So you want to look more natural in photos. And you want to be posed in a flattering way.
I gotchoo.
Watch this video for a few of my go to tips to look more natural in photos:
Tips for looking better and more natural in photos
What makes you uncomfortable in front of the camera? Spill that tea, honey.
I want to help you get comfortable and confident with a camera in front of you.
XX
Are you looking to do something different at your wedding reception?
Keep reading to learn my top tips for a perfect wedding reception.
(Above photo not taken by me, it was taken by Jerome cole in Australia)
You know how much I love champagne pop photos. Ugh, they are everything. But what if all your wedding guests had mini “champagne” bottles of non-alcoholic rose (so kids can participate) and sprayed toward the couple during your send off? Another option is having gorgeous bottles that are filled with sparkling or regular water to avoid getting sticky. (But like, y’all could take a sexy shower together on your wedding night to get things going 😜)
Water drops photograph in the most magical way. And if your photographer is seasoned, they’ll know how to photograph and direct some epic wedding exit photos using “champagne” pops.
Tips for photographer: make 2 aisles like you would for a sparkler exit. Space everyone close enough that you’ll see the water spraying but far enough that the couple won’t get soaked. When the couple is ready to come out, have everyone shake their bottles aggressively. Direct wedding guests to get ready and have their thumb cover the top after removing the lid and shake the bottle toward the couple. Make sure they understand this is NOT a water fight and that they are not to intentionally soak the couple (make sure the extra drunk ones are clear on this) but are to enthusiastically spray toward the couple, shaking the bottle around to create a sprinkler effect. Backlighting with a flash would make these shots extra freaking epic.
An artist corner is a unique reception idea that you can put your own spin on.
Have a photo of the couple and instruct everyone who visits the artist corner to recreate the photo with the art supplies provided. Have a space on the bottom the guest can leave a note for the couple on. And you can have a gorgeous scrapbook they can place their creations into, giving you the ultimate wedding gift you can look back on to remember your day.
Temporary tattoos with photos of the wedding couple. One wedding I photographed was of an artist who does illustrations, while her husband is a tattoo artist. She had her illustrations turned into temporary tattoos and a tattoo station for guests to apply the tattoos and have a photo opp.
Origami station. Wedding guests can make origami creations with wedding themes.
Snowflake station. Having a winter wonderland wedding? Have a snowflake station! Your guests (kids especially) will love getting creative with snowflake designs during your reception, and you can have them given to you to hang up, or let them take the creation home to remember your day.
Ok. Hear me out. Pizza instead of cake?
When was the last time you had a slice of wedding cake that was so good you can remember every subtle flavor it had and almost passed out it was so good? Never? (If you have, leave it in the comments).
Ok now think about a super cheesy slice of pizza bursting with flavor and gooey cheesy goodness. Now you’re hungry, right? So why not have something you and your wedding guests actually want to eat?! And the wedding photos will be SO SICKKKKKK. It’s way more fun putting a piece of pizza in your partners mouth then having 100 guests watch as you put a forkful of cake in your partners mouth. Both of you can go at the same time for an epic photo. Also, can we do the math on how many pizza boxes cost the same as a 3-tiered wedding cake? Like, pretty sure every family could take an entire box of pizza home with them. They’ll remember that forever.
Have you ever played the donut game? Where you put donuts on a string, attach to two sides, and make everyone eat the donut without using their hands? We did this game at every birthday party growing up so it’s extra nostalgic for me.
You could do the donut game instead of wedding cake or just include it as a wedding reception activity. Make sure you have some epic prizes for the winner. Everything is more fun when it’s competitive.
Weddings should be a PARTY and who doesn’t love a little adrenaline rush?
Consider having carnival rides at your wedding for the most memorable wedding reception!
A mini Ferris wheel is the ultimate romantic ride while swing rides will give your guests a nice rush. Top it off with free carnival treats like cotton candy and your guests are sure to put your day into their top core memories.
My sister had a karaoke section at her reception and it was SO.MUCH.FUN.
By separating the karaoke into its own room you won’t disturb guests who would rather not hear your loud rendition of “spice up your life”. And you’ll keep guests entertained for hours, whether they choose to sing or just listen.
Do you have unique wedding reception ideas to add to this list? I’d love to hear them!
Happy Sunday!
About the author: Jules (Datura photo) is a top rated wedding and elopement photographer in Utah county. She is also a utah engagement, maternity, child, and family photographer in Utah.
Part of wedding planning is wedding dress shopping. And you want that dress to be PERFECT, right?
But have you thought about how your dream wedding dress will photograph?
Before you splurge on your gown, read tips for the best wedding dress photos possible.
Are you looking at wedding dress photos on Pinterest or magazines? Now think about those images. Are you saving dresses that are modeled by someone with a similar body type to yours? Or does the model have a totally different build? Every style and fit of wedding gown will look different on every body depending on height, size, where you carry your weight, how big your bust is, etc. So you may be falling in love with a style you love on the models body that you will hate on yours. That doesn’t mean your body is wrong or bad. It just means there are better options you will feel like a goddess in.
I’ll use myself as an example. I’m 5’2”, curvy but athletic build, big butt, and my waist, although not tiny, is proportioned quite smaller than my hips. My least flattering part of my body is my lower stomach, upper thighs, and backs of my arms. My most flattering part of my body is my neckline, shoulders, back, and waistline proportions in comparison to my hips.
That means I will feel best in something that accentuates my best, most flattering features, and takes attention away from the areas that I would feel self conscious about.
take this dress as an example. It’s a simple and inexpensive dress, form fitting but not supportive, has a plunge neckline and flounce sleeves. It also has a fairly high slit on the leg, especially high on my 5’2” stature. (I had also just eaten a big meal at a Mexican restaurant & ive gotta say, while I DONT recommend eating a big meal right before wedding pictures, nobody would’ve known if I was in an a-line…just sayin.)
The dress on the model vs the dress on my body:
Um. Hmm. Yeah, um, uh… yeah, no. It draws attention to areas I’m self conscious about. It doesn’t show off my favorite features. I literally had to try folding my boob in half. You can see how bloated I am from dinner. Like, it’s just a mess.
Now look at the wedding dress below.
1000% better for my body as it shows off my neck and shoulders, accentuates waist area, and hides the areas I don’t love. (A-line dresses ftw amiright?)
See the difference a dress can make?
Like, are those people even the same person? Cause I’m not sure.
Below is my body type in regular everyday clothes. And somehow the first dress brought out all the parts of my body I wouldn’t even see normally. And it exaggerated them.
Take your least favorite part of your body. Think of the one thing you would be most self conscious about.
Make sure that part is the least accented and most balanced
for instance, if you’re self-conscious about bigger breasts, they can be balanced with a v-neckline, drawing the eye upward and balancing the bust area.
Think of 2 parts of your figure you like or aren’t self conscious about.
Make sure that your wedding dress shows off those 2 features.
additional info on different fits:
A-line dresses are universally flattering, showing off the smallest part of your waist, and then flowing toward the hips in an A-shape. If you’re self conscious about your stomach area, a-line is a great option. (But it’s honestly so universal)
Plunge necklines show off neck and bust area in the sexiest yet classiest way. Plunge necklines tend to work well for bigger busts as they draw the eye up to your face, creating balance.
Mermaid and trumpet style (fit and flare) wedding gowns are sleek and form fitting gowns that will show off your curves. Don’t mind your stomach area and love your butt? Fit and flare will help you show that off. Keep in mind all your wedding photos will be focused on showing off your figure, so make sure you see yourself from every angle and feel sexy as hell. Note, if you are petite and want to look super elongated while showing off your figure, a fit and flare dress might be right for you as well. But if you’re a fit and flare lover, keep in mind you’ll have a harder time walking and sitting in your dress. But if you love the dress… WORTH IT.
Long lengths and long trains give length, especially if you’re a shorter bride.
Sheath dresses look beautiful on dainty bodies that have very little curve, but if you do a sheath dress, make sure it has beautiful detailing (more on that in tip #3)
I’m a big fan of a-line dresses. And there are literally thousands upon thousands, if not millions, of a-line wedding dress options. Basically, a-line dresses give everyone an hourglass body, and then you can decide on sleeves and neckline after choosing your silhouette based on your best and least favorite features.
Wedding dress designer Justin Alexander has an awesome plus size campaign, which I love, because it shows more body types in various wedding gown styles. That will help more brides envision themselves in the right gown for them.
So (tldr), if you’re researching wedding dresses online before trying on in person, make sure the models you’re viewing share your body type to save you time and heartache.
I love movement in my photos. A sweep tulle train, a long lace train, layers of tulle or organza, anything that has fabric that would move around if you spun in a circle is great for wedding photography. If you don’t have a flowy dress (or even if you do), ADD A VEIL. Even if it’s just for your bridal photos. There is so much artsy goodness a veil adds! You don’t have to wear it on your wedding day, but please bring one for photos. (I always try to bring one with me too). Take these photos, for example. See the difference?
Without a veil is still gorgeous.
But then LOOK AT THE DREAMY YUMMY MAGIC A VEIL ADDS.
Beautiful beadwork or lace can add a lot to your photos. Textures are everything in photography. They give dimension. When looking at wedding dresses, think shape, dimension, and interest. A shapeless sheath dress with no detailing won’t photograph as beautifully as an intricate lace gown with long train, beadwork, and buttons down the back. Make sure your dress gives shape, dimension, and interest, and you’re sure to have gorgeoussss photos.
Dry cleaners exist for a reason, and if you’re worried about getting your gown dirty, you will not look as natural in the photos. This obv goes for all wedding dress styles, but it’s an important one.
And side-note: make sure your photographer cares about the details. My biggest pet peeve is seeing photographers not fix a wedding train before taking a photo. It looks sloppy. You and your photographer should work together to create the best photos, no matter the style of your dress.
Are you a rock and roll chic bride? Boho? Feminine? Punk rock? Traditional? It’s easy to let others sway your opinions when it comes to wedding gowns, but you’ve gotta do what’s right for YOU. And honestly,
More brides are opting for 2 dresses plus a wedding exit dress (or jumpsuit). This is your day and you make the rules. If you want a feminine a-line dress for most of your wedding day, but want to exit your wedding in a punk rock two piece dress and doc martens? F*CKIN DO IT.
Your wedding photos will be versatile. And you’ll feel like you got to experience the day as 3 different brides showcasing 3 different sides of you.
Outfits inspire us photographers. It gets new creative juices going with each dress change. Which also means your photos will be rad as hell.
And ugh, your wedding album? It’s gonna be STUN👏NING.
xx
Jules
About the author: Jules wagstaff is the owner of Datura Photo, a top rated wedding photographer in Utah. She has been photographing weddings, families, seniors, children, and high fashion catalogs for over a decade. You can contact her by emailing contact@daturaphoto.net
Last year I started a tradition of taking 31 Halloween inspired photos. Last year I also did all the makeup, styling, hair, etc. Which was a LOT, but it was such a great creative release. This year I’ll have even less time but my goal is to get more epic photos in better locations.
Here are some highlights from 2022!
Which Halloween inspired Photoshoot or makeup is your favorite?
Can’t wait to get started on these photos this year!
Did you know you can use sparkling white grape juice (or any sparkling beverage) to fake a champagne pop photo?
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