The big day is just around the corner. There’s the endless planning. Time spent confirming every last detail. The excitement mounts as the date approaches.

Magical moments fill a wedding day. The first time you are seeing your spouse. Your first dance together. Cutting the cake together. Time spent with special guests. Every one of them is worth capturing.

The wedding photographer has a standard photography “shot list.” Having your own list of moments to add to their list is important. Let’s not forget, it is your wedding. Be sure to get what you want. Here are 11 fun, creative wedding photo ideas to include for those about to tie the knot.

Wedding Portraits

Before the Ceremony

Tradition says that it’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding. That makes capturing the bride and groom together before the ceremony challenging. Consider a photo of the bride and groom on opposite sides of a wall or hedge. They can be looking at the obstruction between them, at the camera, or quietly reflecting on their changing lives.

Your first look

One of the most memorable wedding moments is the groom’s expression when he sees his bride for the first time.

However, to capture that shot, the photographer can miss shooting the bride’s photo as she steps out to walk down the aisle. Two photographers can successfully capture both looks simultaneously. Staging a first-look moment between the bride and groom is a modern take that captures the fantastic reaction. Consider putting your own spin on it before the ceremony.

A photo of just the bride and groom

It’s not uncommon for couples to receive their wedding photos and realize they have pictures with their bridal party and parents and special guests  –  but none of just the two of them after the ceremony. 

While heading out with the photographer for some carefully posed shots before the reception, be sure to pause right after the ceremony to get that iconic, first-as-a-married-couple shot with just the two of you.

Classic Wedding Photo Ideas

Before the big day arrives, meet with the photographer several times to go over the main wedding components.

Make sure the photo list includes a healthy supply of the “basics,” such as the walk down the aisle, the first kiss, or the adorable flower girl sprinkling petals. These classic moments are classic for a reason: they’re amazing to see and remember every time.

Having a list of what matters to you is essential. Photos of the shoes, veil, gown details, bouquets, and rings are essential and iconic photos. Let the photographer know about smaller yet classic details that highlight the day. For example, the antique hair comb from your great-great-grandmother or the table cards that were handcrafted and hold special meaning.

These details help make the day. When it comes time to create your wedding album, take standalone images or backdrops for other elements.

Wedding Venue Photo Ideas 

The venue is likely one of the most expensive items of your wedding. Let it shine! It’s not just a place to get married. It often represents the couple’s style and serves as a beautiful backdrop for a newly married couple.

If the venue has a multi-story lobby, take photos that leverage its height and scale. If planning a beachfront celebration, get pictures with plenty of ocean views. Saying “I do” on rural land permits some fun photo-ops with hay bales or the rolling landscape. The venue shows off the couple and wedding party, so have fun with the presentation.

Don’t forget about using negative space to make that venue shine by. Negative space is the part of the image that surrounds your subject and other noteworthy details.

Many locations have fun arches, arbors, or foliage that make for great shots. Take pictures under the greenery, peeking through it, or with the camera strategically poised to get just the edges of leaves or an arch as the frame.

These artistic shots are fun for the photographer while adding some dimension to your collection.

Wedding Party Photo Ideas 

Photographing the wedding party is a must. Shots with the bride or groom and walking down the aisle during the ceremony are important moments to capture. 

It’s also important to photograph the more personal moments from friends and family in the wedding party.

Emotional reception speeches are filled with opportunities to capture moments of the person delivering the speech, the couple watching, and all attendees. Make sure the photographer is at-the-ready to capture photos during these special moments.

Give them a heads-up if you have someone in the wedding party who is likely to make a splash. Preparedness is everything.

Wedding Reception Ideas

There’s so much happening during the reception: after-dinner dancing, animated conversations, and a whole lot of partying. Individual group table photos are always safe. Why not try to capture something different as well?

A time-lapse photo is a new favorite wedding photo idea. It’s a great way to texturize your collection of images. The photographer sets up a camera to get the time-lapse photo. Motion blur in post-production can be added using a photo editor if that’s not available.

Either way, it makes for a fun and unique image.

Candid Wedding Photos

Work with your wedding photographer to get a wide variety of photos with parents, bridal party, and the happy couple. These are wonderful, beautiful, and important memories.

The real magic occurs in the unstaged moments. Make sure the photographer is well-versed in capturing plenty of candid shots too. Don’t worry—they won’t use one of you chewing dinner. Only the great ones make the final cut.

You’ve put your personal touch on every element of your wedding. It can be difficult to appreciate all that makes the wedding day unique. But there are plenty of them.

Communicate with your photographer, so they know what to look for and capture. You may have a big moment or a smaller one. Prepare them for the grandparents’ impressive dance-off during the reception. It could be a candle lighting ceremony component or a tree-planting element. These personal touches help make the day yours and yours alone.

When you’re on the same page as your photographer, they’ll capture them all.

Wedding Photo Booth Ideas

Photo booths are super popular and let wedding guests have fun with props, backgrounds, and decorations. If the wedding has a theme – such as their school’s colors, where the bride and groom met, a favorite sports team, or a beloved movie – a photo booth enhances the celebration.

Having photos for the guests to take home as keepsakes is a special treat.

Wedding Photo Wall Ideas

Photo walls are a modern way to make a wedding even more chic and unique. These “walls” are high hedges or a wall of flowers or other plants where guests can take photos during the wedding.

Hang a sign with the bride and groom’s name or wedding date on the wall to personalize photos and make for frameable, lasting memories.

Wedding Photo Shot List

1. Details while getting dressed 
2. Dress reveal 
3. Wedding venue 
4. Ceremony stage
5. Wedding party
6. Bride’s family
7. Groom’s family
8. Walking down the aisle 
9. Flower girl sprinkling petals
10. Exchanging vows
11. Exchanging rings
12. First kiss as husband and wife
13. Bride and groom first moments after the ceremony
14. Guest candids at cocktail hour
15. Reception venue
16. Bride and groom walking into the reception
17. Friend/family toasts/speeches at the reception
18. Bride and groom dancing
19. Dancing candids
20. Individual tables
21. Cake cutting/feeding
22. Driving away from the venue

Weddings are all about capturing love in photographs, so make sure the wedding photos capture everything on your list. Get pictures of people holding hands, dancing, and talking. Capture the way guests relate and interact. Weddings have a way of bringing people together. Your photos help that magic live on forever.

The post 11 Super Fun Wedding Photo Ideas You’ll Need to Try appeared first on The Motif Blog.

The hustle and bustle of the wedding is over, and you’re finally jetting off to a romantic destination on your first trip as a married couple. With romance and relaxation on your mind, it might be easy to forego documenting this special time together, but that would be shortsighted. A honeymoon photo book is something you’ll pull out year after year to transport you back to life as a newlywed.

The good news is, it’s easy to collect a wonderful selection of photos during your honeymoon without much effort—leaving you plenty of time to enjoy the moment and just be.

Maximize your romantic destination

No matter your personality as a couple, you likely chose somewhere photogenic as a honeymoon location. Whether you’re enjoying the quintessential beauty of a classic European city such as Paris or Venice, exploring the spectacular sights of New Zealand, or even lounging in a cabana on the beach in Mexico, the setting for your photos will be phenomenal. Make the most of it! Be sure to include the scenery in your photos and capture plenty of details, such as interesting architecture, street signs, and local greenery. Years later, these photos will help you time-travel.

How to ask a stranger to take your photo

When you’re traveling with just one other person, it can be difficult to capture photos together—but if you return from your honeymoon with dozens of photos of just your spouse, that would defeat the purpose, right? It’s time to make new friends and ask someone else to take your photo. This can be a crapshoot, but try these tips for success:

• Look for someone who has the same type of camera. Whether you’re traveling light with just your iPhone or carrying the DSLR, finding a photographer who already knows how to use your equipment is half the battle and makes it much less likely the top of the Eiffel Tower will be cut off in your photo.

• Set your camera to shoot in burst mode. That way, you’ll be guaranteed to have a selection of photos to choose from. (And the benefit of digital photography is you can check your shots immediately and—if you didn’t capture the money shot—discreetly ask someone else to try again in a few minutes.)

Depending on your budget and the beauty of your destination, you might consider hiring a local photographer to do a custom on-location photo shoot. Flytographer pairs travelers and photographers for travel photo shoots around the world. With a professional photographer on your team, you’re guaranteed to have your photos taken by someone who both knows how to use your camera and knows the secrets for romantic photos in your honeymoon location. Plus, just like your engagement shoot, a professional will know all of the tips and tricks for capturing your love for one another in a photograph.

Don’t miss the details

This shot list for weekend getaways can easily be expanded for your honeymoon. Start taking photos at your departure, whether that’s a dramatic post-wedding send-off from the family or just a selfie in your Uber to the airport a couple of weeks later. Don’t miss details such as:

• The amenities in your hotel room when you arrive. Perhaps there’s a heart made from rose petals on your bed or a tray of champagne and strawberries waiting for you upon arrival. Document it!

• Memorable meals. It doesn’t matter whether you’re savoring a five-course dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant or eating Nutella crepes on the street—these are your first meals as a married couple. Capturing them in photos will bring the smell and taste back to you in years to come.

• Action shots. If you’re an adventurous, athletic couple, your honeymoon will likely include special hikes or even experiences such as skydiving or ziplining. Be sure to capture before, during, and after shots, and take advantage of sport mode on your DSLR to shoot at high shutter speeds and document the action.

• The quiet moments. You can finally take a deep breath after months of juggling wedding details. Savor it with a glass of wine or a cappuccino at a charming café. It’s easy to snap a pic before you take a drink.

• The last night. Your final evening before you prepare to return to reality and begin daily life as a married couple will be extra-romantic and possibly even bittersweet (just like the end of any vacation). Don’t be so focused on your early departure for the airport that you forget to take photos.

Prepare for photographing your specific destination

Depending on your honeymoon location, you might want to pack a few extra supplies to ensure top-quality photos:

• If you’re going somewhere tropical, such as to the rain forest in Costa Rica, be sure to bring rain gear to protect your camera and lenses.

• A white sandy beach photoshoot is breathtaking, but it can cause your images to be overexposed. Pack a white beach towel to serve as a reflector in a pinch.

• A selfie stick might seem cheesy and touristy, but it’s small to pack, and you might just be glad you had it.

Creating your honeymoon photo book

Now that you’re home, don’t let your beautiful honeymoon photos sit on your phone or memory card. Take time to cull through your shots and organize them into an album in the Photos app on your Mac. That makes it easy to create a high-quality photo album using Motif, a photo extension app that seamlessly integrates with Photos and uses innovative autoflow technology to take the hard work out of creating custom photo books and cards.

Your honeymoon photo book is a treasure you will enjoy for years to come. Have fun capturing the romance!

The post Create a Honeymoon Photo Book appeared first on The Motif Blog.