Amazing wedding pictures don’t just happen, there are small things that go into the images to help take them to the next level. And you know what? None of my top five tips have anything to do with working out or changing the shape of your body. Nope, the things I consider to be most important are small things to take into consideration. While working out and eating healthy is important, let’s focus on appreciating who you are and loving the body you’re in. Besides, diet culture honestly has no place in wedding planning.
If you have read my previous wedding advice blog posts, you know I love talking about what to wear during your Houston engagement session. As well I showcase wedding venues in Houston that are simply stunning. One of my favorites being Iron Manor, it’s just a gorgeous venue with so many unique touches to it.
Practice Smiling with Your Eyes
I honestly prefer images where the bride and groom aren’t smiling. But this doesn’t mean they are glaring at the camera lens. No, it’s when the image doesn’t have a smile but the eyes, they are talking. Tyra Banks calls it “smising”, or smiling with your eyes. Since I am a nerd, I usually coach my clients to think about a happy thought, like they are Harry Potter, defending themselves against a dementor. It has become a “thing” at sessions, and it makes my clients laugh once they figure out what I am talking about! Also, keeping a smile in your eyes means your face won’t go limp–one of the reasons why people look like they have resting bitch face. So now you know! When a photographer asks you to not smile with your mouth, engage your eyes and think happy thoughts! Your images will look amazing!
Tanning & Orange Makeup?
Everyone wants to look like they have a glow on their wedding day. Sometimes this can be taken too far– and if you are not careful, you could wind up looking orange instead of tanned. Before my wedding I got spray tanned for my engagement session to do a dry run–I needed to see how dark I should go {not very} and when the perfect day would be to do it. Since I am extremely pale, I didn’t need much in the way of a spray color. Since spray tans wear off a bit initially, I figured out that I would need to be sprayed three days before the wedding. I sure as heck didn’t want to rub the dye on my wedding dress!!
So next comes makeup. If you are getting a spray tan, it might be a good idea to do a test run of your wedding makeup with your spray being done to make sure you don’t wind up looking like an oompa loompa. My personal preference is that less is more. It captures better on camera and you don’t look like someone else, you just look like an enhanced version of you.
Small Posing Tweaks
Not everyone is a born model, and that’s ok! In fact most couples I photograph swear up and down that they are awkward. They make funny faces. That the camera makes them nervous. Guess what? All their images look awesome and you would never know they are “awkward”.
So how do you fix a supposedly awkward couple? You need to know a few small tricks. The first one is to keep your elbows out a tiny bit when taking a picture. This way your arm isn’t flat against your body, making it look larger than what it is. So pop that elbow out. Next? Put all your weight onto one leg, preferably the leg closest to the photographer. It will scoot your booty back and give you photogenic curves. I encourage testing out this stance prior to the session in the shoes you plan to wear, so you don’t awkwardly fall over. Because these things happen!!
Next! And a personal favorite, pop a shoulder! Just raise it up a bit to give your shoulders a less square look. It gives your body curves and dimension. And if you want to get all flirty, turn your head towards the popped shoulder and drop your eyes. Magic!!!
Lastly, and the most common sense one, stand up straight. Tall guys tend to hunch or you have been playing with your cell phone so much you are used to hunching a bit. In pictures, this hunch is not very attractive, so lock in your core and stand up straight! Your images will look awesome because you did this.
Allotting Enough Time
I cannot tell you how many weddings I have photographed where the schedule for pictures between the ceremony and reception have been 30 minutes. 30 minutes for family pictures. And you know Aunt Barb is going to want a variate from the list you sent your photographer and add “just one or two more”. Then there are the wedding party pictures. And more times than I can count the best man has wandered off during family pictures to get a drink and cannot be found! It’s crazy! And then you are stuck with 5 minutes left of the 30 minute window you allotted and you two are left with three or four quick poses before you rush off.
My biggest piece of advice, to make sure you get those amazing wedding pictures you want from your wedding day, is to allot a minimum of an hour between the ceremony and reception for pictures. This does not include travel time to a new location. You just never know what might happen during the formal portraits with your family or best friends that will eat into your time with your newly betrothed. And those rushed images? There are always ones where there is stress in your eyes.
So let’s not stress!! Be prepared, allot a minimum of an hour, and think of all the fun things you can do with your new spouse. It will look amazing on camera.
Enjoy Yourself!
The thing that looks best in amazing wedding pictures? Your happiness! Don’t be so stressed out about everything that’s going to happen as it will show on your face. Be confident in the fact that everything is done now, that you made amazing choices, and it is time to party! Your wedding day passes so fast, by living in the moment, laughing with your friends and family, it will show in your pictures. And take it from me, those images you didn’t even know were being taken, of you laughing and having fun, those are the ones that pepper the walls of your home.
I would love to know what you think about these amazing wedding pictures! Tell me in the comments which one(s) you love the best.
Love my work? Want me to capture you and yours? Let’s talk!! It’s easy, my email address is Christine@swishnclick.com. Let’s have a heart-to-heart, get excited about the possibilities of your wedding or session and come up with a plan that is uniquely you! I want to hear from you!
