Smile for the Camera: Tips for Choosing Great Locations for Your Wedding Photos

You want your marriage to last forever, so you will also want to get timeless wedding photos that capture the essence of your special day. There are many photography styles and scenes to choose from depending on the theme and tone of your nuptials. Here are some tips for finding the right locations for beautiful and quality photos.

Hire a Wedding Photographer

While you may be tempted to let your cousin's boyfriend take the wedding pictures, it is probably safer to hire a professional. Check for relevant experience at weddings that will be similar to your venue and style. Ask to see other customers' albums or sample shots. Discuss your package options ahead of time for an idea of how to plan your wedding picture shoot along with locations and wedding party availability. A photographer with plenty of wedding experience can suggest angles, positions, and groupings to give you wonderful visual memories of your special day. They may also have ideas of photo locations they’ve used in the past that will suit your wedding.

Arrange Backup Locations

When planning the sites for taking indoor and outdoor wedding photos, check out the areas ahead of time to be sure they are suitable. For example, you might want to use the church's changing room for some close-up pictures of the bride preparing for the wedding. But if the room turns out to be too small or not well decorated, you may want to move to another location. Similarly, outside photos will depend on the weather and other influences. Sometimes unexpected intrusions, like background traffic noise while shooting a wedding party video, can ruin the effect.

Ensure Adequate Lighting

A professional photographer will bring along the requisite lighting equipment for indoor or outside pictures. But double-check the lighting options ahead of time if you have a last-minute change of location for some pictures or if the site's lighting turns out to be inadequate for any reason. For example, a country meadow might be selected six months before the wedding, but then when you go for the photo shoot, you discover new construction on the lot next door which dilutes the sunlight. Make sure the person with the camera can appropriately adjust lighting for pictures on the scheduled day.

Check Site Access in Advance

The wedding venue will be scheduled in advance, so no worries there. But for photo sites like outdoor parks or nature reserves, you may need to request advance access or secure formal permission to take pictures. Ask ahead of time to avoid last-minute complications.

Make your wedding picture perfect by planning ahead. Check out issues like these to have everything ready to get the best possible wedding shots.