8 Must-have Wedding Shots You Probably Haven't Thought Of

Let’s face it, wedding planning is WAY more work than you thought it’d be. But one way to ease your stress is to think backwards. What will you have left at the end of the whole event (besides your partner and the marriage obviously)? The answer is, your photographs. You may be stressing, but here are a few shots you won’t want to miss that will help you think about the right things while you’re planning away:

Flat lays

If you’re an avid wedding inspiration pinterest-er like I am, you probably already know what a flat lay is. If not, just know there’s nothing like opening up your wedding album and seeing a beautifully composed shot of all of the tiny details you’ve spent so much time picking out. The intricate design on your wedding invitations, the PERFECT earrings you picked that match your dress to a T, the perfume you chose special for your day, and of course your wedding ring that is uniquely you. Flat lays give off a vibe of royalty and elegance that can set the mood for your whole gallery. You can put together a shoebox of your most important items: your invites and envelopes, any jewelry, your wedding bands, floral for embellishment, ribbon, perfume—you name it—then hand this box to your photographer first thing when they arrive! There’s nothing a photographer loves more than an organized bride! 

Capturing your girls open their Bridesmaid Gifts 

I cannot stress enough how precious the small, intimate moments are with your girls before the ceremony. To make these moments even more memorable, prepare a small gift for each of your ladies to open before the excitement begins. You might include a thoughtful hand-written note, a personalized bag, or a sweet smelling candle. You’ll love reliving the smiles and tears later in your photos!

A moment alone with your Maid of Honor

After all the girls have had their moment to gawk and pine over you in your dress, try to set aside some alone time with your maid of honor. For one—it’ll create a moment for you to breathe in comfort when your nerves are going crazy, but also, you’ll have time to reflect with your number-one about this amazing moment in your life. Tears might be shed, and hugs held that bring even more tears, but it’ll be one of the moments you won’t want to forget about. 

First ‘Touch’

If you’re waiting for your “First Look” to be when you walk down the aisle, there’s something else you can do with your person to help calm your nerves. Find a place at your venue, such as a corner of the building, or around a doorway, where you and your partner can hold hands but still be out-of-view of one another. Here you can exchange a few sweet words and the photographer can capture the anticipation in your faces before he’s seen you looking like an absolute Q U E E N in your dress. 

First look with mom/dad

A shot of the first look with your parent(s) could be one of the most special photos to you in your gallery years down the road. If love had a tangible appearance, these photos would be it. Seeing the tears in your mom’s eyes, or remembering the way your dad held you when realizing how close the moment is that he’ll give his little girl away will be priceless to you. You’ll want to be able to keep that image forever.

First kiss from behind the altar

Your first kiss—duh! But give it a twist. Ask the officiant to make sure they step to the side right before he pronounces you as married so your photographer can slide in behind and grab not only your kiss, but the audience’s reaction to your kiss as well!

Under the veil

Magical, flowy, fairytale goodness! During portrait time, make sure you grab a few intimate shots under your veil with your new hubby. Talk about dreamy wedding-magazine-esque shots. Wowza. 

Cake smash 

Okay okay, I know. You paid A LOT for your wedding makeup and the night is still young. But honestly, who remembers a ‘nice’ cake cutting? Absolutely no one. Ask yourself, what’s more important to me: a hilarious shot that captures pure joy between me and my partner, plus a laugh for my guests, OR sacrificing all of that just so I won’t get a little bit of cake up my nose? The decision is yours, but your future self is telling you to choose wisely! 

If you’re still looking for the right wedding photographer for your day, check out Sinai Weddings and Portraits. Madison is a trusted central Illinois wedding photographer who wants to help you capture all of the above shots, and more! Check her availability here.