Our photographer is asking us to tell her "what is most important to you both from your photographs"

Decide if you want more of certain romantic posed shots. Also, there can be photos getting ready for the wedding. For the reception, you may want candid shots or possibly posed with people at the tables. Were there certain types of shots that the photographer's portfolio would be ones like you would want to have?

Some examples we wanted were I wanted a picture with me, my mom, and my maternal grandmother all together in a formal photo, we wanted a picture of my husband leading me through tall grass (attached, hard to explain), a picture of my mom putting on my veil, and I had a vision of a picture near dusk of my husband and I, alone, looking at the lit up reception venue in the distance with everything in it.


The photographer will get the pictures of you two looking in love, and your first kiss, or your first dance of course, but the "must have" shots are more specific ones you'd be a little sad if you didn't end up having, but your photographer wouldn't immediately think of to take

Ask for clarification. That is an open ended question that can be interpreted a million ways. Do they mean style or poses or something else entirely? Find out that first before you answer.

Fill in the blank: "I would bawl my eyes out and want my money back if our photographer didn't get a picture of ______."

Start with the basics: first kiss, first dance, vows, your train spread out, veil flowing in the air, whatever part of the day you're most looking forward to and really want pictures of to hang in your home. Then think about how you'd like to remember your guests: Mom crying as you walk down the aisle, Grandma twirling on the dance floor, Aunt Suzie laughing, things like that. Finally, think about the tone you're hoping to have for the day: people looking sentimental, people looking like they're having fun, that kind of thing.

Ours asked us this too, and I think it's actually a really great question. If a certain pose is important to you, you'll list that. If a certain detail has special meaning, you'll list that. If there's a part of the day that you're most excited about, you'll list that. It's a way to see what you as the client are looking for from them. Photographers know that you want a shot of the first kiss, walking down the aisle, saying your vows, etc., but this gives them a sense of what part of the day you want them to capture and the overall feeling you're looking for as you look back on the day.

I saw someone in here say something recently about not getting as many photos of their guests as they wanted/expected. I had thought that was obvious, but apparently it’s not for every photographer! I think their photographer had really focused on the couple and close family or the wedding party with just a few shots of the other guests sprinkled in. So if that’s important to you, I would definitely add it to the list just in case!