6 Tips to Feel Comfortable and Confident for Your Wedding Photos

On this blog, I am going over 6 tips to feel comfortable and confident for your wedding photos!

Get to Know Your Photographer

Make it a priority to get to know your photographer so that you will feel more comfortable when it is time to capture those photos. As a photographer, I love getting to know each couple I work with!  Spend time researching their work, values, and personality.

Book an Engagement Session

One easy way to do this is to start with an engagement session. Phone calls and meetings can only tell you so much! An engagement session is a great way to see how your wedding day photography might actually be. 

You will get to spend more time with your photographer while gaining familiarity in front of the camera. Make jokes and have fun with each other and your photographer! When your photo session doesn’t feel as formal, your personality will shine through. With the right photographer, you will feel confident and relaxed without a lot of extra effort. 

Find Inspiration

If you are feeling especially nervous, it doesn’t hurt to do some of your own research regarding pose ideas. Start pinning some poses and photos you like on Pinterest. Then, save even more ideas on Instagram from your photographer’s work. Your photographer will guide you when it is time for wedding day photos but this will help you have an idea of what you feel best with. You will probably chat with your photographer about pose ideas and what you feel comfortable with beforehand. So, don’t worry! You are not blindly walking into your wedding photography session.

Turn on Some Music

The music doesn’t have to wait for the dancefloor. Bring a portable Bluetooth speaker, and turn on some music for portions of your wedding photography. Some music can help you not overthink during photos and your joy will be clear on camera! If you know you can feel shy or anxious during photography, music can block all outside distractions out. 

Focus on Each Other

Yes, your photographer, their camera, equipment, and possibly their second shooter (assistant) will be there. Remember, these are professionals! Just focus on your partner. In fact, your photographer wants you to ignore the camera and everything else! Capturing your wedding photography takes time and you will want to enjoy it. Allow yourself to forget about everything else, simply being in the moment. 

Change Your Outfit

If you don’t feel comfortable in any portions of your wedding attire, why not change out of it for photography? You might be thinking “Whaat?!” I’ll explain. This doesn’t mean you won’t have photos in those amazing outfits you planned! Take some photos in those outfits and then change your outfits to make you feel more comfortable for other photos. This could look like something as simple as switching your heels for flats or taking your hair out of an updo (talk to your hairstylist about this beforehand.) Your photos will look wonderful either way!

Choose the Right Time

I saved arguably one of the most important tips for last. In order to feel comfortable and confident for your wedding photos, timing is crucial. Here are some wedding photography timeline points to consider.

Make Sure You Have Time To Eat

You need to sit down, relax and eat the food you have carefully selected from your caterer. Whether this means taking a break during photography or scheduling it at a different time, this is so important. Your wedding is such a busy day so it is easy to run out of energy quickly. Eat a meal, enjoy a drink, and don’t forget to sip on some water throughout the day. 

Pro-tip from a wedding photographer: Work with your wedding planner to make sure a plate of appetizers is brought to you straight after the ceremony. While you will most likely be capturing some photography then, you can snack in between photos.

Schedule your photos so that you can still enjoy the full event.

Nothing is worse than couples missing large portions of their wedding because they were capturing photos! Yes, photography takes time but make sure it is scheduled so you don’t miss out on anything important and fun. Maybe this means you schedule a first look, capture family and wedding party photos beforehand, or even schedule a newlywed session the day after the wedding. 

Research the Sunset Time

If you love golden hour and sunset photos, make sure you research the time and compare it with the number of hours your photographer will be there. You won’t want to feel rushed or disappointed when is time for these popular wedding photos! This can also help you plan your timeline accordingly for programming. 

Did you love these tips? You will love learning about these 10 wedding photography terms next!