The following checklist is one for brides that worry there may be something they’re forgetting. You do not need to read over this checklist but it does have every possible photo combination we can think of.

*Many of these shots we assume you will want, we just want to be as organized as possible, and want to ensure we don’t miss anything, so we’ve created this list.

*We do not guarantee that we will get every shot for you that you request but we do promise that we will try our absolute best to ensure no shots are missed.

Girls – getting ready

The details *If you have a bag with all small details you’d like photographed prepared for photographer upon arrival, we would greatly appreciate that

  • Bridesmaid dresses
  • Flower girl dress
  • Wedding dress alone – front, back, and close up
    • *Photographer reminder, if you are moving the dress outside on a tree branch or to another location in or around the building, then be sure to tell the groom to stay in his room until instructed otherwise.
  • Wedding Dress…
    • In the middle of a line with bridesmaid dresses
    • With one bridesmaid dress
    • With all bridesmaid and flower girl dress(es)
    • With flower girl dress
    • With shoes underneath
    • With flowers underneath
    • With flowers and shoes underneath
  • Veil
  • Garter
  • Jewelry
  • Necklace
  • Earrings
  • Bracelet
  • Bridesmaid jewelry
  • Bridesmaid shoes
  • Bride’s bouquet
  • Bride and bridesmaids’ bouquets
  • Bridesmaids’ bouquet(s)
  • Flower girl’s flowers
  • Rings
  • Shoes
  • Dress
  • Hanger with bride’s name
  • Hanger(s) with bridesmaids’ names

*If you have specific items you’d like photographed with other items, please list. If not, we will use our artistic ability to select which items to put together. We will try our best to get shots of all details.

 

Did we miss anything? Is there anything old, new, borrowed, blue, sentimental etc.?

If there is any small detail(s) you’d like photographed with the items checked off above, please list here

 

Are you or the groom giving a gift that you’d like photographed as it’s opened?

 

  • Bride getting hair and makeup done or touching up if it is already done
  • Candid moments of bride with her bridesmaids
  • Bridesmaids’ hair/ makeup being touched up
  • Before the dress is on, would you like photos with the flower girl in your dress?
  • Flower girl looking up at your dress
  • Before your shoes are on, would you like photos of the flower girl in your shoes?
  • Flower girl looking up at your dress in your shoes
  • Flower girl looking up at your dress
  • Flower girl and/ or ring bearer under your dress peeking out when you have it on
  • Flower girl under your veil both sitting down smiling at each other
  • Bride getting dress on
  • Bride getting dress tied up in the back
  • First look with
    • Mom
    • Dad
  • Bridesmaids in a semi-circle looking at bride after she has dress on*Note to photographer: be sure you can see both the bride and the bridesmaids’ faces in at least one of the poses *Note to bride, you MUST tell us when you will be doing a first look prior so we can prepare.
  • Any other first looks?
  • Bride close up shot of smiling face after hair and make-up done
  • Bride individually with each bridesmaid – smiling
  • Bride individually with each bridesmaid – fun pose (whatever you’d like to do)
  • The bride with all the bridesmaids…
  • Before dresses are on
  • After dresses are on

 

  • Bride with…
    • Flower girl
    • Ring bearer
    • Mom
    • Dad
    • Mom and dad
    • Immediate family
    • Siblings
      • Smiling
      • Fun, candid (whatever they’d like to do)
    • Individually with each sibling
      • Smiling
      • Fun, candid (whatever they’d like to do)
    • Each bridesmaid alone – one fun/ one smiling
    • Candids with the bridesmaids – arms around each other, everyone looking at each other, from the back with arms around each other *Note to photographer – be sure arms are unformed – that they all have arms around back, not neck/ shoulders
  • A toast
  • A prayer
  • Close up of bride’s face then shot of bride further away after completely ready *Photographer note, clear area if necessary (pay attention to background).
  • Close up of…
    • Back of bride’s hair
    • Back of each bridesmaids’ hair

Is there any additional shots you’d like throughout getting ready with anyone or any pose or idea you’d like? If there is anything we missed during the bride’s getting ready phase, please list it here

 

 

Groom getting ready

  • Ring bearer pillow
  • Ties being tied (or recreate if already done)
  • Boutonnieres being placed on

Do you have a special person placing boutonnieres on? If so, please list…

If they’ve already placed them on prior to our arrival, would you like the moment recreated with that same person?

  • Groom individually with each groomsmen…
    • Smiling
    • Fun (whatever they’d like to do)
  • Groom with…
    • Dad
    • Mom
    • Mom and dad
    • Ring bearer
    • Flower girl
    • Flower girl and ring bearer
    • Siblings…
      • Smiling
      • Fun, candid (whatever they’d like to do)
    • Groom individually with each sibling…
      • Smiling
      • Fun, candid (whatever they’d like to do)
    • Groom with ushers
      • Smiling
      • Fun, more candid (whatever they’d like to do)
    • Groom individually with each usher
      • Smiling
      • Fun, more candid (whatever they’d like to do)
    • Groomsmen alone (one fun/ one smiling)
  • Candids of groom with groomsmen/ anyone who is in the room

Will we be doing groomsmen posed shots ahead of time?

If so, is 5-6 posed shots (a mix of traditional and creative) a good amount?

  • A toast
  • A prayer

Are there any other people, shots, or anything at all we missed during the guys getting ready photos that you’d like?

Will you be doing a first look? If you are, something like coming up behind the groom and putting your hands over groom’s eyes then telling him when he can turn to look at you is cute (we’ll tell him which way to turn as well to ensure we get his face at that exact moment when he’s seeing you for the first time). If you’re not doing a first look, will you be doing anything similar but not seeing each other? (For example, holding hands on either side of a door)

If you are doing a first look, would you like a few minutes alone after the photographer has taken photos of the first look?

*15 minutes prior to the ceremony we will speak with the officiant to introduce ourselves and be sure that we understand the rules.

We will then test our light and take guest shots as they are arriving/ posed shots in the pews (time permitting).

*If you would like the majority or all the getting ready shots listed and/ or additional shots then please have us arrive 90 minutes+ prior to the ceremony. Any people you want photos with during the getting ready phase of the day please tell them to be sure they’re around so we don’t have to find them when we have limited time.

Ceremony

  • The sanctuary before people arrive (if possible)
  • Any little special ceremony details (sand ceremony, aisle runner, bows on pews etc.)
  • Officiant walking down the aisle
  • Mother/ father of groom walking down the aisle
  • Mother walking down the aisle
  • Candles being lit by mothers/ parents
  • Grandparents walking down the aisle
  • Groom walking down the aisle
  • Wedding party walking down the aisle
  • Bride/ father walking down the aisle
  • Groom’s face the moment he sees his bride
  • Readings
  • Special music
  • Unity Candle or Sand Ceremony
  • Vows exchanged
  • Rings exchanged
  • First kiss
  • Recessional
  • Bride/ groom and wedding party walking out
  • Parents/ grandparents walking out

Is there anything else we should know about or you’d like photographed during the ceremony? If so, please list here________________

*If you dismiss the pews or have a receiving line, we will be sure to photograph that for you.

 

 

Immediate shots (mostly family) after ceremony

  • Bride/ groom with officiant
  • Bride with officiant
  • Groom with officiant
  • Bride with flower girl
  • Bride with ring bearer
  • If more than one flower girl or ring bearer would you like photos individually then as a group?
    • Yes
    • No
  • Bride with flower girl and ring bearer
  • Bride/ groom with flower girl
  • Bride/ groom with ring bearer
  • If more than one flower girl or ring bearer would you like photos individually then as a group?
    • Yes
    • No
  • Bride/ groom with ring bearer(s) and flower girl(s)
  • Bride with grandparents
  • Bride individually with each grandparent
  • Bride/ groom with bride’s grandparents
  • Bride/ groom with each of bride’s grandparents individually
  • Bride/ groom individually with each of groom’s grandparents individually
  • Bride/ groom with all grandparents on both sides
  • Bride with immediate family plus grandparents
  • Groom with immediate family plus grandparents
  • Large family group shot (aunts, uncles, immediate family, grandparents etc.) bride’s side
  • Large family group shot (aunts, uncles, immediate family, grandparents etc.) groom’s side
  • Large family bride and groom side together
  • Wedding party with everyone – ringbearer(s), flower girl(s), ushers (2 poses)
  • Wedding party with ushers (2 poses)
  • Bride with parents
  • Bride with mom
  • Bride with dad
  • Bride with immediate family
  • Bride with siblings
  • Bride individually with each sibling
  • Bride/ groom with bride’s mom
  • Bride/ groom with bride’s dad
  • Groom with grandparents
  • Groom individually with each grandparent
  • Bride/ groom with groom’s grandparents
  • Groom with parents
  • Groom with his mom
  • Groom with his dad
  • Groom with immediate family
  • In groom’s shot of immediate family, would you like it with significant others of siblings?
    • Yes
    • No
    • Or… Yes, but only if they’re married to my siblings
  • Groom with siblings
  • Bride/ groom with immediate family
  • With significant others of groom’s siblings
  • With groom’s siblings’ significant others but only if they’re married
  • Bride/ groom with groom’s siblings
  • Bride/ groom individually with each sibling
  • Wedding party – a few traditional church poses (with and without ushers and ring bearer/ flower girl)
  • Bride/ groom – a few traditional church poses
  • Bridesmaid – a couple traditional church poses
  • Groomsmen (with and without ushers) – a couple traditional church poses
  • Bride alone

*Please list if either of you have a stepparent and how you’d like them included (or not included) in the photos.

Sometimes brides will request to be photographed alone with each member of groom’s family or a number of other photo combinations. Be sure to list any and all you’d like.

 
 

On location

  • 5-6 groomsmen poses
  • 5-6 bridesmaid poses
  • 7-8 wedding party poses

Would you like more or less of any of these poses? If so, please list your preference here…

  • All with immediate wedding party
  • All including ushers
  • 50% including ushers
  • Will the ring bearer and flower girl come to the outdoor location for photos? If so, would you like them in 50% of the photos?
    • Yes
    • No, I don’t want them in any
    • No, I want them in all of them
  • Bride alone – 2 poses
  • Groom alone – hands in pockets
  • Groom with each groomsmen
    • Smiling
    • Fun, more candid
  • Bride with each bridesmaid
    • Smiling
    • Fun, more candid
  • Each member of wedding party with their significant other
  • Each member of wedding party with their significant other plus bride and/ or groom
  • Ring shots 2-3
  • Bride/groom 25-30 poses

Would you like more or less bride/ groom poses? If so, please list your preference here…

The next shots are less common – would you like to skip the rest of the shots listed below? If yes, skip to Party Bus/ Limo and state yes here. If no, please select your shots you’d like as well as your must-have shots.

  • Each bridesmaid alone
    • Smiling
    • Fun, more candid
  • Each groomsmen alone
    • Smiling
    • Fun, more candid
  • Bride with each groomsmen
    • Smiling
    • Fun, more candid
  • Bride with each usher
    • Smiling
    • Fun, more candid
  • Bride with all groomsmen
    • Smiling
    • Fun, more candid
  • Bride/groom with each groomsmen
    • Smiling
    • Fun, more candid
  • Bride with all ushers
    • Smiling
    • Fun, more candid
  • Bride/ groom with each usher
    • Smiling
    • Fun, more candid
  • Bride with ushers and groomsmen
    • Smiling
    • Fun, more candid
  • Bride/groom with groomsmen and ushers
    • Smiling
    • Fun, more candid
  • Bride/groom with groomsmen
    • Smiling
    • Fun, more candid
  • Bride/ groom with ushers
    • Smiling
    • Fun, more candid
  • Each wedding party couple photographed individually
  • Bride/groom with best man and maid of honor

 

Will you have a photographer on a party bus or would you like these shots gotten before you leave? If no, please skip the next shots

 

Party Bus/ Limo

  • Toast
  • Bride/ groom posing
  • Bride/ groom fun shot
  • Bride/ groom kissing
  • Everyone doing a shot
  • Candids of everyone
  • People getting on and off the party bus

Will you be going to a bar? If no, please skip the next shots.

 

Bar shots

  • Toasting just the bridesmaids on bar stools
  • From front…
    • Looking at each other smiling
    • Looking at photographer
  • From back…
    • Looking at each other smiling
    • Putting shot in air
    • Doing shot
  • Groomsmen toasting in a circle
  • On a chair from above…
    • Looking at each other smiling
    • Looking at photographer
  • From under (photographer laying on ground while wedding party looks at each other then looks at photographer)

All wedding party doing a toast (from above is best unless it’s a small group then below is optional). If you’d like the wedding party shot from below please list:

 

 

Reception

  • All details (reception – room as a whole, guest book, gift table, takeaways for guests, tables/ centerpiece(s), cake, head table etc.) *Please note, all details will be photographed on the table as a whole and then each detail individually.
  • If there’s a sunset, would you like to leave your reception for 10 minutes for bride groom shots time permitting?
    • Yes
    • No
  • Would you like to bring the wedding party or anyone else with to get posed sunset shots with them as well?
    • Yes
    • No

*If you’d like someone else with, please list.

  • Bustling of the dress

 

Events

  • Grand March
  • Prayer
  • Table Shots of guests posed
  • Will you be doing a speed song where you quickly go around (in one song) and pose with each table?
  • Speeches
    • Best Man
    • Maid of Honor
    • Groom
    • Bride
    • Bride and Groom together
    • Father of the groom
    • Father of the bride
    • Other speeches, please specify here:
  • Cutting of the Cake
  • First dances
    • Bride/groom
    • Father/daughter
    • Mother/son

If other first dances, please specify here:

  • Garter toss
  • Bouquet toss
  • Dollar dance
  • Shoe game
  • Generation dance
  • Candids of you with guests
  • Posed shots of you with guests
  • Candids of your guests
  • Dancing

Is there any other events that we missed or anything special that we should know about? (For example, will you be having something during dinner in exchange for the clanging of glasses like a game or something else?)

Is there any specific friends, aunts, uncles, godparents etc. that you’d like a photo with? If so, please list specific names and if you’d like it individual, group, with your significant other etc. – basically, exactly who you want in the photo(s)

Is there anything/ anyone/ any groups we missed?