Chances are, you and your fiancé aren’t professional models, and maybe have a bit of anxiety about being in front of the camera on wedding day.

Trust me, I get it! Where do I put my hands? Do I look at the camera? What’s my most flattering side?

Let me help alleviate your worries.You are certainly not expected to be pros at posing, and it is within the expertise of your photographer to guide you to achieve natural, authentic, and memorable wedding portraits that you will love.

Forget those stiff, cheesy wedding poses! Here are a few wedding portrait questions answered from your New England and Vermont wedding photographer:

Where is the best location to take our wedding portraits?

As part of my wedding photography process, I like to do a quick scout of the venue and surrounding areas to identify great spots for your wedding portraits. Usually, I’ll ask the venue owner or coordinator for some recommendations, but here are my general guidelines for picking portrait locations:

• Somewhere that’s a little secluded — so you aren’t put on the spot by spectators
• Open space // epic backdrops such as mountains, lakes, fields
• Landmarks or buildings such as barns, inns, etc.
• Your suggestions count! Think about if there are any special places on the property that you love!

How should we schedule our wedding portraits into our wedding day timeline?

I suggest scheduling at least a half-hour with your wedding photographer to take photos of just the two of you. This can be before the ceremony if you choose to do a ‘first look’, or later in the day if you decide to go the more traditional route. Either way, consult with your wedding photographer to identify a spot in your wedding timeline to make sure you can check wedding portraits off your list — you won’t regret it!

How do we get natural-looking portraits and avoid those awkward and cheesy poses?

My first piece of advice for you is, first of all, to relax and have fun! You are, after all, celebrating with your best friend so GET GOOFY, hang out with each other, and enjoy being with each other among the whirlwind of the day.

Second, let your wedding photographer be your guide. They will direct you to the best light, the most stunning backdrops, and lead you with some prompts that will make your wedding portraits feel effortless, unposed, and completely authentic.

 

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Are there any items that you suggest we incorporate into our wedding portraits?

I always make sure to snag the bouquet and any other details but other than that, I leave this up to you! I love when couples incorporate a bit of their personality into portraits — whether this is a family heirloom, a musical instrument, or even your furry friends (they are family, after all)! Talk to your photographer about how you can best incorporate any special items into your portraits so they are the most meaningful and personal to you two.

We’ve never done this before! What are your biggest piece of advice?

My advice is to first and foremost ENJOY your day. It will go by in a whirlwind, so make sure you soak it all in! Rely on your talented vendor team to give you the best advice for planning, timeline, and coordination ahead of time. As your photographer, I will ensure that we create a timeline and checklist ahead of time to make sure we check all those boxes. When it comes to your wedding day, you’re marrying your best friend, so make it a party to remember and have an epic time!