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Sara's Wedding Checklist

Exterior Shot of Venue

  • Empty shot of location Bride/Groom are getting ready
  • Ceremony Venue
  • Reception Venue (Can be the sign out front if not ideal)

Details/Setting Shots

  • Photogenic details of the scenery/architecture/clouds/greenery
  • Shots of details not planned by the couple/wedding team but are a part of the permanent setting (should not include people)

Ceremony Details

  • Wide shot of the ceremony location (vertical & horizontal)

  • Close up of details of the ceremony (floral arrangements, communion setup, etc)

  • Aisle florals or entry decor (signs, runners, program display, etc)

Reception Details

  • Big room shot (vertical & horizontal)

  • Shots of all different styles of centerpieces

  • Overhead shot of place setting

  • Close up verticals of place setting details, glassware, place cards, etc.

  • Seating Chart Display (wide and tight detail shots)

  • Any ceiling decor

  • Sweetheart or Head table decor

  • Cake Table

  • Dessert bars/ snack bars

  • Memory stations (photo displays, personalized decor displays, etc)

Bridal Suite

  • Group bridesmaids shot (before dressed, especially in matching attire)
  • Wide room shot during getting ready time
  • Makeup/hair shot of some of the girls and the bride if timeline allows candids of getting ready
  • Bride's Dress
  • Bride's Veil
  • Getting in the dress: Wide (full length vertical), close up, with mom, and with some bridesmaids
  • All bridesmaids helping with a "getting in the dress" event, organized by photographer
  • Bride with mom (maybe helping with earrings, necklace, the final zip of the dress, just something with only mom, if they have a close bond and it feels appropriate
  • Just the bride putting on earrings by herself! (sometimes this is fake, just to get the shot!)
  • Bridal Portrait of just the bride in the bridal suite if possible! (Takes pressure off of getting it later if things are rushed!)

Bridal Detail Shots

  • Jewelry (all three rings)
  • Invitation Suite
  • Other paper goods such as the program menu
  • Perfume
  • Shoes
  • Anything old/heirloom/borrowed
  • Hairpieces
  • Additional Bride requests
  • Bridesmaids dresses if this shot is a priority for the Bride
  • Custom hanger (if there is one)
  • Flowers if they are there in time

Ceremony

  • Parents and grandparents being seated

  • Groomsmen entering, bridesmaids entering

  • Any children in the ceremony

  • Pastor/Officiant

  • Bride coming down the aisle from front and from the back (full length, then closer)

  • Groom's reaction to seeing his bride
  • Parent's reaction if possible

  • Any readers, soloist, special guests involved in the ceremony

  • Wide shot of the entire ceremony

  • Groom looking at bride, Bride looking at groom during vows

  • Close up of the exchange of rings (especially the bride putting his ring on because

    she will face outward more than he will)

  • Parents watching, emotional moments

  • Candids of flower girls or ring bearers

  • First kiss, pronouncement, recessional

  • Recessional of all Bridal party and parents

  • Secondary shooter stays with guest and takes pictures of them exiting after first moments married

Bridal Party Shots

Full Group Shots:
  • Guys on one side, girls on other side
  • Intermingled formal shot smiling at camera (vertical and horizontal) laughing at one another
  • Model shot
  • Walking/spread out a little (vertical and horizontal)
  • Extra: Staged sitting shot with a few chairs if time allows
Bridesmaids:
  • Full group, smiling at camera (vertical & horizontal)
  • Tighter horizontal, girls closer to each other and laughing at the camera
  • Girls walking and laughing (vertical & horizontal)
  • Model shot of the whole group

  • Bouquet shot (vertical & horizontal, no spaces in the background between

    bridesmaids dresses)

  • Single bouquet shot with a bridesmaid
  • Individual shots with each bridesmaid and the bride
Groomsmen:
  • Full group, smiling at camera (vertical & horizontal)
  • Tighter horizontal, bro hug, arms around neck (unbuttoned jackets to avoid pulling)
  • Guys walking and laughing (vertical & horizontal)
  • Model shot of the whole group
  • Close up of the boutonniere (if possible)

  • Individual shots with each groomsmen and the groom

I only take “groomsmen with bride” and “bridesmaids with groom” shots if they are requested

Family Formals

  • We follow the bride and groom's questionnaire list of family formals exactly,
    but we also have some shots we always want to make sure that we take!

  • Bride's parents together (if still married)

  • Groom's parents together (if still married)

  • Grandparents (separately if they are single, together if they are a couple)

Cocktail Hour

  • 10-20 Group shots of guests while they are mingling (depends on the guest count)

  • Any passed hors d’oeuvres

  • Speciality drinks
  • Wide overall shot

  • Looking for who parents are talking to, ask for group photos of those friends

  • Additional bride & groom portraits

Reception

  • Table group shots (I will not do every single table unless specifically asked by the bride and groom)

All Special Events:

  • Dances (wide & tight shots of each dance unless it is a fast choreographed dance

    or too fancy for close shots)

  • Toasts (shots of the bride & groom, those who are toasting and guests' reactions

  • Cake cutting
  • Bouquet toss and garter

  • Party dancing
  • Shot of us with the couple
  • Candids of mingling
  • Any speciality stations for food
  • Any special/unique event
  • Bride and Groom sunset portraits
  • The Exit!
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