Fiance Can't Smile In Photos - Help!

Lol. mine doesn't have this problem... but he ALWAYS smiles with his mouth closed. he always has the same smile. unless you catch him mid laugh or something. i love his smile when he's laughing. it's always a treat to catch it. lol.

ETA: pictures. (it was sooo hard for me to just find that laughing one of him. lol. had to search through facebooks.)

Engagement photos will probably help get him more comfortable with the photographer and taking pictures. My dh is definitely like this. During our engagement photos our photographer talked to us, joked with us and kept us relaxed, it really helped a lot. At different points I would also say stuff to him to make him laugh and bring out his natural smile. Day of the wedding wasn't as much as an issue. We were both so happy we were just smiling naturally.

A couple shots of Fireball will loosen him up and make it feel more natural. This is also why I think Epix are a great idea as it gives the couple and small idea as what to expect on the wedding day and helps them get used to the camera.

@natalie: i agree with natalie. if you have a good photographer, they'll help you get comfortable and will likely just let you guys be "you." goof with each other, laugh, etc. hopefully they'll catch some moments.

Say goofy stuff to him at inappropriate times....that usually does it!

My brother is the worst with this. At his wedding they did a lot more candid photos that actually came out really nice--he didn't have to pose for the camera but they still captured all of the great moments. The ones where he did have to pose, she or SIL tried to make him laugh at something to get a more natural look. **note candid pic below--look how genuinely happy he looks! That's not a fake smile!

I totally agree with @natalie.. my FH was the same way (and actually still is at times). He always says he doesn't know how to smile and has an awkward smile. We took our e-pics and the whole time he said "I feel so awkward with my smile". Throughout the session, he got more relaxed. When we got the pictures back - there were some where he looks a "little" awkward but there were a ton, where he was so genuinely happy. I recommend the e-pics - the photographer (especially if you are using the same wedding photographer) gets to know the couple, how to get that genuine smile, when to snap the pictures, etc.

MPHGirl23 I like the idea of getting more candid shots rather than formal posed photos, that may work for us. Everyone had good points about ephotos as well, they will probably help him to relax.

Keep the ideas and pics coming!

All I came to do was post that pic of Chandler, but you beat me to it

I'll be honest with you.

FH is a little awkward for photos, etc. I whispered things that were weird and dirty to make him laugh.

Haha JP+AP! Unfortunately, he really does look like Chandler!

I licked DH's face during our engagement session to get him to relax and laugh. It totally worked and for our wedding pics, I was exhausted and not smiling a lot, and he said something silly to me but I can't remember what it was. I think it involved goose poop.

My FH is *exactly* the same way. He has an amazing smile when no one is looking, but when it's time to pose, he looks like Satan has claimed his soul.

Our photographer included epics in our package, which I'm really looking forward to. I hope it will help him loosen up.

My FH thinks he smiles in photos. I present to you, exhibit A, an Easter Brunch photo.

My friend told me he claims to be smiling in her wedding photos, and it was the same expression... so we decided to call this "his formal smile."

For the wedding, I'm hoping alcohol will do the trick. It usually does. (exhibit B, at a Christmas party.)

My FH doesn't smile with his teeth either until I tell him too...it isn't on purpose but I LOVE his "teeth smile". Just tell him when you say teeth that he should smile with his teeth...or is that still awkward?

My FH is horrible at giving a real smile in photos (see my avatar). For our engagement pics, since I knew he wasn't looking natural, I stuck my fingers in his armpit to tickle him. First good picture we got, and you couldn't even tell what I was doing.

Same thing here...when we did our engagement photos we just laughed and had a good time and it showed. I said lots of funny things to him-even tickled him once.

Instead of "smile for the camera" tell him to "smile at the photographer."

I always try to look beyond the camera to the real person and make a connection.

Since I was a kid, I've hated having my pic taken. It freaks me out to think that I'm in wedding albums all over the world!

Mine is more of a cultural thing, for whatever reason us Polish people are trained to not smile in pictures. My FH mean mugs the camera at all possible times. One of the main reasons we haven't had an engagement session because he's just not comfortable. My best pictures with him are when I pinch his booty (: I'm not even lying, lol

Don't force the smile, and have the photographer get him at natural moments with other people