A good wedding photographer does not need a shot list to cover the day; the essentials are muscle memory. A list is still worth writing, for two reasons: it tells your photographer which people and objects matter to you (the grandmother who flew in, the handkerchief from a first wedding), and it gets the whole family on the same page about formals. Here is the list we work from, organized by part of the day, with the ideas that make each section more than a record.
Getting ready
- Details flat-lay: rings, invitation suite, vow books, perfume, shoes, jewelry, heirlooms. Gather these in one box the night before.
- The dress or suit hanging in window light; shoes and accessories.
- Hair and makeup finishing touches, from behind the mirror if possible.
- A parent or friend helping with buttons, cufflinks, a necklace clasp.
- The first look at yourself in the mirror, fully dressed.
- Letters or gifts exchanged before the ceremony; the reaction while reading.
- The wedding party in robes or matching shirts, a toast, the walk out of the room.
- Idea: a “first look” with a parent or with the wedding party, separate from the couple’s first look.
First look and couple portraits
- The approach from behind; the tap on the shoulder; the turn.
- Both reactions, shot from two angles if there are two photographers, or in sequence with one.
- A quiet minute together with the photographer at a distance.
- Walking portraits, the forehead rest, the wrap from behind (see our posing guide).
- A wide environmental portrait that shows the location: the lake, the barn, the Capitol, the skyline.
- One frame of each of you alone, full length and close.
- Idea: a private vow reading at the first look if you are not writing personal vows into the ceremony.
Ceremony
- The venue empty, set up, before guests arrive; the altar, the programs, the aisle.
- Guests arriving and being seated; grandparents escorted.
- The processional: each attendant, the parents, and the entrance.
- The partner’s face as the other walks in. This is the shot. Ask the officiant to step aside at that moment.
- The handoff or embrace at the front.
- Wide shot of the full ceremony from the back; a shot from behind the couple facing the guests.
- Readings, music, the unity ritual, hands during the vows.
- The ring exchange, close.
- The kiss, from the aisle, with nothing in front of the lens; a second from the side.
- The recessional with confetti, petals or bubbles; the faces of the guests as you pass.
- A minute alone immediately after, out of sight of guests.
- Idea: a group photo of every guest from a balcony or ladder right after the recessional, before anyone leaves for cocktail hour.
Family formals
Write the list in groupings, largest first, with names, and give a copy to one family member on each side whose job is to find people. A typical list: couple with each set of parents; with parents and siblings; with grandparents; with extended family; then the same for the other side; then both families together. Fifteen to twenty groupings takes about thirty minutes. Keep step-family and divorced-parent arrangements in mind and tell the photographer in advance.
Wedding party
- Full wedding party formal, then relaxed; a walking shot.
- Each side separately; the couple with each attendant individually.
- Something with movement: a jump, a toss, a walk, a huddle.
- Idea: recreate a photo from the group’s history — a childhood photo, a college photo — with everyone in the same positions.
Cocktail hour and reception details
- The reception room complete and empty: tables, centerpieces, place settings, the head table, the cake, the bar, signage and seating chart, favors, the guest book.
- Candid guests at cocktail hour; the couple mingling if they attend.
- Exterior of the venue at dusk with the lights on.
Reception
- Grand entrance; the first dance, including the guests watching.
- Toasts: the speaker, the couple’s reaction, the room laughing.
- Parent dances; grandparents dancing; children on the dance floor.
- Cake cutting, with the first bite.
- Bouquet and garter if you are doing them; the catch.
- Open dancing, wide and close; the band or DJ; the late-night snack.
- A night portrait of the two of you outside, ten minutes away from the party. Streetlights, string lights, snow or rain all work.
- The exit: sparklers, a getaway car, or simply the last dance with the room cleared.
- Idea: a private last dance after guests have moved outside for the send-off — two minutes in an empty room with the band playing.
Ideas that depend on where you are
- Madison: the Capitol dome from State Street or the rooftop of Monona Terrace; the Memorial Union Terrace chairs; Picnic Point at sunset. See Madison wedding photography.
- Milwaukee: the lakefront and Calatrava wings of the art museum, the Third Ward alleys, the Hoan Bridge from the Summerfest grounds.
- Door County and the Driftless Area: bluffs, barns, orchards and the long golden light of a rural evening; see the Driftless Area page.
- Chicago: the Riverwalk, the Board of Trade from LaSalle, Olive Park with the skyline, the L overhead.
- Winter anywhere: snow at blue hour, a warm interior seen through a cold window, breath in the air.
Video changes the list a little
If you are also booking videography, add audio moments to the list: vows, letters read aloud, toasts, a parent’s advice, the officiant’s words. These are what you will want to hear in ten years, and they cost nothing extra to capture when the videographer knows they are coming.
Send us your list, or let us build one from your timeline.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to give my photographer a shot list?
Only for the things they cannot know: specific people, heirlooms, surprises and the family formals list. The standard moments of the day are covered by any experienced photographer without a list.
How many family photos should we take?
Fifteen to twenty groupings is a comfortable number and takes about thirty minutes. More than that and the formals start eating into couple portraits and cocktail hour.
What are the most important wedding photos?
The reaction at the first look or the processional, the kiss, a frame with each parent and grandparent, one great portrait of the two of you, and a candid moment neither of you knew was being photographed. Everything else is a bonus.
What time of day is best for wedding portraits?
The hour before sunset. In Wisconsin that is around 8:30 pm in June and 6:00 pm in October. If the timeline does not allow it, ten minutes at dusk during the reception works almost as well.
Should we do a first look?
If you want more portrait time and to attend your own cocktail hour, yes. If the aisle moment matters more to you than the schedule, skip it; a good photographer gets both reactions either way.
