24 March 2025
10 essential wedding day photos to capture
10 essential wedding day photos to capture
From the quiet of getting ready to the last dance, these are the wedding day photos to capture: the shots you'll look back on most. Share the list with your photographer early.
Why a shot list helps
Why a shot list helps
Your photographer will capture hundreds of moments, but the day moves fast. A short list of must-haves, shared a few weeks before, makes sure nothing that matters to you is missed.
Keep it short. A list of ten favourites is far more useful than fifty "maybes", and it leaves your photographer free to catch the moments nobody could plan.
The ten photos to capture
The ten photos to capture
1. Getting ready
The dress on its hanger, the buttonholes, the nervous laughter. These quiet shots set the scene and capture the people who were with you before anyone else.
2. The first look
Whether it's a private first look or the moment at the end of the aisle, the reaction is the photo. Ask your photographer to focus on the face of whoever is waiting.
3. Walking down the aisle
A wide shot of the whole room turning, then a close shot of you and whoever walks with you.
4. The vows and rings
Close-ups of hands and rings, and a wider shot that shows your guests listening.
5. The first kiss
It's over in a second, so make sure your officiant steps aside and your photographer knows it's coming.
6. Family group photos
The formal groups your grandparents will frame. Write the list in advance, keep it to around eight groups, and give it to an usher who knows everyone.
7. Couple portraits
Twenty minutes away from the crowd, ideally in the softer light of early evening. These are often the photos couples print largest.
8. Speeches and reactions
The speaker matters, but the reactions matter more: your parents laughing, your friends wiping their eyes.
9. The first dance
A mix of close, intimate shots and wide shots that show the room watching, with the lights and atmosphere of the evening.
10. Candid guest moments
Friends catching up, children on the dance floor, everyone letting their hair down. These are the photos that bring the day back to life years later.
Where a photo booth fits in
Where a photo booth fits in
Your photographer can't be everywhere at once, especially in the evening. A wedding photo booth covers that last shot on the list: guests in props, groups of old friends, and moments your photographer never sees.
It's a different kind of photo. Your photographer documents the day with care and intention. The booth captures guests as they are when they're simply having fun, and the two together tell the whole story.
A guest book that tells the story
A guest book that tells the story
Every Snap Booth package includes a guest book. Guests add a print and write a message beside it, so by the end of the night you have a book full of faces and words from everyone who celebrated with you.
You'll also receive a private online gallery of every photo, and guests can send their photos to their phones in seconds.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
When should I give my photographer a shot list?
A few weeks before the wedding, so there's time to talk it through and plan timings around it.
How many family group photos should we plan?
Around eight is a good target. More than that eats into drinks reception time, so keep larger extended-family groups to a minimum.
Does a photo booth replace a wedding photographer?
No. A photo booth adds candid guest photos and keepsake prints alongside your photographer's work, rather than replacing it.
When is the best time to run a wedding photo booth?
Most couples run it through the evening reception. Our 4-hour Relaxed Evening package is the most popular for weddings.
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