After months of wedding planning to make sure that everything goes perfectly, you’ve finally made it to the big day.

The wedding party is on time, the decor is flawless, the wedding cake is a work of art, and the floral arrangements turned out better than you could ever have imagined.

On your special day, you should feel nothing short of absolute bliss, but as you wait for your photographer to arrive, there’s one thing in the back of your mind.

In all the hustle and bustle, you haven’t really had a chance to think about how to look your best in your wedding photographs.

Sure, there’s your beautiful dress and hair & make-up, but there is so much more to creating an unforgettable image than having the best MUA around.

It’s all about the big picture, so stick with us, and we’ll tell you exactly how to look good in wedding photos.

How To Pose for Wedding Photos

Taking photos with your loved ones should be easy, right? You’d think so, but even the closest friends can get a little jittery when the camera comes out, and even the best of us have been affected by the dreaded double chin.

To avoid any unnecessary cringe on your big day, you will want to come prepared with a few different poses that feel natural to you.

With a simple search on Google or Pinterest, you can get plenty of inspiration for wedding photo poses to try at your romantic celebration.

Don’t worry if you can’t find many poses that fit your style, as your photographer should be able to help you out in this arena.

Most experienced wedding photographers come with their own poses in mind and are more than happy to help you find the poses that are the most flattering for you.

How To Kiss for Wedding Photos

There’s nothing more romantic than sharing a kiss with the one you love, so it’s safe to say that your wedding photos will include a few of these adorable shots.

If you’re a little antsy about posed kisses, we’ve got a few tips that will help to make things a bit more natural.

Before kissing, it’s a good idea to do a couple of poses that will help you transition smoothly into that special moment.

For example, you may go from gazing into each other’s eyes to a forehead-to-forehead shot, and finally into a sweet smooch with your soulmate.

If you’re not quite comfortable with public displays of affection, you can ask that your couple’s photos be taken in private. This way, you can enjoy the intimacy of the moment, creating candid memories that perfectly capture the love that you have for one another.

How To Smile for Wedding Photos

Whether you’re taking wedding photos or saying “cheese” at a friend’s birthday party, smiling for pictures always feels a bit awkward.

The best way to smile without causing that discomfort is to create a sense of genuine sincerity in the moment.

Many photographers will ask members of the wedding party to tell a joke in an effort to get a smile out of the couple. This typically works to create the perfect shot, as the couple’s best friends often know exactly how to make them laugh.

Another pro-tip from the wedding photographer handbook: your photos will come off much more naturally if you remember to smile with your eyes.

Smiling with your mouth only ends up feeling forced while allowing your eyes to crinkle just a bit creates an image of true joy.

How To Keep Your Wedding Dress Clean During Photos

While you may only wear your wedding dress once, it’s likely one of the most essential articles of clothing you’ll ever buy! For this reason, you want to do your best to preserve the beauty of your dream dress throughout all of the day’s events.

This is particularly important when it comes to taking wedding photos, as these images will ideally be passed down from generation to generation.

Don’t be afraid to enlist your spouse or bridal party members to help out during photos so your wedding dress stays bright and white.

If taking photos outside, be sure to keep an eye out for moisture and mud on the ground, as well as moss or tree roots that your shoes might catch on. With a team of bridesmaids carrying your train, your dress will be just as flawless as your amazing love story.

How To Be More Photogenic on Your Wedding Day

When it comes to taking photos, not everyone is natural; this is a fact that can hold true even on the happiest day of your life.

No need to stress though, because we have a few tips that will help you to get into a photo-ready mindset on your wedding day.

While some may think that you either have it or you don’t, being photogenic all comes down to your level of comfort and confidence at the event. Rather than focusing on looking good or making the right face, your only job is to have fun and celebrate with the ones you love.

The best wedding photos are the ones captured when no one was looking, those candid moments that only a wedding photographer can see.

All you need to do is soak up the beauty and joy of your special day, and your photographer will capture every laugh, smile, and stolen kiss during your celebration of love.

Good Lighting for Wedding Photos

A surefire way to look good in wedding photos is to make sure you’ve got access to great lighting. Lighting not only sets the tone for your photos, but it also carries a great deal of weight in the editing process as well.

Harsh lighting may alter the coloring of your skin during photos, throwing off the overall balance of tone in the image.

While a skilled wedding photographer can use editing software to adjust the image based on lighting, it’s impossible to completely override the effects of bright sunlight on photo quality.

Taking photos at “golden hour” will increase your chances of getting the perfect lighting. Photo shoots taken during sunset or sunrise tend to have the perfect balance of clarity and soft lighting, the ideal vision to take your photos to the next level.

What You Should Avoid in a Wedding Photo

So we’ve figured out how to look good in wedding photos, but what are some things that can negatively affect the quality of these images?

Let’s go through a few of our “don’ts” in order to ensure you have a fantastic wedding photoshoot.

Don’t Overcrowd Your Photos

We know, we know – you’ve got to have all of your high school friends together for one big photograph, but this won’t do much good if you’re unable to pick out everyone’s faces, or you can’t get everyone to look in the same direction all at once.

Overcrowding your photos can bring an unorganized, dissonant tone to the image.

Instead, we would opt for smaller group photos with your wedding guests, as these will allow you to squeeze in close and give a little more attention to the people that you’re spending time with.

Don’t Be Afraid to Voice Your Opinion

This goes without saying, but it’s your photographer’s job to provide you with an album that you’re not only satisfied with, but over the moon about.

For that reason, it’s your job to communicate exactly what you want and don’t want in terms of posing and stylistic choices.

Trust your photographer, of course, but know that the right vendor will not only accept your honesty and input but will appreciate you being clear about your expectations.

The best way to make sure you look good is to tell them exactly what looking good means to you!

Don’t Forget To Enjoy the Moment

As simple as this may seem, it’s the thing that so many couples forget to do during their wedding pictures.

Even if the images end up turning out great, they may look back on their album with a sense of discomfort brought on by their feelings of anxiety or frustration during the shoot.

Taking your wedding photos should be fun and exciting, an experience that involves capturing the joy of this beautiful day with your favorite people.

So relax your shoulders, look into the eyes of the one you love, and know that right now, this moment is all that matters.