We have covered many articles on why you should hire a professional wedding photographer, why it is so important, and why you should maximise your budget.
On your wedding day, there is only one thing you won’t see until it’s over: your wedding photos. Everything else you will have seen, planned, and booked—the venue, flowers, dress, band, seating, decorations, and more.
Your photographer will capture the day for you, but you won’t see the results of their work until a few weeks later. That’s why choosing your wedding photographer is so important. Once the day is over, your wedding photos are the only things that capture and hold onto those moments, memories, and feelings.
Wedding Photography Mistakes to Avoid
However, there are still some mistakes couples make when it comes to their wedding photography. Here, we have rounded up eight common ones we often see.
1. Under Appreciating the Importance of Photography.
The first regret, and sadly an all-too-common occurrence, is not hiring a professional wedding photographer. Weddings are expensive, and it can be tempting to cut costs by skipping a professional photographer, especially if you believe they don’t add anything tangible to the day itself. Cost plays a significant role in this decision. When you have a family friend who dabbles in photography, it’s easy to see why you might think it’s a good way to save money.
The fact is, you’re paying for something you won’t see until after your wedding. While the photographer will be present on the day, they’ll be working in the background. You might consider saving money for bigger flowers, better food, or free drinks. However, capturing all those moments is crucial. Your guests may not notice if you spend more on flowers or food, but you will certainly notice and regret it if your wedding photos don’t reflect your beautiful day, the emotions of your guests, or all the hard work you put into planning.
Ensure you hire a professional wedding photographer—someone who knows what they are doing and has years of experience. It will be one of the best investments you make. Don’t regret it.
Maximise your budget and place high importance on your wedding photography. Why? At the end of your special day, the cake will be eaten, the flowers will wilt, the venue will be cleared, and all you will have are memories. What better way to capture and hold those memories to share with family, friends, and future generations than through images?
We often hear about brides focusing on creating their dream wedding and striving for perfection. However, they sometimes forget that it’s only for one day and don’t maximise their budget to hire a professional wedding photographer to capture the day they’ve dreamt about and spent months planning.
Make sure you capture your day and your perfect wedding. It is the one thing that will last forever after the day is over.
If you’re nervous in front of the camera or don’t like having your photo taken, consider an engagement shoot as well. Photography is a close and personal service, and both you and your photographer need to feel comfortable working together. An engagement photo shoot not only enhances your wedding album but also acts as a dress rehearsal, helping you feel more relaxed and natural in front of the camera on your big day.
2. Not capturing the whole day
You may have hired a photographer, but another common regret is only hiring them for the ceremony. This often comes down to costs. With all the stress of planning your wedding, it can be easy to overlook how you’ll look on the morning of your big day. To save money, you might decide not to have this part captured, but these can turn out to be some of the best photos of your day.
Getting ready photos can be so much fun—capturing you and your bridesmaids preparing together, sharing a glass of wine, and experiencing a range of emotions from excitement and nervousness to relaxation and fun.
After the ceremony, you and your guests will be more relaxed, with drinks flowing and everyone enjoying themselves. This is when you can capture great photos of guests chatting, dancing, and having a good time.
Ensure you get photos of all your close family and friends celebrating your wedding. You’ve spent a lot of time planning it, so make sure to capture moments of your guests enjoying every aspect of it.
3. Not booking a video call with their photographer first
When hiring a wedding photographer, it’s important to book a video call with them. If you don’t, you may regret it when it comes to your photos. Their work might be amazing, but if you don’t feel natural and relaxed around them, it will show in the photos. While all photographers will strive to make you feel at ease, you might find it awkward around them, which could be reflected in your images.
They may have some fun ideas for photos, but if those ideas don’t resonate with you, it’s important to find a photographer you get along with and feel comfortable with—someone who almost feels like a guest at your wedding.
By having a video call first, you can gauge how well you connect. If you find it difficult or awkward with them, it might show in your photos. Conversely, if you click and feel like you’re talking to an old friend, your wedding photos will be more fun, natural, and enjoyable. The best photos often come from you just having fun and enjoying the day.
4. Last Minute Bookings & Disappointment
You’ve set your budget for photography and maximised it to afford the best photographer possible. All seems well, but if you delay making a decision, you might find yourself disappointed when the photographers you wanted are fully booked on your date.
Just like with your wedding venue, you should book your wedding photographer as soon as your venue and date are confirmed. The best wedding photographers often take bookings up to two years in advance, so don’t wait until a few months before your big day to secure them. Our advice is to find your perfect wedding photographer as soon as you have your date and venue, and get them booked.
5. Not having an engagement shoot
While relating slightly to the previous point, couples sometimes regret not having an engagement shoot. Of course you can have something like this done after your wedding but the other benefit of this type of shoot is that it helps you feel more relaxed in front of the camera.
Unless you work as a model, you probably aren’t used to having your photo taken and being the centre of attention. It’s not about striking silly poses but about becoming more comfortable in front of the camera. Many photographers include an engagement shoot in their full-day package to help you get used to working with them and to make you feel more relaxed and at ease. By the time your wedding day arrives, you’ll be more comfortable around your photographer, with the only difference being that you’ll be in your dress!
6. Photo Lists
When you choose and hire your perfect wedding photographer, you do so because you love their style, feel comfortable working with them, and trust them.
If you have a few specific shots in mind, such as family portraits or photos with your mum, let your photographer know. However, avoid giving them an exhaustive list of every photo you want. You’ve hired them because you trust their expertise and have seen full albums of their work that you admire.
There’s no need to provide a detailed list of shots; trust them to capture moments you might not have thought of or expected. Allow your photographer to use their experience to produce the best story of your day.
Inform your photographer of any specific family shots you want, and consider assigning a guest to help round up people for these photos on the day. This is mainly for traditional group shots with important people.
However, you don’t need to dictate every detail, such as wanting a photo of you and your husband on a specific bridge or steps. Trust your photographer to use their expertise to suggest great locations for shots. They likely have years of experience and may have even worked at your venue before.
Allow enough time for group shots, as it can take a while to gather everyone. Inform guests in advance when and where they need to be for these photos. But don’t let this overshadow your day—enjoy it and have fun. You don’t want to remember your day as a series of stressful group shots.
7. Pockets… empty your pockets.
No, this isn’t a hold-up; we’re talking about grooms, best men, and anyone with pockets. Do you really want your wedding photos showing the groom or guests with bulging pockets or their wallets, keys, and phones imprinted on the side of their trousers? I didn’t think so.
If you’re the groom, do you really need your wallet or keys on your wedding day? And if the most important people in your life are there with you, why would you need your phone? Empty your pockets, store these items somewhere safe, and enjoy the day without worrying about them.
8. Put your phone away
It’s always an interesting topic, but wedding photos can easily be compromised by guests holding up their camera phones while the bride and groom walk down the aisle. Whether you ask your guests not to take photos at all or set a specific cut-off time, it can be helpful. For example, you could request that guests take photos up until a certain point and then put their phones and cameras away to fully enjoy the rest of the day with you. Have you considered an unplugged wedding?
Smartphones can be a nightmare for wedding photographers, almost like competing with paparazzi for key shots, such as the bride walking down the aisle. Since you’re investing a lot in your wedding photos, consider following the growing trend of unplugged weddings. Ask your guests to leave their cameras alone and enjoy the experience firsthand rather than through a lens. We explored this topic in more depth in a recent article. Unplugged Weddings: Ensure your Guests are ‘there’.
In an age where it’s challenging to put down your phone for even an hour, it’s all too easy for guests to turn into amateur photographers. One often overlooked option is an unplugged ceremony. This ensures your guests are fully present and enjoying the moment with you, without holding up phones, cameras, or iPads, or updating their social media statuses.
Do you want to look back on your wedding day and see a sea of cameras instead of the faces of your loved ones who came to celebrate with you? Consider having an unplugged wedding so that when you look back, you’ll see the genuine emotions and expressions of your guests.
These are just a few common mistakes and considerations related to wedding photography that we often hear from couples. To avoid falling into these traps and making similar mistakes, think carefully about these points.
Don’t have regrets about your wedding photos—they will be with you for the rest of your life. Hire the best photographer you can afford, meet with them, discuss your preferences, consider an engagement shoot, and most importantly, enjoy your day!
Wedding Photography Do’s and Don’ts
When it comes to couples and wedding photography, there are a few do’s and don’ts to consider both when hiring your photographer and on the day itself. We’ve rounded up five of each for you to consider so you know what to do and what to avoid.
Wedding Photography Do’s.
1. Do maximise your budget for your photography. It’s the one thing you will have at the end that captures all those memories and tells the story of the day. Make sure you get the best wedding photographer you can afford. Don’t lower your standards or hire someone you’re not happy with just because you have a tight budget. If possible, look at other areas where you can save money, such as flowers, food, or drinks. Understand the value of wedding photography and hire the best you can.
2. Do have a video call with your photographer. Ensure you feel at ease with them and that they answer any questions you may have. If you don’t feel comfortable, relaxed, or natural talking to them, this will show in your photos. Having a video call is important to see how you get on together. You want to be relaxed and enjoy discussing the plans for your day. If it feels like hard work or you’re not feeling a connection, consider contacting someone else.
3. Do view complete recent albums of their work. You can see a selection of galleries on each photographer’s profile page. Look for consistency, not just a few great shots, but a whole album that tells a quality story. They may have some impressive shots on their, but you want to see how they tell a story through a full day.
4. Do go with your gut. If you trust them, love their work, and feel comfortable around them, go with your instincts. If you have any doubts or concerns, speak to them and make sure they put you at ease and address any questions or worries. If you still have doubts consider reaching out to another photographer and see how you feel with them.
5. Do relax and enjoy the day. Forget about the camera and focus on enjoying yourself. You’ve hired a professional to capture your wedding day. When you hired them, you felt at ease and trusted them to do their job, so let them do it. Enjoy the day, and your photographer will capture all those amazing moments and emotions for you.
Wedding Photography Don’ts
1. Don’t leave it too late. The best photographers can be booked up to 2 years in advance. As soon as you have your date, get your wedding photographer booked. Even before your venue and date are confirmed, start looking at photographers. Get an idea of the style you like and want and shortlist photographers you like. Once you have your date, get in touch with your chosen photographer and secure their services.
2. Don’t ask a family member to be the photographer (unless they are a professional wedding photographer). You only get one chance to capture your wedding day, so avoid the regret of not hiring a professional. While it might seem like a way to save money, understanding the value and importance of wedding photography is crucial. If you recognise this, you’ll hire a professional.
3. Don’t direct your wedding photographer. Trust them to use their years of experience. On your wedding day, you won’t want to worry about directing people or ensuring everything is done. Hire a photographer you trust and let them do their job. If you don’t trust them, don’t hire them.
4. Don’t have your pockets full. That’s right, guys—empty your pockets! There’s nothing worse than the bulge from phones, wallets, and keys showing in your wedding photos. Leave these items in a safe place, such as a hotel safe or a bag with a guest. Don’t let your photos be ruined by keys sticking out of your pockets and disrupting the sleek lines of your suit trousers. At the end of the day, you don’t need to check your phone or carry your house keys; and if you’re the groom, people should be buying you drinks, so leave your cash at home!
5. Don’t give your photographer a long list of staged photos you want. Trust them to use their experience to get the right shots for you. If you have a few specific family photos you’d like, let your photographer know, but avoid providing a detailed list of posed shots, like a couple on a bridge or standing on the steps. Allow your photographer to take charge—they’ll know the best spots, lighting, and backdrops. Relax and let them do their job.
Bottom line
Photography is important; it’s a lifetime investment. Hire the best you can afford and make every effort to ensure you get the best wedding photos and story possible. Choose someone you trust and whose style and work you love, then relax and enjoy your day. When you receive your wedding album, you’ll appreciate how worthwhile it was and be grateful for having hired a professional wedding photographer.