Written with love, by Piper Stewart

There is so much that goes into preparing and planning for your wedding day that when that day finally arrives you will be drained! And when I say drained I mean you will be exhausted from putting all your efforts into making your wedding day amazing. And so the very last thing you will want to focus on is making sure your photographer captures all of the candid moments you desire. DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT forget to provide your wedding photographer a Shot List! Let me tell you why.

How my day went wrong

I got married in 2011 and spent so much energy preparing for my Big Day. And when it finally arrived I sighed a big sigh of relief. But I was so nervous that I couldn’t focus on any of the little details. You know those little details that turn out to be big details a few weeks later. Our photos finally arrived and to my dismay there were no photos of my favorite aunt, no photos of my kids with their grandparents, no photos of our Beautiful Candy Buffet. And guess what? No photos of our first grand entrance as Bride and Groom. Oh, and no photo of my veil because I was so nervous I forgot to put it on. Need I go on? And the worst part was that I didn’t even get to see the Candy Buffet during the wedding. Well, what could I say? I didn’t provide my wedding photographer a shot list, so he was not to blame. In fact, the photos that he captured were amazing. Out of all the planning that I did, I just wish I had taken a few more moments to prepare a Shot List.

It doesn't have to happen to you!

For you, my dear bride, it is not too late. Simply, go over with your photographer the type of shots that may be important to you and prepare a list. There are many things to consider so I will share some of them to get you started.

Pre-Wedding Shots

First, you will want to list all of your Pre-Wedding Photos. This will include you the bride as well as the groom and all of the wedding party as you are getting prepared. Here are a few popular shots, to name a few:

·         Bride getting makeup done by her
glam squad.
·         Bride’s dress on a hanger
·         Bridesmaids and/or Mother of the
          Bride assisting the bride in putting
          on her wedding gown
·         Groom putting on his tie
·         Father pinning the boutonnière on
          the Groom

Next, once everyone is dressed and ready to go you can have a little fun and capture silly moments with the bride and her bridesmaids, the groom and his groomsmen, and the parents of the bride and groom. And let’s not forget about the little people (flower girls, bell ringer, ring bearer, etc.)

Once the ceremony begins, usually an experienced photographer knows the important shots to take here. But do not assume! If you require a specific shot here, please let them know.

Before the Reception

After the ceremony, you will take all of your photos together. Here, time is of the essence as all of the photos will need to be captured during Cocktail Hour for your guests. So, things will go a lot smoother if your photographer already has a list. Here are some of the must-have shots.

·         Groom alone
·         Bride Alone
·         Bride and groom together
·         Bride and Groom with their immediate family
·         Bride and her bridesmaids
·         Groom and his groomsmen
·         Flower girl and Ring bearer (Bell ringer)

Intimate Moments

Last but not least there are all of the intimate moments at your reception. I feel it’s important to capture your grand entrance along with the wedding party’s grand entrance as you are being announced. And you will of course want to capture your first dance as a couple. Here are some intimate moments but not limited to:

·         The first kiss as husband and wife
·         The first dance with parents
·         Groom’s face as he sees his gorgeous bride
·         The toasts by the best man and maid of honor
·         The cutting of the cake
·         Close up of centerpieces
·         Close up of wedding décor
·         Close up of seating card display
·         Bouquet/Garter Toss
·         New Couple’s departure
·         Photos with close family/friends (grandmothers, godparents, etc.)

And these are just to name a few. Every bride is different, so you will want to list what and who is important to you. If you need help, feel free to discuss this with your wedding photographer. They usually have a set routine they follow when capturing photos. Your wedding day only happens once so be sure to capture all of these beautiful memories that are sure to last a lifetime.

All in all, my husband and I agree our wedding day was the best day ever!! Regardless of the little mishaps that occurred, including not having a shot list. As always Happy Wedding Planning!!