As wedding photographers (or any wedding vendor), I think we forget that in most cases this is the first time our couples are experiencing planning a wedding. They don’t know the ins and outs like we do. Our job is to help prepare them before the wedding day so they can focus on getting married and having a blast.

We make timelines constantly during the wedding season. We know where we need to be and how long things take. We are thinking about how to organize everyone in a timely manner, hit all of your photo locations, and still get you into your reception on time. Sometimes I feel like I am overwhelming my couples when we chat on the phone because I am rambling on about little details that they just didn’t realize happen on a wedding day. There are so many moving parts and we want that day to go as smoothly as possible while coordinating with other members of your vendor team so everyone fulfills their obligations to the couple.

While A LOT of these things are covered in my Wedding Guide (which my couples receive after booking), I think everyone would benefit from these free tips (even if I’m not your wedding photographer). :)

1. Make sure all of the dresses are steamed the night before. It’s a huge time suck if we need to wait on this to be done especially the MOB or MOH’s dress. They typically help the bride get dressed and if we have to wait on them it can start to put us behind schedule.

2. PJ or Robe shots = Hair + Makeup finishes earlier. Look, no one wants to be the only one in the photos without their hair and makeup finished. I’ve had quite a few weddings where we had to wait for one or two bridesmaids to finish either hair or makeup before we could do robe shots. We only need a few shots of the bride finishing her hair and makeup so ideally, I would want the bride finishing up 30 mins after I arrive.

3. Take a video of how to bustle your dress. I set aside 10-15 mins before your reception introduction to have your dress bustled by your MOH or whoever you put in charge of this daunting task. I suggest getting a video so you don’t have to struggle with this and delay your introduction. Even if your MOH goes to your final fitting, she isn’t going to remember how to do it weeks later, with a few glasses of champagne in, and under pressure from the venue coordinator to get the reception started. Additionally, if it gets too challenging, people tend to just pin it up in frustration but we see the back of your dress during your first dance and forever in your photos. You paid to get the bustle done so let’s get it right and hopefully watching the video from the seamstress will make this easier.

4. Hold your ceremony kiss for 3-5 seconds. Self-explanatory ha. Just hold that kiss. Or I am just going to make you redo it at the altar after the ceremony.

5. Tell Dad what the heck a first look is. Last but certainly not least! I have seen so many clueless dads walk into a first look with a blank stare because they have no idea what is going on. So before the wedding day, tell them what a first look is and what happens. Next, we will make sure they know to be fully dressed and at the first look location 10 mins before we need to start shooting it.

Ok, I think that is it for now. I hope these tips help keep your wedding day stress-free! I know they will help your photographer feel less stressed lol.

Wow, it’s been a while since I have posted anything on here. So let’s reintroduce ourselves! I will go first…

Hi! I’m Jeannine, a wedding and lifestyle photographer in Pittsburgh, PA. Welcome, welcome! Say ‘hi’ in the comments.

Trying a new thing on this page so it’s more than just the pretty pictures of real wedding days, engagements and families. More of those to come since I have weddings from way back in 2020 to share still. But I want it to be a resource for clients and share tips/tricks with all of you that could make getting your photo taken a little bit easier. I know we don’t get in front of the camera as often as we like but we all love the results once we do! And when it comes to weddings, there are so many helpful tips and tricks to make sure you are getting the most out of your photography coverage.

I’ve decided to start a 5 Tips Series. I plan to share topics like ‘5 Things Your Groom Should Know Before the Wedding’, ‘5 Things You Wouldn’t Expect in My Camera Bag’ and ‘5 Details I Love Shooting the Most’. So here goes nothing! First up…

To pose or not to pose

I find that couples will mention wanting ‘candid shots’. Meaning the fun, laughing shots that you see a lot of when you search #engagementsession on Instagram. But *spoiler alert* - these are usually posed with prompts. Most couples aren’t skipping around Mellon Park on their own. True candid shots would be having your photographer hang back, no prompting, and document the couple as they interact naturally. There are absolutely photographers out there that rock this style. However, that isn’t how I operate and I find that most couples need direction to achieve the ‘candid’ vibe they are envisioning. We can create natural moments by giving you a prompt or an action! It makes couples stop thinking ‘Omg, I have a camera in my face’ and start thinking ‘Ok, I can walk and hold hands!’. I prefer to mix those types of shots in with the traditional poses too. Those are the shots that parents and grandparents always prefer. I guess they really just want to see your smiling faces :)

Here are some poses to try that will mix in candid prompts with classic smile shots.

1. Sneak up on Each Other

2. Pretend your hips are glued together

3. Piggyback Partners

4. Snuggly Prom Cuddles (then while they are here, ask them to look right at the camera and smile. This one is for the parents to hang on the wall)

5. You dip, I dip, we dip!

Have fun trying these out with your couples! It’s to get a pulse on how comfortable each couple is with different poses. It makes working with them on the wedding day that much easier!