Making a Wedding Day Shot List for Your Photos

Creating a wedding day shot list is so important before your big day. Your photographer should know exactly what to capture when it comes to the details. However, as experienced top New York wedding photographers, we know the ins and outs of weddings a lot better than you might. How does someone even make a wedding photo shot list?

When it comes to planning your wedding, you’ve already got a million other things to do. That’s why we thought it would be a good idea to provide a shot list template for couples. This way, you can add your own ideas into the shot list and still have everything covered.

A shot list is an absolute essential for your family photos. This will make sure that your family photo session on your wedding day is streamlined. You don’t want to waste any time not having a blast on your wedding day, so having a wedding day shot list will keep things in line.

The Beginning of the Wedding Shot List

There are several important photos to be taken at the beginning of the wedding day. Getting ready is a wonderful time during your wedding day. If you’ve got family and close friends around, your getting ready process is a really fun time. Plus, seeing your transformation with hair and makeup, or putting on a suit, can be wonderful in the context of your wedding story.

Bridal Photos on a Wedding Photo Shot List

• Having your hair and makeup done
• The hairstyle from the back
• Wedding dress being done up by parent or wedding party member
• Details of the wedding dress from the back
• Detail photos of the beading and pattern on wedding dress
• Full-length photo of the bride
• Accessories shots of jewelry
• Detail shots of the bride’s shoes
• Bride putting on her shoes
• Photo of the veil on its own
• Cheers with the bride and bridesmaids
• A shot of the bride holding bouquet
• Bride looking out the window

Groom Photos at the Start of a Wedding Day

• Full-length photo of the groom
• Accessories shots of watch, tie/bow tie
• Detail shots of the groom’s shoes
• Groom doing up his shoes
• Cheers with the groom and groomsmen
• Photos of the couple’s letters to each other
• Shot of the dress hanging on its own
• Groom looking out the window
• Parent or wedding party member attaching the boutonniere to the suit
• Portrait of the groom

First Look Photos on Your Wedding Day

The first look isn’t required on a wedding day, but it can be a beautiful part of it. It will also speed up your wedding day timeline quite a bit if you choose to go this route. Some couples prefer to wait until the ceremony to see their respective partner. Others go the first look route for a more intimate moment of seeing each other for the first time.

First look photography can be quite special and memorable for couples. It’s really your only chance to be alone on your wedding day. There are few opportunities on a day celebrating your love together that you’ll actually be alone. Consider a first look on your wedding day for your timeline’s sake, and if you would like a quiet moment together.

• Groom or partner standing by themselves
• Bride or partner approaching the groom from behind
• Shot from over the groom’s shoulder of the bride
• Photo from the side of the final first look approach
• Bride or partner tapping on the groom’s shoulder
• Groom or partner turning around to see the bride
• Bride and groom, or partners embrace each other
• Close up shots of couple’s reaction faces
• Couples reading their wedding letters to each other

Ceremony Wedding Photography

The ceremony wedding photography may vary depending on the type of ceremony. Jewish weddings, for example, have different requirements during the ceremony than a Christian wedding. For other celebrations like non-denominational weddings, there are a base list of shots to take during the ceremony.

These shots also depend on your venue’s policies during the ceremony. Many religious spaces have specific guidelines that photographers need to follow on the wedding day. Some churches won’t allow you to photograph beyond a certain point, for example. Plenty of spaces also do not allow flash in the midst of the ceremony itself.

Make sure to introduce your photographers to your officiant before the ceremony, preferably before the wedding day itself. Giving your photographer a chance to connect with the officiant ahead of time will increase the chances of everything going smoothly.

• Groom or partner standing at the altar
• Groomsmen or wedding party members lined up at the front of the space
• Shot of the room as they are seated
• Flower girls and/or ring bearer coming up the aisle
• Bridesmaids or wedding party members coming up the aisle
• Bride or partner walking up the aisle
• Groom or partner as they see their loved one come up the aisle
• Parent reactions as the bride or partner approaches
• Wedding party reactions as the bride or partner approaches
• Father or family member handing off the bride
• Couple standing together at the altar
• Officiant conducting the ceremony
• Any readings done by family or friends during the ceremony
• Couple saying their vows to each other
• Reaction shots of opposite partner during the vows
• Couple putting rings on each other’s hands
• The first kiss of the couple
• Stomping on glass
• Couple making their way back down the aisle
• Guests throwing confetti or rice
• Couple kissing or cheering under confetti

Wedding Party Photo Ideas

With your wedding party photos, you get to have a ton of fun. The people you’ve chosen to stand beside you on your wedding day are your best friends! Have some fun with them and create some beautiful wedding photos. There are tons of fun options for wedding party photos.

Depending on whom you’ve chosen for your wedding party, they may come up with their own fun ideas as well. Let loose and have some fun with your wedding party – they’re here to celebrate you today. 

• The whole wedding party together
• Just the bride or partner and bridesmaids
• Bride or partner with each individual bridesmaid
• Just the groom or partner and groomsmen
• Groom or partner with each individual groomsman
• The whole wedding party walking towards the camera
• Jumping for joy as a whole crew
• Couple kisses while wedding party looks on
• Pretend rose ceremony from the Bachelor/Bachelorette

Family Wedding Photo Shot List

A tip for couples: if you feel like certain family members may try to take charge of the wedding photos, having a shot list is an excellent resource for your wedding photographers. When we’re given a shot list, we can say “sorry, we have to stick to the list” to anyone who tries to get in your way.

Having a member of your bridal party wrangling family members for photos is also a great idea. Your wedding party members likely know your family a lot better than we do. It’s most probable that we don’t know their names by heart on a wedding day. Designate someone you trust to be able to wrangle people for the next photo on the list.

• Bride and mother
• Groom and mother
• Bride and father
• Groom and father
• Bride and parents
• Groom and parents
• Bride and siblings
• Groom and siblings
• Bride, parents, siblings
• Groom, parents, siblings
• Bride, individual siblings
• Groom, individual siblings
• Couple, all mothers, all fathers
• The Couple with respective partner’s parents
• Bride, groom, aunts, uncles
• Groom, bride, ring bearer, flower girl
• All family members group photo
• Bride’s family members group photo
• Groom’s family members group photo

Couples Portrait Wedding Photo Checklist

The couples portrait session will hopefully come naturally after you take engagement photos with your wedding photographer. That being said, it can be easy to forget everything you’re doing. It’s your wedding day, after all – there are a ton of things going on already! Your wedding photographer will be able to guide you through the couples photo session.

The most important thing to remember when it comes to your couples photos is not to stress. Take them in a private location if you are a camera-shy couple. These photos are for you and you only. If you feel weird about having your photo taken, just remember: this day is all about you and your love story.

If your partner is camera-shy, calm them down with some happy thoughts. One example is the fact that you just got married! That is so awesome. Remind your partner of happy times like your first date, and how far you’ve come in your journey together.

• Individual portraits of each partner
• Couple faces each other
• Couple dances together
• One partner stands behind the other and rests head on partner’s shoulder
• Couple walking towards the camera
• Couple walking away from the camera
• Partners kissing each other on the cheek
• Partner kisses on the forehead
• Partner kisses behind ear
• Couple poses for a dip
• Partner twirls under the other’s arm
• Cheering/celebrating their new marriage

Reception Wedding Photography

The reception is the point of the day where you get to completely stop thinking about your photographers. We’ll be in the background making sure we get all the right shots. All you’ve got to do is focus on having a fun time for the rest of the night. Let your photographers do their thing for all of the momentous occasions during the reception.

You might notice that your photographer isn’t taking as many photos during the eating portion of the reception. This is because people aren’t particularly photogenic during meals. Would you like a ton of photos of you chewing food? The answer is most likely ‘no’.

Instead, this is a great time for your vendors to eat as well. They’ve been working hard all day making sure everything goes off without a hitch. It’s likely that they’ve been on their feet for most of the day and probably haven’t eaten. This is a brief period of downtime where your vendors can take a step back.

• Wedding party being announced
• Couple being announced
• The first dance with each other and respective parents
• Couple and friends dancing the night away
• Guests enjoying themselves
• Speeches being given
• Couple reacting to speeches
• Kissing for clinking wine glasses

Important Wedding Day Detail Shots

These are small details on your wedding day that aren’t necessarily momentous, but add to the story of your wedding. You’ve worked so hard and put thought and care into every last detail. We’ll make sure every hand-picked detail is captured so you can look back on the wonderful work you put into planning your wedding.

• Photographs of the wedding rings
• Bouquet and boutonniere shots
• Photos of the altar decor
• Pictures of the floral arrangements
• Shots of the ceremony space empty
• Photos of the reception space empty
• Every appetizer that comes out
• Any special drinks the bar may have made
• Venue from the outside
• Couple of the photo outside the venue
• Important mementos
• Invitation stationery
• Menu stationery
• Name cards, signs
• Table settings
• Wedding cake
• The guest book
• Photos of each course of the meal

Your Wedding Photo Shot List

When putting together your wedding photo shot list, just remember two things: your wedding is your wedding, and not everyone’s wedding is the same. Every couple has different needs and different relationships with those around them. Consider what you really want on your big day when putting together your wedding day shot list.