I know that the thought of being in front of the camera is a bit nerve-wracking! (I’m honestly completely the same!) But through my 5 years as a wedding photographer I’ve picked up plenty of useful tips when it comes to wedding portraits to make you feel as relaxed as possible and to get natural and beautiful portraits.

In this guide, I’ll give you a walkthrough of what happens during your portraits, what to expect, some FAQs and some ‘poses’ (I hate that word, but I’ll explain more later!)

My approach to wedding photography is always natural and relaxed and the portrait section of your wedding day is no exception.
Your portraits usually consist of a 30 minute, causal walk around together. I will guide you on the day and give you a couple of prompts and tips for having your photo taken, but overall most couples see this part of the day as a nice ‘breather’ and often just enjoy getting to spend a quiet few minutes together!

Around one month before your wedding day, we will have a catch up and look at the timeline of your wedding day together. I can then let you know when the best time for your portraits will be. Typically, we will try to take your portraits after your meal and speeches but before your evening reception for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, weddings are a long, busy day so I want to make sure that you’ve both had something to eat and a sit down before we go for your portraits (plus, a couple of drinks down you won’t hurt too!). It’s also a good idea to plan your portraits for after your speeches – you want to be relaxed and not feel as though you have to rush back for anything!

I want you to enjoy this part of the day and it be a nice memory for you both. By this point of the day, you’re both usually wanting a quick break from the wedding party! I’ve heard couples often say the portraits are the first time in the day they’ve had time to spend with each other and have a moment to take in the day!

Your portraits are a great opportunity to get away from the hustle and bustle of your wedding and spend some quality time together.

I try to take you away for your portraits at a time when your guests are preoccupied and they don’t really notice you’re gone. Usually when they’ve gone for a freshen up before the evening ‘do or are busy catching up at the bar! So don’t worry if you’re not comfortable with the idea of having an audience for your photos.

I also politely ask any guests who want to watch you having your portraits taken to leave – I know it’s not nice to feel like you’re being watched! I want you to feel as relaxed as possible and enjoy the moment without an audience – even if they mean well!

Throughout the day, I am always trying my best to take note of the weather and if we need to move your portraits around because of bad weather I will let you know. There’s a fantastic site called Accuweather which is great for weather forecasting and can even tell you when it’ll start and stop raining!

I always bring a nice, plain white umbrella with me for you both so if it is just raining a little, we can still go out and get some great photos. I personally really like portraits in the rain! The umbrella acts as a prop that you can snuggle under and you can get some really romantic photos. I also really love a cloudy day for photos! I know some couples can be disappointed if it isn’t bright sunshine on their wedding day, but clouds act as diffuser for the sun, and make the light soft and even.

However, if the weather really isn’t great I will take your portraits inside! I love getting the details of your wedding venue in your photos and there can be plenty of creative options for great portraits indoors.

Golden hour is amazing for photographs, and one of my favourites times of the day. For those who don’t know, golden hour is when the sun is setting and creates beautiful golden light that makes portraits look extra magical.

If you really want golden hour photos, the light only lasts a couple of minutes sometimes so be prepared to go quickly! I’ll keep my eye out and let you know when the light is just right. It might mean leaving a conversation suddenly or coming back to finish your dessert, but it’s totally worth it!

Unfortunately though, golden hour in the UK is very fickle and doesn’t happen that often. The weather conditions have to be just right and if it’s too cloudy, it’s likely you won’t get a golden hour.

There’s no need to be frightened by the word ‘pose’ or ‘prompts’!
It’s my job to gently guide you both during your portraits with some poses & prompts. Don’t worry! This isn’t anything dramatic or cheesy! They are often very subtle touches that bring out the best in you for your photographs.

Here’s a few overall tips for having your photo taken:

·        Stand very close to each other! More than you normally would. I find that sometimes gaps between people on photos make it look as though you’re trying to lean away from each other!

·        If you don’t know what to do with your hands, a simple trick is just to make sure you are touching each other, and your arms aren’t just by your sides. For example, put your arms around each other’s waist, rest your palm on your partner’s shoulder, hold hands.

·        Don’t be afraid to move around! Movement makes photos look extra amazing. Even just swaying together, moving your hair, adjusting the skirt of your dress – all these little movements add an extra dynamic to your photos even if they are subtle.

·        And most importantly, try to relax and enjoy this moment. If you are naturally laughing, chatting and joking with each other I’ll be able to get loads of great natural photos of you both!

·   Walk towards me whilst looking at each other. Make sure to walk fairly slowly. You can hold hands, or snuggle really close and hold waists whilst you walk. A fun variant of this is when I’ll get you to walk holding hands, and pull towards each other, causing you to ‘bump hips’, sounds daft but it makes people laugh and I get lots of good action shots!

·  Have the taller partner stand behind so their chest is against your back. Wrap your arms around each other tightly. You can look back at each other or snuggle in romantically. Put your hands on top of each other and show off your new rings! You can also run up and pick your partner up to make them laugh!

·  Super easy and self-explanatory! Just simply turn to face each other (so your feet are pointing towards each other). I’ll then ask you to chat about your wedding day so far and photograph those in between moments when you’re laughing with each other. You can also lean in for a kiss or just look at each other. Make sure your arms are wrapped tightly around one another. This is a great pose to show off your bouquet too!

· I love this one for showing off the beautiful back of a dress and the train! Hold your bouquet upside down for an effortless look. You can also lean your head on your partner’s shoulder, or take a few steps walking away from me to add a bit of movement.

Sitting Down

· Steps are great for sitting down photos! You can turn your legs to the side and lean back against your partner and cuddle in. Or you can both have your legs facing me and turn your heads to each other.

· This pose is great for wider shots where I can capture more of your surroundings and your venue. It looks super cool, timeless and all you have to do is hold hands whilst facing me, and take a step apart from each other.

· Simply jump on your partner’s back and have them walk forward slowly. Wrap your arms around tightly and cuddle in. Or, lifting your partner up romantically makes a great shot!

I hope this guide has helped ease any worries you may have had about your wedding portraits. I’ll be there to guide you on your wedding day too. Just remember to relax, enjoy the moment and don’t overthink things!

All of these tips can also apply to engagement sessions. If you’re interested in learning more about engagement sessions and how to book one, you can read more below.
You can also browse my Instagram for wedding portrait inspiration!