First of all, while planning your wedding, think about where you will be getting ready and how many people are going to be there. Sometimes we arrive at a small hotel room with three or more bridesmaids, a hair stylist and make-up artist, parents of the bride and sometimes a videography team too! As a result there is no space to stand, and sometimes even breathe.

Try to cut the crowd down, so you can relax a bit, and so your photographer and makeup artist can do their work. Pick a getting ready location with good light; large windows are always a bonus for great shots.

To avoid any neon bras or plastic bottles photo-bombing your beautiful photos we recommend your bridesmaids place all their stuff in one corner, while getting ready.

It’s always a good idea to be ready half-an-hour before you leave, as your photographer will want to take photos as soon as you are completely ready. On your wedding day, everything will take longer than you think, from getting your hair done to getting dressed. And mishaps will happen (trust us!) so set a strict schedule that leaves extra time to deal with them without cutting into your photography session. We are always happy to assist with your wedding timeline for the best results.

Although you might feel more beautiful when bronzed, cameras tend to go crazy when picking up yellows and oranges. Even if you look merely sun-kissed in real life, you might look closer to carrot-hued in the photos. Avoid glitter and luminescent lotions that might look like sweat on pictures.

Plastic or flimsy metal hangers from your dry-cleaners can undermine a shot and can certainly take away from the beauty and elegance of the picture… try using a wooden or designer hanger for your dress/suit shot. This is a simple detail that so many people don’t even think about.

As you and your bridesmaids walk down the aisle, keep your flowers centered around your belly button. At the very least, keep your head up, even if smiling isn’t going to happen.

Fake smiles are not always flattering, but the same cannot be said for fake laughs. To relax and loosen up for a photo, let out a forced “Ha! Ha!” And then do it again. And again. It will feel pretty ridiculous but it will make you and everybody else laugh for real. And that photo will be a keeper.

Before posing for portraits, remember to breathe, roll your shoulders a few times to release tension. Your photos will reveal a relaxed and delightfully looking, you.

Rainy day is not a reason to be sad on your wedding. Have a pair of nice looking umbrellas on stand-by, for those unpredictable rainy-day shots. Transparent brollies look great in photographs.

Don’t be afraid to move in close when posing with your groom. Gaps that might not feel awkward during the shoot can be amplified in photos and look like there’s a lack of intimacy. Imagine there is nobody but the two of you in the whole world.

It can make or break your photos, so it’s important to plan your day to give your photographer the good stuff. Try not to plan your photos in the middle of the day, or early afternoon. Unless it’s overcast, you’re asking for trouble. If you are having an outdoor ceremony, plan it later in the day closer to sunset. The later time ensures the sunlight falls more evenly on the skin tones (no harsh shadows), and is consistent for both the bride and groom (so you don’t have one person in the light, and the other in shadow). At sunset, schedule in 10-15 minutes of down time for a mini photo session with your love. It will be nice to sneak away for a private moment and your photographer will LOVE you for it. Trust us.

Nothing looks more sad at a wedding than the guests hiding behind screens of their phones and cameras while a bride walks down the aisle. These screens will not only be an ugly distraction in the photos and will make the photo look dated in the coming years, but most importantly, it takes away from the special moment of the bride walking towards her groom. It’s not too much to ask of guests that they hold off from taking their own photos during the ceremony, and instead simply focus on the beauty of the moment and enjoy the occasion.

We recommend doing group photos right after the ceremony (parents, siblings, closest friends). It’s hard to corral a big group of people into a photo, so it helps a great deal if you have someone who will help organising the groups. Keep in mind that having more than 6-8 groups can get pretty tiring.

One of the most important parts of your wedding day is taking the time to make creative portraits of the two of you. Good photos rarely happen in 20 minutes, so allocate a reasonable amount of time to get them. We recommend at least an hour for your portrait session.

As busy as the day can be, remember to plan enough time to simply enjoy yourselves and feel the love. That’s what it’s all about anyway.

Your Happiness = radiance = beautiful wedding photos