As a wedding photographer, I know that I get to experience all the amazing moments of a wedding day along with the newly wed couple. As I’ve reflected on all the weddings I’ve had the privilege to document, there are some moments that are my favorite to capture. You will see why!
All my 2018 couples opted to do a first look! A first look is the opportunity for the bride and groom to see each other before the wedding ceremony. Not only does it allow you to see each other before the big moment, but you can just soak in that moment – hug, kiss, tear up, all the feels! I recommend having a private first look away from the wedding party or family, so you can just truly be yourself. A bonus is that you can get some extra portraits taken before the ceremony when your hair and makeup are still fresh!
During the ceremony, so much is going on. As the bride or groom, you are focused on being in the moment, saying your vows, and looking adoringly into the face of your true love. One of my favorites images to capture is what I call the front row shot. This is an photo of the people in the front rows. I know that the people you love most in the world are sitting in those seats. They are witnessing a huge milestone in your life and feeling all the happiness in the world for you. These are moments that you may miss, but I love being able to capture those fleeting snapshots so you can relive them later.
There’s no denying the pure joy of marrying your true love. You have just been pronounced husband and wife. And the recessional is the time for you to celebrate and soak it in! I love seeing the smiles, the glee and the exhilaration!
Personally, I find that I will always cry during toast. I can’t help myself! This is the part of the wedding day where the ones you love plan and deliver a thoughtful toast to honor you, your life and your love story. They know all that you’ve gone through to get to this moment and they couldn’t be happier for you!
I recommend to all my couples that we take Husband and Wife photos! These are photos that we take at some point after the ceremony, and this set of photos are so fun! First off, you both are so much more relaxed because the busyness of the ceremony is over and you are just so happy to officially be married! This makes for some of my favorite portraits. And second of all, we can get those beautiful sunset images because the light is usual at it’s best during this time of the day!
Lastly, I can’t deny that I love all the details. It may seem trivial to capture, but these are part of your wedding day experience. You have spend months…maybe years planning out these details and investing money in these – your dress, your amazing shoes, the gorgeous flowers, the tablescapes. These are so important to complete your gallery so you can remember the wedding day entirely.
As a Seattle wedding photographer, these are my 6 favorite photos from a wedding day. But there are definitely more photos and moments from each wedding that are unique and different that I cherish as well! The laughs, the tears, the joy – I just love it all!