Approximately 90% of future newlyweds ask the photographer the same question at their first meeting: “You’re going to tell us what to do and how to stand, right?” we prefer to work on the move and shoot short scenes. we tell the kids that they’re going to walk here and there, stop, hug, and so on. This way, the shots are as lively as possible, and the poses look natural.
A wedding photographer must be able to combine reportage and staged photography, working with the couple in the frame, helping with posing.
Many couples still worry and want to prepare for the shoot in advance. In this article, we’ve compiled several simple poses for a wedding photo shoot that any couple can easily replicate.
16 Easy Poses for a Wedding Photoshoot
- The groom stands in a comfortable position, and the bride approaches and embraces him from behind, touching his shoulder with her hand. Make sure the bride approaches slightly from the side so she can be clearly seen in the frame. This pose is perfect for a scene of the newlyweds meeting.
- This pose is very similar to the previous one, except the bride leans closer to the groom and rests her head on his shoulder. In this case, the shot should be taken from the side, otherwise the bride’s face will be hidden.
- The next pose follows quite logically if we’re filming the meeting of the bride and groom—the couple turns to face each other, and the groom finally presents the bouquet. We couldn’t find a schematic diagram for this, sorry, but a shot like this should be in a wedding series for the story to flow logically.
- The couple stands facing each other, with the bride placing her arms over the groom’s shoulders. These can be crossed or with her hands holding a bouquet. You can shoot from the front or from the groom’s back, capturing the bride’s smile and her hands in the frame.
Be careful here, as the bride’s dress may not always allow her arms to be raised high enough. The second point is to ensure the pose is comfortable for the couple, but only if there’s a slight height difference; otherwise, it will look unnatural. - A very simple pose without a bouquet: the groom puts his arm around the bride’s waist, and she places her hands on his chest. The hand furthest from the camera can rest on the groom’s shoulder or the back of his head, while the hand closest to the camera rests on his chest.
- The couple stands facing each other: the groom places his arm around the bride’s waist, the bride holds a bouquet in the hand closest to the camera, and her other hand may rest on the groom’s shoulder or chin.
In this case, the couple may gaze into each other’s eyes, tenderly touch their foreheads, kiss, or the groom may kiss the bride’s temple. - A very sensual and tender pose involves the groom embracing the bride from behind, around her waist or shoulders, while the bride holds her bouquet in front of her. Their foreheads may lightly touch, or the groom may whisper something sweet in the bride’s ear.
The secret is to hug the bride gently, not in a hug, but simply by lightly stroking her shoulders. This will send shivers down her spine and make her smile involuntarily. - Almost the same as the previous illustration, except the bride isn’t holding a bouquet. To keep her hands from dangling, she can hold the groom’s hands or cross them under her chest, as if hugging herself.
- Another beautiful pose features the groom with his back to the camera, while the bride faces him, hugging his arm. She can rest her head on the groom’s shoulder if it’s comfortable. Due to height differences, resting her head on the groom’s shoulder isn’t always comfortable for everyone.
- The couple is turned face to face, the groom holds the bride by one or both hands, he may also kiss her hands.
- Another incredibly sensual pose that’s great for portraits: the groom holds the bride’s chin and kisses her. It can be captured in motion: she looks into the frame, but he gently strokes her chin, turning her to face him, and kisses her. Besides the kiss itself, the “second before…” moment, when the faces are extremely close but not quite the kiss, is especially beautiful in the frame.
- A very simple pose that is easy for everyone: the bride and groom hug each other around the waist and walk away from the camera.
- It looks very tender in the frame when the bride embraces the groom’s face with her palms and presses herself against him to kiss him.
- The couple stands facing each other, the groom kisses the bride on the forehead. In general, in our opinion, it’s not necessary to always kiss on the lips during a shoot, especially since it doesn’t always look good on camera. The forehead, temple, and cheek are also very interesting places for kissing, so to speak.
- The simplest pose: the bride and groom holding hands and simply walking toward the camera. You can also shoot from the side; in this case, it’s best if the groom steps forward and leads the bride.
- The bride and groom stand facing each other, preferably holding hands. This is a standard pose, for example, for an outdoor wedding ceremony or exchanging vows. The couple stands facing each other, holding hands and lightly touching their foreheads, while the bride can look at the camera.
In general, as you already understand, there is nothing complicated in wedding staging; any of the poses given above can be modified or combined.
The most important thing is that the bride and groom feel comfortable in front of the camera. Sometimes a scene doesn’t work out, but that’s okay; you can skip it.
As always, We wish you easy preparation and a beautiful celebration!
Top 7 Life Hacks for a Wedding Photo Shoot poses
Beautiful wedding photos are a credit not only to the photographer but to the couple themselves. Follow our tips, and your photoshoot will go smoothly and you’ll be delighted with the results!
1. Watch your posture
You can have an incredibly beautiful dress, makeup, and hairdo, but all of this will fade into the background if you slouch in the photo. Therefore, posture is the first thing to focus on during a photo shoot. Keep your back straight and your shoulders back—this will make you look taller, slimmer, and more elegant.
And remember, a slight arch in your lower back will make your figure look more feminine, accentuating your silhouette. But there’s a fine line between good posture and an unnaturally straight back, which can make your pose look tense and stiff in photographs. To avoid this, watch your shoulders, don’t raise them too high, and try to elongate your neck—this will add grace to your pose.Don’t hold your breath while taking a photo, otherwise you’ll look tense and unnatural in the photo.
2. Natural poses
No “fake” poses from fashion magazines! And in general, we don’t recommend taking inspiration from fashion shoots—they’re designed to show off the beauty of clothes and accessories, not the model herself. Instead, look at real wedding photos —they’re a great way to see that you don’t need to be a perfect model to achieve beautiful photos.
During the photo shoot, try to imagine that you and your groom are alone, and no one is watching. Look into each other’s eyes, talk about something without looking at the photographer, and don’t be shy about showing emotion and affection for each other.
Of course, at certain moments the photographer may give you some pointers on how to turn or where to stand for the right lighting, but overall, try to act as naturally as possible. Be present in the moment – simply enjoy each other’s company, hug, kiss, and be silly.
3. Don’t look at the camera.
Of course, the photographer will guide you, but we’d like to remind you once again that during the shoot, don’t try to constantly look straight at the camera. Turning your head slightly to the side and at a slight angle to the camera will not only make the photo more interesting, but will also give your eyes a different sparkle.
This also applies to shooting with the groom. You’ll probably want to take a few classic portraits, the kind your parents would like to frame, but remember that the most tender shots are taken when you’re looking at each other or together in the same direction—not at the photographer.
4. Move slowly and smoothly
To ensure your photos are atmospheric and unpretentious, make sure your movements are smooth and unhurried. This way, the photographer will be able to capture several shots from different angles, and you won’t have to take multiple takes.
To enjoy the last moments of preparation, set aside extra time for shooting and never calculate the morning timing down to the minute.
Follow this rule during your photo shoot with your groom, too. Yes, some photos require dynamic action, with your hair flowing and your dress flowing beautifully—but during your walk, try to walk slowly and avoid any sudden movements. Don’t freeze in one pose, either—your movements should be fluid and unhurried.
5. The secret of an expressive look
If you want more expressive photos, smile with your eyes. When you’re in front of the camera, forget about timing, any organizational issues, stop worrying about whether important guests will be late, whether they’ll enjoy the buffet, or whether you’ve memorized all the moves for the first dance…
The bride’s pleasant thoughts and emotions are the key to tender, serene portraits. Instead, think about something pleasant: the upcoming meeting with the groom, how wonderful this day is, and how happy you are to be here and now. Imagine a smile, but try not to actually smile. Yes, it’s not easy, but the result will be an expressive and warm look in the photo.
Poor hand positioning can ruin even the most successful photo. While it’s the photographer’s job to monitor hands in the frame and offer helpful posing advice, the question of “where to put your hands?” remains relevant.
A bride’s bouquet often “saves” her, but it also needs to be held correctly, without straining your wrists too much. Here are a few more ideas for how to handle your hands during a photo shoot:
Place one hand on the shoulder or elbow of the other – here it is important to monitor the posture as a whole so that it does not become tense or constrained.
hold on to something with one hand, such as a railing, when going down stairs
adjust the curls of hair near the face or the veil with your hands
You can frame your face beautifully – in this case, you should gently bend your hands at the wrists and relax your fingers
7. Stop worrying about how you’ll look in photos
The more you try to look good in front of the camera and carefully choose your pose, the more constrained your body appears and the less natural your emotions become. When you try to control your every action and movement, it’s immediately noticeable in the photo. So try to get these thoughts out of your head.
Firstly, because you’re beautiful today – professional makeup, hair, and the perfect dress are doing their job. Secondly, even if there are some bad photos, you won’t see them anyway – that’s why the photographer spends hours selecting and editing the footage. But if you allow yourself to be yourself and relax, you’ll definitely have photos that capture feelings, genuine, lively emotions, and smiles – everything you want to preserve as a memento of this day!