Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Wedding Week Countdown: Perfecting Our Photo Shot List

At long last, it’s time for our final two meetings before the big day!

We’ll talk with both our photographer and videographer this afternoon, reviewing the timeline and making final arrangements. Sure, we worked out all the vital details months ago, but there’s no way I’m letting our wedding day arrive without giving them both lists of the key moments we want captured on film.

A shot list is helpful to the photographer because it explains exactly what the bride and groom want captured. It’s equally helpful to the couple, as it ensures all of the most important memories are preserved.

Here, a glimpse at some of the highlights on our photo list.

Portraits

• Bride
• Groom
• Bride and groom
• Bride, with bridesmaids’ bouquets circling her face
• Groom with best man
• Groom with groomsmen
• Bride with maid of honor/sister
• Bride with bridesmaids
• Entire wedding party
• Bride with parents
• Bride with mother and sister
• Bride with mother, father and sister
• Groom with parents
• Groom with mother, father and sisters
• Groom with sisters
• Bride and groom with both families
• Bride and groom with groom’s family
• Bride and groom with bride’s family
• Bride and groom with both sets of parents
• Bride with grandparents
• Groom with grandparents
• Bride and groom with grandparents
• Bride and groom with both sets of siblings

Pre-Ceremony

• Bride, attendants and mothers getting ready
• Groom, attendants and fathers getting ready
• “First look” and portrait shots at Gardens of the World
• Ceremony site setup, with guests arriving and being seated

Ceremony

• Groom walking down aisle with parents
• Groom awaiting bride at front of church
• Best man walking down aisle
• Bridesmaids and groomsmen walking down aisle
• Maid of honor walking down aisle
• Wedding party awaiting bride at front of church
• Bride walking down aisle with parents, front view
• Bride walking down aisle with parents, back view of train
• Parents and grandparents watching the ceremony
• Exchange of rings and vows
• Readers speaking at podium
• Wedding kiss
• Bride and groom leading recessional
• Bride and groom’s hands displaying rings

Reception

• Bride and groom riding in golf cart
• Guests enjoying cocktail hour
• Dining room, set for dinner
• Entrance table setup and décor
• Cake and cake table décor
• Cake toppers
• Grand entrance of parents, wedding party, and bride and groom
• Bride and groom’s first dance
• Group pictures of guests at each table
• Bride and groom visiting guest tables
• Toasts being given, with bride and groom listening
• Slideshow, with bride and groom watching
• Guests dancing
• Bride and groom toasting their guests
• Bride and groom cutting cake
• Anniversary dance and slideshow
• Bouquet toss
• Garter removal and toss
• Group photo of our hardworking vendors

Are you giving your photographer or videographer a shot list? What are the top photos you just can’t live without?

12 comments:

  1. after the wedding I was just in this weekend, having the bridesmaids sit on the groomsmen's laps was the cutest picture!

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  2. Great list! I need to start working on mine, but it still seems so far away.

    Not for you, though! Eeeee!

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  3. For sure!! I am stealing this list!

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  4. I agree w/Princess Christy that doing something with bridesmaids/groomsmen together is fun! Given your venue, maybe shooting the bridesmaids/groomsmen playing golf or just posing with clubs?

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  5. Great list! You are so much more organized than I ever was. :)

    I cannot believe you are so close! I'm so excited!

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  6. So important to have a list like this for your photog...I don't know that I would have gone quite so extensive but I wish I would have done this for my day. I have a post coming on this later this week. :( Didn't turn out good for us. If you have ring bearer or flower girl, I would add that in to the list, too :)

    And you have actions happening during the day and groupings for portraits, but be sure to list specific locations as well if there are any that are important to you :)

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  7. Great list, I'm going to check it against my own to see if I'm missing anything/anyone important.

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  8. Everytime I see a cool wedding picture I make note to make sure I wont forget in the future. I am so "borrowing" your list too :-).

    ~lilian~

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  9. Crossing my fingers you get all the shots you want.

    We are missing well over half this list from our photos.

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  10. Wow - comprehensive! But thanks for sharing - takes some of the work away for us brides-to-be :)

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  11. Think we managed to get almost all we wanted, but to be honest I wouldnt have wanted the pics to take any longer than they did either!

    Only one I wish I had got was one of me & my sis on our own and maybe one of me, mum and my sis on our own.

    Hope you manage to get everything you want!

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  12. Hey, I came here to stalk your wedding colors and found this list!
    Love the recaps. And was happy to see purple in action.

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