From pre wedding shoot ideas to location tips for the perfect romantic photoshoot, we have you covered!
Our guide is the perfect resource for all your pre wedding shoot questions. Whether you already have a theme in mind or are looking for fresh ideas, this resource will save your day!
Find the following topics discussed below:
- Why do you need a pre wedding shoot?
- Tips for finding a photographer for pre wedding shoots
- Pre wedding shoot location tips
- Free locations for pre wedding shoots
- Pre wedding shoot ideas
- How to use your pre wedding photographs
Why do you need a pre-wedding shoot?
The high point of every bride-to-be’s bullet list is finding a wedding photographer who can capture the nuptials perfectly. The wedding spans days but the memories captured in photographs live forever.
However, weddings can be taxing affairs, especially on the bride and the groom. Rushing between various ceremonies, locations and commitments can make it a stressful experience where the couple doesn’t have the opportunity to truly connect.
This is where a pre-wedding shoot becomes essential to capture the chemistry between the would-be’s before the wedding itself rolls in with its demanding schedule. A pre wedding shoot is an opportunity where the the couple can be in a place that is meaningful to them and share some personal time together. We highly recommend a candid photographer to capture the shy smiles, the inherent jokes and the love that’s impossible to hide. A candid photographer ensures that you’re not being interrupted as you talk, experience each other’s company and explore a beautiful location together. He/she captures the moment covertly, without being intrusive to your natural chemistry.
It’s that perfect excuse to escape with each other and have these tender moments to treasure for a lifetime.
Tips for finding a photographer for a pre wedding shoot
Find someone who can capture your story
A pre wedding photographer isn’t just someone who has equipment and can click photographs. He/she should be someone who really has an interest in your story. Whether it was love at first sight, high school sweethearts or even that perfect arranged match, you want them to really understand your chemistry before they can attempt to capture it.
Take the time to talk about yourself. Introduce yourself and your better half, and feel free to express your story. What he made you fall in love? What attracts you to each other? How do you make each other happy?
Having an overview of your story gives the photographer the unique ability to be able to translate it into their captures. It makes for a more immersive experience and ultimately for much more meaningful photographs.
Find an experienced prewedding photographer
It’s highly recommended that as you narrow your search for the perfect prewedding photographer, you consider their experience foremost. An experienced prewedding photographer knows how to make the couple comfortable in an otherwise alien setting.
It’s natural to get conscious about oneself in front of a stranger with a camera. An experienced photographer knows how to blend in with his/her surroundings and yet give you the ease you need to be able to bring out the best in you.
He/she can also help you with posing ideas since they have extensively worked with couples before. This allows for room for creativity and ensures positive results. They come with a host of ideas about locations as well. They can also be useful with giving suggestions on what to wear and what would compliment the mood of the shoot the best.
We often get requests from couples who are trying to understand how to style themselves for their pre wedding shoot. It’s important to understand their personal preferences, the location setting and the ambient theme of the shoot to be able to give them correct suggestions. Some photographers even have stylists on board to help couples make such decisions.
Find a pre wedding photographer in your budget
Just like wedding photographers, prewedding photographers also offer services in a variety of budget slabs. It’s important to know what you want and how much you’re willing to spend before you shop around for suitable contenders.
Budgets would vary depending on quality of service and the experience itself. While traditional studio prewedding portraits can be really affordable, the quality would also be unimpressive. If you’re looking for a quality photographer who really commits to making stunning portraits, you should be considering a budget of Rs.15,000/- upwards.
The budget can also vary on deliverables which includes number of pictures and the time taken to deliver these pictures.
Pre Wedding Shoot Location Tips
When deciding on the perfect location for your pre-wedding shoot, you should keep the following things in mind:
- Availability of the location for a private shoot: You may absolutely love the idea of posing against a popular monument, or twirling in your favorite park. However, it is important to note if these places are ever available exclusively for you to have your privacy in. Popular places tend to be populated most of the times, so unless you’re willing to wake up early or take special permissions, it can be a tricky slope to climb.
- What the location means to you: A place can have a special significance for you or you may feel inclined towards a location for its ambience. Either way, it’s important to assess how the location would translate in your story and what kind of pictures would you want to eventually get.
- Additional cost involved: Some locations are so exclusive and sought after that they charge a certain fee for their use. You might want to consider the costs involved in hiring a location and factor that into your overall budget for the pre wedding shoot.
Free locations for pre wedding shoots:
- A location attached to a relationship milestone: Remember where you had your first date? Or your first kiss? Or the place he popped the question? It’s always special to commemorate relationship milestones in your pre wedding shoot. You may feel more comfortable in a place that feels familiar as compared to a new location with your partner. You can walk down memory lane as the photographer captures the smiles and laughs as the location ignites special memories of your relationship. Most cafes and restaurants are happy to let you have your quiet corner for a shoot. This can make for memorable pictures without needing to spend an arm and a leg for location.
- A public place with access at exclusive hours: Another great find for a pre wedding shoot location is public places that can still be accessed at less crowded hours. Some examples can be – an interesting street at night, a beautiful park early morning, outside a colorful building or even a spot where a famous monument is visible in the background.
- There’s no place like home: If your home has a major significance in your relationship, it’s a beautiful place to shoot your pre wedding pictures. As every item at home has some significance, tying it in with such a big milestone in your life makes it even more special. An added bonus is inviting your family to sneak into portraits, and what better than to have your pet along too! Being at home really puts couples at ease and makes for very warm and special portraits.
Pre wedding shoot ideas
Your photoshoot will depend on a number of factors. Feel free to discuss them with your partner to understand what makes you both feel comfortable and excited about.
You may want a fairytale shoot but your partner might feel awkward being your Prince Charming. Go over few moodboards and inspirations to narrow down on themes that best resound with your love story. Use tools like pinterest to make a mood board that you can update and revise. This would also help you in communicating to the photographer what you’re really looking for.
A fairytale in the making:
Pick a beautiful garden or escape into the woods for cinematic portraits. Dress in an elegant formal dress to really bring out that princess in you. Soft colors, warm tones and magical greens can really make these pictures look dream-like.
A mid-summer morning’s dream
A dramatic flair
Fancy a Hollywood portrait with dramatic lighting? A starlit night on a quiet street can prove to be very interesting. With strong focus lights and a unique background, these portraits seek glamorous attention. Geometrical lines and curved backgrounds also make for great dramatic locations.
Time Travelers
Go back in time to another era with portraits with a vintage feel. Sepia tones, muted colors and an overall mood of nostalgia makes these very special keepsakes. If you’re planning your shoot at home, a vintage portrait session makes you feel like you’ve gone back to the times you’ve long lost. It’s a fun way to connect with the person that you were, before you become one with another!
The Whimsical Duo
There’s nothing more fun than really letting lose and enoying each other’s company! Whimsical shoots allow you to be yourself, in your element, concentrating on just having fun and letting go of inhibitions. Try fun levitation shots, silly expressions and even crazy jumps to make these portraits truly memorable.
Explorers Together
If you’re a couple who loves to travel and experience new places together then this might just be your theme. A monument you haven’t been to before can be an exciting adventure that you can experience together as a part of your shoot. Old ruins exude romance, especially in the wee hours of the day.
How to use your pre wedding photographs
Besides looking stunning on your side table or up on the wall, you pre-wedding photographs are a great way of introducing yourself as a couple to your friends and family.
- Share on social media: Announce your love in style with beautiful prewedding pictures, introducing your spouse to be and giving him/her the chance to be acquainted with your close circle before they finally meet at the wedding.
- Use on your Save the Date: A great way to use these pictures is to announce the date of your wedding in a fun way. As you send your Save the Date, you can send these pictures as an official announcement or as a slideshow letting everyone know of the coming wedding.
- Give it as a gift: If your prewedding shoot is a special gift for your special someone, then giving them a beautifully framed print of the two of you is a great way of winning their affections. Especially if your wedding is a few months after your prewedding shoot, its a sweet reminder they have with them as they count down to the big day.
- Display at the wedding: A beautiful slideshow of your prewedding portraits, or an assortment of them placed elegantly around the photobooth can make for a fun focal point of the venue. It’s a lovely way to celebrate a love that’s indeed found its forever!
More inspiration for Pre-wedding shoots
Pinterest in a great resource for finding creative pre wedding shoots. You can follow #prewedding on Instagram for fresh ideas. You can also check our pre wedding gallery for more inspiration on how you can make your candid shoot memorable.
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