How To Nail Your Pre-Wedding Shoot Photos: Expert Tips

How To Nail Your Pre-Wedding Shoot Photos: Expert Tips - Eternity

How To Nail Your Pre-Wedding Shoot Photos: Expert Tips

23rd March 2023

We love to see a good pre-wedding photoshoot! If you’re anything like most couples, you likely struggle to find that perfect picture of you and your partner, that you both love – this will definitely solve that struggle. A pre-wedding shoot is the perfect way to get comfortable in front of the camera, capture beautiful memories from your fiancé phase, get to know your wedding photographer & so much more.

In this blog post, we sat down with Nick Rutter Photography to discuss 26 tips to help you prepare for your pre-wedding photoshoot and make it a success.

Choose the right photographer

This seems like a bit of an obvious one, but this means doing your research and truly finding the photographer that fits your Pinterest vision. There are so many beautiful and unique photography and editing styles out there, whether it be more candid, more styled, more muted, more vibrant: the list is endless!

Ensure that you look through the photographer’s previous work and that it aligns with your vision. In addition to this, make sure they understand if you have a different vision / vibe for your pre-wedding shoot versus the Haldi versus the wedding day – the more transparent, the better.

The right location

Choose a location that reflects your personality as a couple, whether it be a special and meaningful spot, or a hobby that you love doing together – make it your own!

It’s also worth checking if your location allows you to take pictures there – some venues may charge you for it or require permissions. Better safe & prepped than sorry.

Time of day

Similar to the above, you want to pick the right time of day, based on the season & sunlight. Harsh sunlight isn’t as favourable from a photography perspective – so be aware of that.

Another thing to consider is the busy-ness in the pre-wedding shoot location. If you plan to do your pre-wedding shoot on a Saturday afternoon in Holland Park, you will likely have a lot of people in the background of your shots.

Outfits & accessories

Choose outfits that complement each other and reflect your personal style – you want to be able to look back at these pictures and see an evergreen style. The same goes for accessories – wear some of your favourite looks & colours.

It’s also worth considering the vibe you want to set for your wedding. The likelihood is, that these pictures will either go on your invites or your wedding website – so it’s the first view of many of your wedding guests of your wedding and will really set the tone.

You might even want to consider a few outfit changes, to really make the most of your day. Account for this when figuring out how long your photographer will need during the day.

Hair & makeup

This totally varies on the vibe you are going for. Your pre-wedding shoot doesn’t have to be formal, unnatural or forced, so do whatever makes most sense for you.

Some couples feel more natural doing their own hair & makeup, whereas others may actually want to use this opportunity to build a relationship and work with their hair & makeup artists that they have booked for their wedding day.

Pick your theme

Similar to our point above, you want to pick a theme that means something to you and will be prevalent and consistent throughout. Ie. if you and your partner love hiking, think of a pre-wedding shoot on a mountain, in your gymwear, with a cute prop and element which means something to you.

Personalise & customise

This is a super important one. Communicate with your photographer, in advance and throughout the photoshoot, to ensure that you’re all on the same page. This is the best opportunity for you and your photographer to get to know each other and feel the most comfortable, prior to your big day.

You want to ensure that it’s a lighthearted and fun shoot.

Take breaks

It can truly be quite tiring to get ready and be out in various locations taking pictures, especially if you choose to have some outfit changes. Account for enough time to be able to take breaks to ensure you are relaxed and comfortable.

Leverage your environment

Be creative! This is where your photographer will be able to guide you the best.

Depending on where you are taking your pictures, you will want to highlight some of it’s key unique features and capture them. Whether it be a beach, a really rocky scenic viewpoint, or an area full of nature; utilise the space as much as possible and be openminded.

Capture candid moments

Even if you love the posed shots, a good candid is always a great idea. Often, it’s also where most couples feel most natural.

It’s good to have a variety of pictures in the bank, as you never know which picture will come in most handy for a specific purpose closer to the time.

Find your pose

Every couple usually has one! Especially in advance of your big day, you want to try out the different angles, sides and poses that you feel most comfortable and natural in; and love the most.

Your photographer will definitely be able to guide you on tons of movements and poses, and you will soon realise which ones you photograph the best in. It’s a good one to keep note of for the big day.

Bring comfortable shoes

It’s gonna be a long day! Even if you choose to wear heels and smart shoes for your formal pictures, keep comfortable shoes for you to switch into when you take your breaks. This will help you a lot, because uncomfortable shoes can lead to you feeling less comfortable in your pictures.

Research poses in advance

The best thing you can do for anything wedding-related is to research & create moodboards. By having an indication in advance, you will be able to work well with your photographer to find a common ground of your vision and your comfort.

Choose the right timing

Make sure you plan your pre-wedding photoshoot for the right time in your wedding planning journey. Ie. if you plan to use them on your wedding website, it’s better to have your pre-wedding shoot earlier and account for enough turnaround time for your photographer as well.

Be yourself

Do what makes you feel the most comfortable. It’s best not to put pressure on yourself to dress up a certain way, or pose in a certain way; especially if it’s something that makes you feel unnatural. As mentioned above, you really don’t want to look back at these moments and cringe!

Bring a friend

Whilst it sounds a bit weird to say, it’s often helpful to have another pair of hands on board to help with some cool dupatta shots or flowwy dress poses. Depending on which kind of shoot you have in mind, this could be something to consider.

Leave your baggage at home

How often do you get to spend a few hours with your loved one, spending time and capturing the moment beautifully – not very often! Keep your phone packed away in your car, and definitely take a day off. Try to live in the moment and not be too rushed about a meeting you need to take in an hours time etc.

Have fun!

You want to enjoy the process and not put too much pressure on everything. Don’t get too involved in controlling everything, remember to go with the flow and enjoy it.