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Photo/Video Checklist

Written by Andrea. Published on Jan 29th 2010.

You will want to do as much of the preparation and planning beforehand and having a checklist for your photographer/videographer is definitely a way to avoid unnecessary stress on the day so here is a rough idea of shots you might want to include.

This checklist can be amended to suit your wedding party/arrangements

Pre-Ceremony

  • Outside shot of venue/church as dressed/before arrival of guests

  • Brides dress/accessories on their own before bride is dressed

  • Bride preparations make up/hair

  • Bride with her bridesmaids enjoying the pre wedding morning

  • Bride getting into/out of car/travelling to ceremony venue

  • Bride with her father before ceremony

  • Bride with Bridesmaids/Father/Flowergirl before ceremony

  • Groom with family

  • Any other shots you want of grounds without guests/wedding party

Ceremony

  • Ceremony room set up

  • Guests arriving and seating

  • Groom awaiting brides arrival

  • Bride with father/escort down the aisle

  • Grooms reaction

  • Bride being 'given away'

  • Look between bride and groom

  • Bride and groom reciting their vows

  • Exchanging of rings

  • Bride and Groom's first kiss

  • Announcement of bride and groom as Mr & Mrs

  • The wedding recessional

  • Bride and Groom leaving ceremony venue to reception

Reception Drinks area

  • Candid shots of guests congratulating newly-weds

  • Candid shots of guests mingling

  • Any musicians playing during the reception drinks

Formal Shots (normally taken during drinks reception prior to wedding breakfast)

  • Bride and Groom in your preferred location (take a note of all posed shots you want before the day as when it comes you won't remember everything)

  • Bride alone

  • Groom alone

  • Bride and Groom with wedding party

  • Bride with her family

  • Groom with his family

  • Bride and Groom with Bride's family

  • Bride and Groom with Groom's family

  • Bride and Groom with both families

  • Bride with her mother

  • Bride with her Bridesmaids

  • Groom with his father

  • Bride and Groom with Flowergirl

  • Bride and Groom with Best Man

  • Bride and Groom with Best Man/Usher/Bridesmaids/Flowergirl

  • Bride and Groom with all guests

Wedding Breakfast

  • Guests entering reception area for wedding breakfast

  • Receiving line should you be having it at this time

  • Wedding party being announced to top table

  • Bride and Groom's entrance to wedding breakfast

  • Toasts/Speeches

  • Guests seated at their tables/general shots of room

Evening Reception

  • Cutting of the Cake

  • Bride and Groom's first dance

  • Further dances with Bride and Father, Groom and Mother

  • Dances with Mother of Bride and Father of Groom/ Mother of Groom with Father of Bride

  • Dance with Best Man and Chief Bridesmaid

  • Musicians/DJ General guests dancing

  • Bouquet toss

  • Garter toss

  • Bride and Groom send off

Extras and Close ups

  • Menus/Table plan/Place cards of Bride and Groom

  • Centrepieces/Favours/Gifts

  • Wedding Cake

  • Wedding rings both on and off Bride and Groom's finger

  • Flowers (possibly flowers next to cake)

  • Brides Bouquet

  • Brides shoes

  • Items of Grooms attire i.e. buttonhole/cuff links/sporran/kilt/sgian dubh

  • Noticeboard congratulating Mr & Mrs X

  • Guestbook

  • Guests signing guestbook

  • Wedding gift table

This is of course only a rough guide which you may add to if you have specific shots or certain people you want to include in your photos.

My best piece of advice when it comes to your communicating with your photographer is to make a checklist similar to this one as it covers both you as the client and them as the professional to ensure you get all the shots you want and it will mean less stress on the actual day.