you are likely to have invested a lot of thought (and money) in choosing – and possibly even designing – them. Challenge your photographer to think of a unique and personal way to document your rings on the day. We just love a gorgeous ring shot!
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- Veils
Your wedding day is possibly the only day in your life that you will wear a veil and no matter what length or style you choose, a veil adds romance and style to your outfit in bucket loads. Your veil can also be used as a ‘prop’ during your couple shoot to add softness, drama, and a sense of intimacy or whimsy. Bailee loves getting creative with her veil shots – take a look at some of her faves and decide what sort of veil shot you would like to include in your album.
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Of course, your complete photo checklist will be a lot longer than these 8 suggestions but we hope that this article gets you thinking about the essentials in your wedding album so that it becomes a treasured keepsake of your most epic day.
Article by Jacqui Cochran
Marriage Meander
With thanks to Bailee Guy for the lovely insights
