The Biggest Wedding Photo Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

Your big day is going to have you running around, but you’ll also want things to go smoother than smooth. The last thing any bride wants is to think about flubbing something for the photographs. With the noble goal of perfect pictures in mind, we’ve gathered a quick list of the biggest wedding photo mistakes and how to fix them before they even happen.

5 Biggest Wedding Photo Mistakes to Avoid

Looking directly at the camera all the time. You’ll want to capture unstaged authenticity, but the natural instinct for many can be to be hyper-aware of a camera, feeling the need to stop what you’re doing and look right at it. Practice staying focused, in the moment, and fight the urge to put on a pose. If you find yourself always looking for the camera, work on refocusing your attention deliberately to your partner, your guests, the cake, etc. and purposefully pull your eyes away.

Not creating a finalized schedule. It may seem like more detail work, but not developing and sticking to a schedule for photos on the day can wildly throw your plans out of balance. Some lights are better than others for certain pictures, and some shots have to be given enough time to set up for. Sitting down with your photographer and developing this schedule will go a long way to not feeling like you’re winging it the day of, and making sure you stick to that schedule will ensure everything you want documented is done so smoothly.

Not protecting the professional shots. Of course, your guests (especially close family) are going to want to take their own pictures during your ceremony, but those shots and cameras can very easily get in the way of your professional and ruin many shots. It’s recommended to put up signs or notices around certain areas of the venue, and have the master of ceremonies remind guests before the ceremony begins to refrain from taking their own pictures or to be aware of the line of sight for your photographer.

Not hiring a high-quality professional photographer. Wedding budgets can certainly be tough, and some couples will look to skimp on hiring a professional photographer that’s a good fit. Generally, when it comes to documenting your biggest day, you get what you pay for, and that bargain photographer or friend of a friend came to you so cheaply for a reason. You’re going to want to look back at your wedding photos with pride and happiness, so you’ll want to make sure you are choosing quality and a photographer you feel comfortable with.

Worrying versus enjoying. Bottom line: Your wedding day is your day, and it’s once-in-a-lifetime for the two of you. If you want happy, relaxed, loving photographs, don’t forget to allow yourselves to stay happy, relaxed, and loving. One you set out the details and expectations, your professional photographer is there to ensure they get the shots – your job is to go get married without a worry!

Planning a wedding can certainly be a lot, and you want your pictures to capture the essence of your day. Get all the scheduling and details ironed out ahead of time, and when your big day comes, your photographer will have all the perfect shots of your happiest moments.