Wedding Checklist Template

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)

• Close up of any instrumentalists

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

Groomsmen Suite

• Candids of guys getting dressed
• Groom getting dressed with best man or dad helping him
• Close up of groom buttoning sleeve/cufflinks and adjusting tie
• Groom portrait in chair (smiling and modeling shot)
• Toasting or cheers shot if opportunity presents itself

Groomsmen Detail Shots

• Tie or Bowtie

• Groom's shoes
• Cufflinks if possible
• Any special alcohol
• Watch
• Belt
• Specialty socks

First Look

• Walking shot of the bride to the groom (full length)
• Groom's reaction
• Bride's reaction
• Closer up intimate/emotional shot

Portraits of Bride/Groom (after first look)

• Traditional portraits: both looking at the camera smiling, arms around the back, bouquet at waist, Groom’s hand in the pocket, both full body and cropped at the waist, (horizontal and vertical).
• Forehead to forehead (horizontal and vertical, tight and full body)
• Light kiss and smiling afterwards
• One nuzzle shot
• Flowy veil shot if possible
• Walking shot
• Bridal portrait
• Groom portrait

The goal of these first portraits is to capture the must haves and the
most expected portraits first thing, so that I can be creative the rest of the
day with the bride and groom.**

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

• Main shooter follows bride and groom for 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!