Sikh couple portrait wedding photography

How to get great portraits on your wedding day

A guide to getting the best pictures out of your wedding day

If we had a dollar for every time we got this question from our clients and brides, we’d be swimming in them. But jokes aside, it is certainly a valid question. We can safely say that most brides dream about perfect photos from their wedding day. And having prepared for that special day for months, it’s only right that they want the best. It can be exciting to go through Pinterest and bridal magazines and wanting picture-perfect images for your wedding day. But those perfect photos can also cause you to worry about whether your pictures will look the same. It doesn’t matter what dress you’re wearing or what venue you’ve chosen, there are some things you can do to make sure you get the best photos on your wedding day.

So here’s a list of things we thought would help all the brides and couples out there planning their wedding.

#1 Find the right photographer

The first step in the quest for great pictures is picking the right photographer for you, one that you relate to and feel comfortable with. However great the photographer might be, if you don’t gel with them or vice-versa, you won’t be able to make great images with them. The photographer also needs to make a connection with you and get a sense of you and your partner as a couple. Once they know you, they will be able to make the kind of images that you like.

Once you’ve found the one that you like, discuss your vision for your wedding day with them and ask for their perspective as well. Ask them about their style and approach of shooting and tell them to prep you beforehand about how the shoot will proceed on the actual day. Don’t hesitate to ask questions or tell them what you want. The best results come from good communication between the photographer and the client. So be vocal about what you want.

Sikh Gurudwara wedding couple portrait photography

#2 Pick the right wedding outfit

Choosing a wedding dress is one of the most important decisions you make for your wedding. And everyone from wedding portals and best friends to your mother and sisters will tell you what design, colour, embroidery or cloth you should choose. But as people who make our living capturing the best of a bride, we like to think that we know best. So definitely consult your wedding photographer on the colour and design of your wedding dress. We have a keen eye for colour – and know what works, and what doesn’t. Sometimes the bride and the groom wear colours that don’t go well together and this is something only a photographer can tell you.

Couple portrait wedding photography Kochi

#3 Think about venue, decor, and colours

Again, coordinate with your photographer and wedding planner. Make sure that whatever themes, colours or designs you have in your mind for your wedding, your photographer is in on it. We’re not saying you should plan your wedding around pictures, but you should definitely consider if doing something different will make better ones. It’s the little details that add to a great picture. For example, we usually recommend that the colour of the decor and the bride’s clothes differ from each other so that she doesn’t blend into the background.

Discuss with your planner about how you can add some interesting elements in the decor. You can plan intricate floral arrangements around your seating, fun objects like umbrellas hanging from above and organise the strategic placement of lighting props like tea and fairy lights.

Haldi Bridal portrait wedding photography

#4 Plan lighting at the venue

The trend for early evening pheras is very recent. In our experience, most wedding days are night events. They start at about 9 in the night and stretch until the early hours of the morning. We’ve discussed in one of our previous posts about how weddings often have unpredictable lighting. Rope your photographer in while you’re having a discussion with the wedding planner. How will the indoor and semi-outdoor events be lit? Will there be spot and disco lighting at the sangeet? Which event is happening during the day and which ones at night? They need to know about these things to plan their lighting strategy and can guide you about the kind of light settings that will work best – both aesthetically and for photos. For an experienced wedding photographer, manipulating light is not a problem. But a night sangeet event requires a different lighting strategy than a morning function. So knowing beforehand about the challenges that they may face is always a bonus.

#5 Make time for portraits

Capturing you in all your bridal glory on your wedding day is very important to us. These pictures will make memories for a lifetime for you. That is why it’s really important that you make time for portraits on your wedding day. Ideally, you should make time for your bridal portrait before you get involved in the functions and the ceremony. This is the best time to get your portraits done while your makeup is fresh and you haven’t tired out from the events. Schedule your makeup artist to come a bit earlier so that you have time to get a quick portrait session after you’re ready.

It’s also important to make some time for your couple portraits right before your wedding ceremony. This is the time where we can capture you and your love as a couple for a lifetime. Remember that your photographer will do their best to give you the great images. But the outcome also depends on how much priority and time you’re willing to give your portraits. A little patience and time goes a long way in beautiful portraits.

#6 Be ready before time

Hiring a good makeup artist is as important as getting a good photographer. So you should schedule a trial before the wedding to decide who you want to hire. A pre-wedding trial will also let you decide the kind of makeup you want on the actual wedding day.

We all know that hair and makeup tends to run down after a few hours of partying and ceremonies. So it’s a great idea to find out if you can have the makeup artist’s assistant handy throughout your wedding. If it’s not possible, then ask your friends to keep a few items on their person so you can touch up as and when needed. Also, remember that it’s always better to get ready before time. In fact, get your makeup done before your friends so you have time for your bridal shoot. If you need a touchup, you can do it right before you leave for your wedding celebrations.

It’s also a good idea to get your photographer in during your makeup (for the bride) and getting ready (for the bride and groom) so that you can get some candid shots with your friends or family, and some final touch up and detail shots. And if it’s possible, get a large room for your bridal preparation so that you aren’t cramped in with the makeup and hair artist and your family. That way you’ll have some breathing space and we will get various angles to shoot from. We have made it a practice to reach before the bride is getting ready so that we can warm her up before the bridal shoot and get some getting ready shots in.

#7 Try to be stressfree and enjoy your day

Well, considering that there will probably be a thousand things to take care of, what we’re asking is a little difficult. But the key to great pictures is feeling relaxed and calm. Your wedding day is the one thing you have been planning for, for months. So when that day finally arrives, just let it go. Trust that your months of planning will come to fruition and enjoy your day. The best wedding photos come from natural and happy brides.

It’s also a good idea to hire a wedding planner so that you don’t have to worry about nitty-gritty on your wedding day. Believe us, they’re an investment when you consider how many things you need to take care of during the day. Having a planner will let you and your family enjoy the wedding without having to worry about other things. And if there is anything that needs to be done, delegate. The less time you spend worrying about wedding details, the more you will enjoy and the better your photos will be.

Hindu bridal portrait wedding photography

In addition to all of the above, trust and respect your wedding photographer. Trust that they will guide you and give you the best memories of your wedding day. As wedding photographers, we’re just as invested as you in making your wedding day memorable. For us, it’s more than just an assignment. We’re genuinely committed to capturing your day as best as we can. So just be yourselves and forget about the camera. Enjoy your wedding day to the fullest and leave the memory making to your photographer.

If you have any questions, please reach out to us. We’d love to answer any queries!

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