A wedding photographer’s guide to the photos to take on your postponed wedding day
Have you had to press pause and postpone your wedding because of Covid19? My heart goes out to you. It’s horrid. I’m so sorry you’re having to deal with this at what should be an exciting time for you.
Yes, there are scary things happening in the world. But it’s okay to be sad about your wedding not going ahead as you initially imagined. You can care about both.
But this will still be your wedding day. And whilst it’s distressing and disheartening now, it will make a stirring story one day!
So whatever you do on your ‘still special’ day, I’d like to share my recommendations for photographs to create and moments to capture to remember it by.
But first, two housekeeping announcements:
- It doesn’t matter what sort of camera you use. Anything from a phone to a DSLR is fine. The best camera is the one that you have a charged battery for.
- File camera skills under ‘u’ for ‘unimportant’, just for today. The main thing in capturing meaningful photos is what you see.
Are you comfy with a cosy blanket, chocolate and a cuppa? Ready to see your ‘coronavirus wedding’ the way I would as a documentary wedding photographer?
Great! Let’s get stuck in.
Ten must-have photos to take on your ‘would have been’ wedding day.
- Gather your VIP wedding guests (parents, grandparents, siblings, groomsmen, bridesmaids) together on Zoom, drink reception style with bevies and snacks, and take a photo of everyone on the screen.
- The everyday things, like getting ready in the morning and enjoying a cuppa. Slow down and think about the things you do on autopilot that you’re actually super grateful for. Perhaps the pretty mirror you use to do your make-up, having your favourite poached eggs breakfast or the pile of previously unread books that you’re now working your way through. There’s beauty, meaning and ‘you’ in all of that.
- Anything special you’re doing to make the day different to other lockdown days. Perhaps you’re having breakfast in bed, cooking up a storm in the kitchen or playing board games in fancy outfits. Take turns taking photos of each other.
- Something with the date on. Zoom in on the masthead of a newspaper, photograph the home screen on your phone, take a close-up of your watch… Little details like this add punctuation and personal meaning to the story.
- Your outfits hanging ready for you to put them on, or, if you’re more camera-confident, take a full-length selfie in the bedroom mirror. Whether your OOTD is a dazzling dress and flamingo slippers, or sweats and a ‘bride’ emblazoned t-shirt, your coronavirus chic dress-code will help bring back the memory of what it was like to experience this time.
- Ask all your guests to take selfies of themselves at the time your ceremony was due to start and send them to you with a message. Take a screenshot of each one so you can keep them forever.
- Get creative with anything coronavirus related. Take a selfie with the daily press conference showing on TV in the background, shoot over your partner’s shoulder as they scroll through the news on their tablet, photograph your letter from the Prime Minister next to your wedding invitation…
- Something that makes you smile. Capture a lone bottle of Corona beer in the fridge or immortalise an empty toilet roll tube on the holder. Humour adds a lovely layer to a photo story, so have fun with it.
- Your wedding planning folder, open at the postponement paperwork or your ‘save the new date’ cards.
- A selfie of the two of you. Put the camera into burst mode. Get in really close together, heads touching, give each a squeeze, steal a kiss. Shoot shoot shoot and then pick the ones you love. Don’t be shy. Wear your heart on your sleeve and let your love show.
I hope that inspires you and that you have as much fun with it as I would!
*A special offer for SVP couples*
Send me the photos you take and I’ll create an e-album for you – for free! I can’t wait to see what you create!