Crazy Wedding Photography Advice for Long Island Brides and Grooms!
Forget about wedding advice! Remember, “Life is Good!” © Dan Wagner 2023
The moment future Long Island brides and grooms announce their engagements they’re immediately inundated with crazy wedding photo advice! As a seasoned Long Island wedding photographer, I thought I’d heard it all. That is until I read an article from a well-respected online wedding magazine entitled, 10 Tips to Remember When Posing for Wedding Photos—talk about crazy advice!
Here are the magazine’s 10 Tips to Remember When Posing for Wedding Photos
“Remember to relax.” Okay, but isn’t this something Captain Obvious would say?
“Stand up straight.” Really? As opposed to what slouching?
“Don’t lock your knees or elbows.” After years of photographing weddings, I’ve never seen anyone doing this unless their doing hip-hop “pop & lock” dance moves!
“Watch the angle of your chin.” How is a bride supposed to relax if she’s watching the angle of her chin? And what do you do if your chin is misbehaving by angling like a rebel? Call a chin doctor?
“Make sure your pockets are empty.” LOL! Another wedding photography calamity I’ve never had to deal with—bride and grooms with bulging pockets! Besides, who has anything left in their pockets after paying for the wedding venue?
“Keep your jacket buttoned.” Okay, this is something the groom and groomsmen should consider. The wedding photo advice left unsaid is, Which button should be buttoned? The answer for a three-button jacket is the middle button. That’s sane advice!
“Loose the hair ties and smart watches.” Right—like there’s an epidemic of brides getting married in colorful hair ties and rollers. As for wearing smart watches at your wedding—I don’t think it’s much of a catastrophe. Naturally an analog watch looks more elegant. But if wearing a smart watch is your biggest wedding faux pas, consider yourself lucky!
“Point your feet toward your partner.” As opposed to what, standing pigeon-toed? Generally one’s feet will point in the direction they’re looking or walking—so I don’t think this is something to stress over.
“Get close.” Great advice for all the bride and groom’s who have Greta Garbo complex and go around proclaiming, “I want to be alone.” As a photographer, the last thing I’ve had to worry about are couples not getting close.
“Don’t try to pose.” Now this is the OG of crazy wedding photography advice for brides and grooms! First you tell the bride to watch the angle of her chin, stand up straight, and point her feet toward her partner—and then you go back on all this crazy advice by telling her not to pose!
Don’t stress if things go a little sideways on your Long Island wedding day. © Dan Wagner 2023
Dan Wagner’s Wedding Photography Advice for Long Island Brides and Grooms
For the majority of photos, hold your wedding bouquet at bellybutton height. Another nice position for holding your bouquet is down and to one side when photographing the back of your wedding gown, and in other situations.
Grooms and groomsmen should usually button just the middle button on their three button jackets.
During formal photos and at other times, it looks nice if the men place the hand closest to the camera in a pant’s pocket.
It’s generally a good idea for women to “loose” their pocketbooks during group photos and when walking down the aisle. One of an usher’s duties is to bring pocketbooks and other items to where people will be seated for the wedding ceremony.
Try to remember to ask your bridesmaids to help out with arranging the bottom of your gown. Naturally, your photographer will keep an eye on important details like these.
That’s about it. I could come up with dozens of other wedding photography advice for Long Island brides and grooms—but it’s never a good idea to burden people with too much stuff during important life events. On your wedding, think of the couple at the top of this article and remember, “Life is Good!”
Stay tuned for more wedding photography tips and advice!
“My friend recommended Dan to my husband and I, and we could not have been happier. Dan is calm, cool, and professional. I have a large Italian Family, and my husband has a large Irish Family. Dan was able to gather all of us for pictures, followed lists we had previously prepared, and did not miss one minute of our special day.”
—Christine and William
Every Bride and Groom Deserve Beautiful Wedding Photos!
Please feel free to share your thoughts about “crazy” wedding photography advice in the comment box below. Have a wonderful wedding, and many thanks for visiting my Long Island wedding photographer blog!