Has anyone just done candid photos of their wedding?

We didn’t have just candids but I am with you on hating getting my picture taken. I usually run from the camera. A few suggestions to help with that: 1) find a photog that makes you feel comfortable (ours was amazing and always had us laughing) 2) do engagement pics with that photog (it will help you to get to know each other which will make shooting your wedding easier as they will know your personality)

keep in mind wedding pics aren’t like any other. You can have posed pics that don’t have you facing the camera full on which will help with the comfort level. The last pic was when my photog said something that made me laugh (again her personality was amazing, we really clicked and we had done an engagement session)

The style of photography to look for is a photo journalist. Hope that helps.

My photography may be considered a "friendor" by technicality. She is my FSIL's SIL. I actually hired her before I met her and hired her through my FSIL (who I can honestly say I am lucky to have as a FSIL). My FSIL came with FH and I to a wedding expo on January 27th and the photographers there were well in the 3-5k range. FSIL asked if we would like her to ask her SIL to do our photography and see what her price was we said ok. After the expo while FH and I were grocery shopping FSIL sent us samples of what her SIL has done, I should mention she is a professional photographer, and the price. It was a very good price and I like the pictures so I told FSIL to tell her she has the job and that is how I hired our photographer. I met her this past weekend at a birthday party for FH's nephew. She seems friendly and because the wedding is in 21 months and FSIL has three kids that means there will be atleast five more times I will see her before the wedding so I should be relatively comfortable with her by our actual wedding date. I don't think we will be doing engagement photos.

My photographer is a photo journalist, she only will stage photos I request her to other wise she told me to have a great wedding and she will take the photos around our night

View Quoted Comment You could really ask her to take a photojournalist approach to your wedding and explain your difficulty with taking photos. Just be clear in communicating your fears and the photographer should be able to help you.

View Quoted Comment That may work. I will ask her about it in August at the next nephews birthday.

My only suggestion would be to really think about if there are any "can't miss" shots from the day that you would be sad to realize after the fact weren't captured (e.g., the full set of older relatives together, you with a beloved aunt, the family picture that your mom is dreaming of). If there are, then you might want to at least talk with your photographer about how she might go about making sure you have those. The downside of true candids is it's hard to predict/manage exactly who is going to end up in the same potential shot at some time during the day, and guarantee the photographer catches that particular moment. There have been many posts from brides who ended up with lovely photos of the day, but were heartbroken they didn't end up with images that included specific people they were hoping for. I agree with pps that a great photographer can get "posed" shots that are very much candids.... Good luck to you!

PS -- my family was together at my nephew's wedding less than a month before our mom passed away. They aren't great pictures (because a relative took them, not a photographer), but you can imagine how much we treasure the pics of my mom with us from that day.

View Quoted Comment I am not too worried about not having pictures of certain relatives. I am not close to most of my family and only five members of my family are allowed to attend.

Most photographers have a mixed style these days. I'm definitely doing very few staged photos. I'm talking about maybe 4. His family. my family, the best man and MOH with us and me with my college friends

My photographers are documentary photographers, so almost all of the photos they take are candid. They’re a husband and wife team, so one photographer will be with me and my BMs and the other with FH and his GM throughout getting ready. I am so relieved to not have to do awkward posed “getting ready photos” or anything like that. They will have posed photos with the wedding party and family after the ceremony, but since they get to tag-team it they assured us it’s relatively quick and painless. For our engagement photo shoot, they’re having us actually go out and do something, so it’s not like we’re just randomly taking photos in a cornfield. I’d recommend searching for “documentary wedding photographers” in your area, or if you live on the east coast you could look into mine!

I would just keep in mind that if your photographer is a portrait photographer, she may not feel 100% comfortable doing mostly candids.

You’ll have candids difing the ceremony and reception but you’ll want a few formal portraits

View Quoted Comment Pretty sure if I wanted formal portraits I would know. This is exactly what my post is about the fact I DO NOT want formal portraits.

View Quoted Comment Lol. Do what you would like then. maybe google candid only wedding photos and click through entire albums. If a photographer is good, their photos will look candid and natural. it depends on your photographer’s style though and if she can capture enough photos with only candids. She should be able to if she’s a good photographer.

I suggest talking to her now just in case she can’t, you’ll want to find someone who can.

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As someone who's already married, I truly think you'd regret not having at least a few formal photos. A good photographer will be able to pose you so you don't feel awkward and to get the best finished product.

But to answer your question, no, I don't know anyone that's only done candids without a single posed photo.

View Quoted Comment This is what I meant. During the ceremony and reception ALL your photos are candid. She shouldn’t be posing you during the reception that would be weird. However that being said you’re only taking “posed” photos for like 40 mins before the ceremony of between the ceremony and reception

I was just talking about my engagement photos in another post and how awful they were because FH and I hate photos and we're really awkward when it comes to mushy photos. There's even a few where we look like we're being held hostage or something lmao.

I suggest getting comfortable with your photographer. It's easier to do photos with someone you kinda know and like rather than some stranger. Pick out a few poses you really want and let your photographer guide you. That's what they're hired for! And there's only a little bit of time where you're posing. That's just with family and friends, plus you and your FH. The rest will be candid during the ceremony and reception.

My fiance and I used to photograph weddings together. He would pose people for the more formal shots, and I'd be a bigger distance away with a telophoto lens. Some of our best shots were taken right after a posed photo, when people take that first breath and relax. I got a ton of great photos of the couples naturally laughing, or just being together in a way that photographers can't artifically create.
Look for a photographer that will bring an assistant and feels comfortable with this type of setup. That way you'll still be sure to get all the photos you want with your family, but still get some of the relaxed shots.

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We had a journalist photographer as well. He did a great job of getting a couple of the posed shots but, they were few and far between so we didn't feel too staged. Here are a couple of different shots he did for us through the day.