Checklist For Must Have Wedding Photos

The wedding day is filled with events from morning until night. It is important that the main events are captured with photography and videography if possible. There are no "do-overs" on a wedding day. The events come and go and in time memories fade if it weren't for pictures. Your photographer should know what pictures are important but he may not know which pictures are the most important to you. The focus will always be the bride and groom and there should be plenty of time for formal shots. In this list you can review the must have shots that we recommend and pick out which ones mean the most to you. Also this will help prepare you and your loved ones so the photography shoots go as smooth and timely as possible.

Pre-Ceremony:
1. Bride getting ready including make-up, hair, and final touches
2. Bride with her mother and father
3. Bride with maid of honor
4. Bride with bridesmaids
5. Bride with flower girl
6. Bride leaving to the ceremony
Groom getting ready final touches
Zipping up the dress
Putting the Veil On
8. Groom with groomsmen
Groom with mother
Groom with father

Ceremony:
1. Bride arriving
2. Groom arriving
3. Groom at the altar waiting
4. Musicians- bag-pipe player, harpist
5. wedding party walking down the aisle
6. Entrance of bride walking down the isle
7. Father of the bride giving away the bride
8. Bride and Groom seeing each other for the first time
9. Mother of Bride and Groom watching the ceremony
10. Entire wedding party at alter
11. Any traditions at the alter including ring exchange
12. Reading and showings of emotions of vows
13. Bride and Groom kissing at the altar
14. Bride and Groom's exit

Formal Shots:
1. Several of the bride and groom
2. Bride and Groom with entire wedding party
3. Bride and groom with parents
4. Bride and groom with family
5. Bride alone
6. Groom alone
7. Bride with groomsmen
8. Groom with bridesmaids

Reception:
1. Entrance and introductions of wedding party
2. First dance of bride and groom
3. Father daughter dance of bride and father
4. Groom dancing with mother
5. Best Man and bridesmaid toasts
6. Guests dancing
7. Cutting of the cake
8. Guarder and guarder toss
9. Bouquet toss
10. Bride and groom leaving


This seems like tons of pictures, but these are spread out through a full day. When booking your photographer make sure and take into account the schedule of your wedding and how long you will need to book your photographer for. Talk to your photographer well in advance of the wedding and make sure he or she is aware of your schedule. Ask for their recommendations and for their advice on taking pictures. You will have a couple photo-shoots through out the day and then most of the other pictures will be candid. Because of the nature of weddings everything seems to run together and it is hard to remember everything after the events. Your pictures will be your sweet reminder for the rest of your lives so be prepared to take the best pictures possible.
Bill Cotter is an author about phoenix wedding photographers. Bill writes about phoenix wedding photography for http://www.memoriesputtomusic.com.