A Relaxed Wedding Photographer : Top Tips for a smooth Wedding Day

a bride hugging on to her new husbands arm, looking up at him with a pink sunset sky

My top hints and tips from the point of view of a relaxed wedding photographer

As a Relaxed Wedding photographer, I’ve had the privilege of capturing countless “I dos” and unforgettable moments. But trust me, I’ve seen it all—from last-minute venue changes to cake mishaps. So, lovebirds, grab a cup of tea (or something stronger) and let me share my top tips and tricks to ensure your wedding day goes off without a hitch!

Bridal Prep

Delegate, delegate, delegate!! There are loads of little jobs that can only be done on the morning of your wedding, jobs that you simply can’t take on yourself, especially whilst you are busy being fully glammed. So make sure all of your bridesmaids know exactly who is responsible for doing what on the day. Get those job lists out the week before so there’s no stress or need to remember on the day.
If you are having hair and make-up done, make sure you are not the last one to go. If things start to run late, you don’t want to be the one being rushed. Middle of the group is often the best place to position yourself.
Have all of your ‘flat lay’ details ready in a box/bag for when your relaxed wedding photographer arrives. That way you won’t be running around gathering everything together on the day. And in case you are wondering what the hell a ‘flat lay’ is, these are the detailed photos taken to capture the smaller, but special items from your day. For example; perfume, shoes, veil, hair accessories, rings (if the bride has them), jewellery, a copy of your invitation with the envelope.
Please don’t bring your dresses in on plastic New Look hangers!! Think of your photos guys!! It’s just not a look!!
Make sure you de-clutter the room as much as possible as it looks soooo much better in the photos. Decide on a ‘shit corner’ and place all of the endless bags there so they are out of the way. No more orange Sainsbury bags scattered in the background, please!! You’ll thank me later!!
Please have a bite to eat before putting your dress on. We don’t want hunger pains, but also we DO NOT want spillages!!
Make sure you choose a well-lit area to get ready in, ideally in front of a window, as these make epic shots!! Just think of the photos!!
If you would like to do a Father/Mother of the Bride or a Bridesmaids reveal, let your relaxed wedding photographer know beforehand, that way we can plan for the best positioning, light and angles.
Add any finishing touches after you are in your dress. Earrings, necklaces, and shoes; all make gorgeous natural ‘getting ready’ photos, rather than you being in your PJs still (as nice as they are!!).
Be sure to remove your bouquets from the water and dry off a good 20 minutes before you are ready to leave. The last thing you want is water stains on your dress!!

Groom prep

The main question for my Groom is, where they will be getting ready? If they are getting ready on location, it’s relatively easy for the photographer to leave the Bride for 10/15 minutes to grab some relaxed, fun shots of the guys before the ceremony. However, if the Groomsmen are off-site, maybe at home or a parent’s house, because I simply can’t be at both places at the same time, this is when a second photographer comes into play. Someone who is employed by the main photographer, specifically to capture the guys and their morning fun.
If the Groomsmen are just having a few ‘getting ready’ images captured, I ask them to get fully dressed into their suits, ready for when either myself or the second photographer arrives, except for their waistcoats, jackets, ties, Buttonholes and cufflinks. This way as the photographer arrives, we can start with these simple tasks which photograph perfectly and relax the guys into having their photos taken. The men always seem to be the nervous ones when it comes to photos!!
Try and be ready at least ½ hour before the guests are due to start arriving. The last thing you want to be doing is stressing. This is time to chill out and relax, maybe go over your speech one more time, or even have a pint with your mates. All before your duties begin and you head over to the ceremony room to start greeting everyone as they arrive.
Lastly and most importantly, make sure your Bestman has the rings. It sounds simple, but you would be surprised at how many times they forget!!

Ceremony – enjoy the moment

Your ceremony is the heart of the day, so make sure to rehearse! Whether you’re at a stunning Berkshire wedding venue or a quaint chapel, practice makes perfect. And don’t forget to enjoy the moment—take a deep breath and soak it all in!

The number one tip has to be – don’t run down the aisle!! I know it’s tempting, yes, nerves are at an all-time high, and yes, all eyes are on you. But stop, take a breath. Listen to the music and pace your entrance. Also, make sure there is enough space between each of the Bridesmaids, I need to be able to see you all clearly to get those moments captured perfectly.
Don’t forget to hold your head up high and smile, please don’t stare down at the floor, it really doesn’t make the best photo! Be confident, after all, you paid for the glam team, and you are looking drop-dead gorgeous, show it off!!
Your bouquet is NOT an ice cream, so don’t hold it like one!! Instead hold it just below your navel, slightly tilted forwards so everyone can see it in its full glory – including your relaxed wedding photographer!
These might make it easier to remember – either ‘Bush to bush’ or ‘Pubes not boobs’.
Choose a Bridesmaid who will be there to take your bouquet from you when you get to the front of the aisle, you won’t have enough hands to hold this and your future husband’s hands.
Delegate yourself a chief dress fluffer. Make sure they are there ready and poised to arrange your dress as soon as you get to the front. We want your dress to look its absolute best for the photos. Also for the registrar signing and walking back down the aisle. Basically anytime it needs a fluff, to just be there!!
Simple, but important. Hold hands during the ceremony, it just looks so much better. This is your wedding day!! Standing 2 metres apart doesn’t give off super romantic vibes!
Whenever possible, ask your registrar/celebrant/vicar to step to the side when you are about to have your first kiss. They tend to ruin the shot if not!!
Don’t rush your first kiss. Make sure you hold it for a good 3 – 5 seconds, giving your relaxed wedding photographer ample time to get the shot.
Think about how you want to exit the ceremony. Bring the vibes, and cheer as you are walking down, you just got married after all. For an extra gold star from your Berkshire photographer, stop mid-way for a kiss, or even a dip-kiss. (If you don’t know what a dip-kiss is, YouTube it and perfect it!! It’ll be your friend on the day!!).

Confetti – go big or go home

Who doesn’t love a good confetti toss? So much fun, and the photos always look epic!!

So I always encourage my couples to do this straight after the ceremony. That way as everyone is walking out, your photographer can give instructions and line everyone up ready, before we lose everyone to the bar and toilets!!
The more confetti the better. And did you know that most people don’t bring their own anymore? So plan enough for everyone to have a handful, then double it, then double it again. This is one of those ‘go big or go home’ scenarios. You simply can’t have too much in my mind!!
Be sure to check the confetti rules and regulations with your venue. Pretty much everyone now wants biodegradable only, but some insist on real flowers/petals rather than paper confetti. So make sure you know beforehand or that could be a bummer.
Research your confetti types as it does make a difference. Dried rose petals v paper confetti. There are plenty of pros and cons for you to investigate. In short, Rose petals are often more widely acceptable as they are completely biodegradable, but they can be expensive. Paper confetti is definitely cheaper meaning you can get more, and also it does tend to float more, so stays in the air a lot longer. Either way, just get lots of it!!
I always try and give my couples a quick pep talk before walking down their confetti line up as it can be a lot. You are basically just about to have bucketloads of paper or petals launched at you in quick succession!! So remember to hold your head up high, smile (no grimacing please!!), hold hands, and don’t sprint at your photographer. If you can remember all of that, you’ll end up with the most amazing confetti shots. Plus, for added points, why not stop for a kiss or even a drop kiss halfway down the aisle? Just let your relaxed wedding photographer know your plans, so they are prepared. Just think of the photos!!

Group Shots – let’s take the stress away!

Be warned, group shots can be a bit chaotic!! But when organised well, they can be done effectively and efficiently, so people aren’t waiting around for too long. I always send my couples a big questionnaire the month before the wedding which has a section dedicated to group shots so start thinking about who will make it to the list!

I recommend having a group shots list which contains no more than 10 groups. These can take a long time, time that you aren’t spending with your family and friends enjoying the day. Of course, I can do more, but just make sure you allow plenty of time to get through them. As a guide, each group takes about 3 minutes to organise & photograph.
Make sure your photographer has a list of the groups needed before the day. If they haven’t asked, send it over anyway. It’s better to be prepared, plus it means you won’t miss anyone important off of the list.
Task one of your louder, more confident wedding party members to be in control of organising everyone and sending them across to the photographer. This keeps us moving through the list quickly and effectively.
Prioritise those family members and friends that are most important to you for the main list of groups during the day. Then if there is time later and you would like pictures of other friendship groups or work groups, let’s try and tackle those later on in the day.

Couple Portraits – from a relaxed wedding photographer’s perspective

After the group shots, it’s time for some couple portraits! This is the time to take a moment, escape the madness of the day and just be together.

There is only one tip when it comes to couple photos;

Trust your photographer.

You are bound to feel varying amounts of nerves when it comes to couple photos, but do not worry, this is the fun part, I’ve got ya!!

So we’ll duck away from the party and find you guys some space. We’ll go for a wander, have a chat, have some fun. We, as relaxed wedding photographers, don’t ever expect our couples to know how to pose in front of a camera, so our job is to make you feel as relaxed as possible and to offer you small directions that create movement & connection between the two of you, therefore, creating the most timeless, naturally gorgeous imagery.

Speeches

The main decision here is whether to choose speeches before the wedding breakfast, or afterwards. Both have plenty of pros and cons. Some main thoughts to consider though would be whether the speech givers are nervous or not, if so, it is often better to get these done and out of the way, so they can relax, enjoy their food and maybe have a drink. On the other hand, if the wedding breakfast is quite late in the day, people will start to get hungry, so having them first will make sure everyone is fed and happy.
Let your relaxed wedding photographer know how many speeches you’re planning, and roughly where they will be stood. It’s great if there is also room to move around so we can capture a variety of angles.
If it’s hard for the entire room to see the speakers easily, it may be worth asking them to stand at the front so everyone has a great view.

The First Dance

Your first dance is your moment to shine, so choose a song that means something to you as a couple. Whether you nail the choreography or just sway awkwardly, it’s all about the love!

Make an entrance! Do a full lap of the floor, hand in hand so everyone gets a chance to see you both.
Do not overthink this! I am always surprised by how many couples get nervous about the first dance. All you need to do is be together and enjoy the moment. No one is looking for a fully choreographed routine, unless that’s your thing. Instead, just keep moving, add in some hugs, kisses or even that trusty drop kiss that we keep coming back to. Just have fun with it. Also, as an extra side note, if you need to do something because you are nervous, sing to each other rather than just chatter throughout, the photos just look a bit odd if you are constantly talking!

Music

Speaking of music, curate a killer playlist that gets everyone on the dance floor. And don’t forget to hire a DJ or band that keeps the energy high—nothing brings people together like a good tune!

Select that first song well. Use your DJ/bands expertise to pick a song that will fill the dancefloor straight away. Photos look sooooo much better with a full dancefloor. I even encourage my couples to have a word with everyone beforehand to make sure they dance for the first 3 or 4 songs at least. That way your photographer can get lots of ‘partying’ shots before they finish for the day.
Save the props for now. Don’t be tempted to bring out the glow sticks before now as they just look odd in the background of the first dance photos.
Choose a selection of songs to finish the party that you know will bring everyone back onto the dance floor. Make it the most memorable end-of-night party ever!!

Some Added Extras

Want to add a little sparkle to your day? Think about fun extras like a champagne tower or a sparkler lineup!! These little touches not only enhance the atmosphere but also provide unforgettable photo ops.

Remember to keep these true to yourselves though, I don’t see any point in a couple having a champagne tower if they aren’t champagne drinkers, instead, pick something that’s more you. Mix it up a bit, and be unique, how about a mojito tower if that’s your vibe, or baby Guinness shots with your bridesmaids and groomsmen?

Handy Bag Of Stuff – a relaxed wedding photographer’s go-to bag!

This is one of those ‘be ready for anything and everything’ types of scenarios. I always bring my own kit along to every wedding, but it’s worth having your own (especially if I am not your Berkshire wedding photographer!!!!!!!!)

Here is my must-have list. And don’t worry, you don’t have to carry it around with you, just have it in someone’s car, just in case!!