Capture the Best Wedding Photos for Your Album: 6 Must-Have Poses

It’s no doubt that your wedding day will fly by at the top speed of a fighter jet!

All newlyweds hope that with how emotionally and physically exhausting this day can feel, your preparation helped capture the best moments. We met with one of our favorite local photographers, Meagan Emilia, to get some advice for the upcoming brides and grooms.

While you won’t have your wedding album top of mind on your wedding day, those poses you strike are what you’ll reflect on for years to come. Rather than overthink it, we thought we’d help you out with some of our top wedding photo shots you don’t want to miss for your album!

With all of your loved ones celebrating together in one place, you’ll want to make sure that your photographer is on the top of their game and fully prepared to capture every detail and moment that is most important to you. So, make sure that on your list, are these six original styles of photographs.

Photo by wedding photographer, Meagan Emilia Photography

1. The Pre-Ceremony Bridal/Groom Portrait

Sure, you can guarantee your photographer will take a nice photo of the bride and one of the groom on your wedding day, that is a given. However, we actually think that one of the best times to take a killer bridal or groom portrait is before the ceremony, and there’s a few reasons why.

First, this is when you will look your freshest, and even more importantly, there will be so much love and emotion behind it. Just think this is the day when you’ll be wearing the most elegant dress you have ever adorned (or the snazziest suit and a crisp tie). You will have your dream makeup and hair combination, and will have just seen yourself in the mirror with everything you have been planning all tied together. You’ll start picturing the look on your loved one’s face when they see you for the first time, and what the day will bring ahead. You’ll be so excited as a rush of emotions dance around.

Well, my friend, every time you look at that pre-ceremony portrait of yourself, all of that emotion will come flooding back, and you’ll remember just how you felt in that moment.

Photo by wedding photographer, Meagan Emilia Photography

2. The First Look

This is a hot shot at the moment, most commonly used between the two individuals getting married: bride & groom, bride & bride, groom & groom.

If you’re unfamiliar with what a first look is, it’s when the couple sees each other for the first time prior to the ceremony. There are many pros to doing this and we love the first look for many reasons. Our favorite reason behind doing one is to have an intimate moment alone together to ease each others’ nerves before walking down the aisle with all eyes on you. From a photographer’s standpoint, there is also some really, really sweet and emotional photos that come from this moment. A photo of the bride and groom at this time will once again allow you to experience it over again and again as you flip through the pages of your album for years to come.



As another great picture idea, consider getting the first look on your father’s face as he sees his daughter all dressed up for the first time on her wedding day. This is, no doubt, a special and sweet moment to be captured and remembered. Be sure to let your photographer know if you have a role model or close family member in mind for more first looks. We love doing first looks with Mom, too, or whichever loved ones are the closest to you.

Photo by wedding photographer, Meagan Emilia Photography

3. The Venue

You chose your venue for a reason. Whether it was just the right style you were looking for, or it has some sentimental meaning to you, you chose it as the place to celebrate the day you made the most important promise of your life.

Since you may not have a chance to take a step back and let the overall views of your ceremony and reception sink in, you’ll want to make sure there are great photos of it. Those wide, overall venue shots also help to set the scene and tell the story of your day. You’ll definitely want the scene to set the tone for your entire photo album.

Photo by wedding photographer, Meagan Emilia Photography

4. Your Own Personalized Touch

Weddings are all about celebrating your love as a couple, which is different and unique for each in matrimony. Sure, Pinterest helps us get the juices flowing on our vision for the day, but in the end, it’s your wedding and all the details that reflect your special love.

Prior to the celebration beginning and before the ceremony is over, have the photographer walk into the reception area and take pictures of all the little personalized details. These details are what make each wedding so individual and are what capture the personality of you as a couple! Whether your centerpieces and decorations are DIY or ordered from a crafter, you want to make sure all of these details are photographed, too.

Photo by wedding photographer, Meagan Emilia Photography

5. The ‘Catch-Your-Breath’ Moment Alone Together

Whether you do a first look or not, this category is still different and beneficial in it’s own way. Have the photographer do the ‘catch-your-breath’ portrait during a lull at the reception, most of the time at sunset.

This is a great time for the couple to relax together, and Meagan recommends choosing Randolph wedding sunglasses as an accessory that adds heritage to the shot with a modern-classic look. These shots give an adorable peak into the couple’s first real moments of spending the rest of their lives together. There is a a timeless presence a great pair of aviators can bring to a shot.

Make sure the photographer gets candid shots incorporating movement and how you naturally interact with each other. For this, get these shots when there is no crowd around you so the focus is on each other, and so there’s nothing impeding the attention you are giving to each other. Some of Meagan’s favorite, emotion-filled portraits come from this time – and it’s a bonus if you can get that epic sunset shot as well!

Photo by wedding photographer, Meagan Emilia Photography

6. Candids, candids, candids!

Lastly and most certainly not least – candids! These are sort of a no-brainer, but oh-so critical that it cannot be stressed enough.

Taking portraits, detail shots and ceremony shots are on one hand, but on the other hand photographers need to capture the fleeting smiles and raw emotions of your guests. That’s what makes looking back at your wedding day so much fun, after all! You’re throwing a party for both you and your partners friends & family so they can meet, mingle and celebrate. How cool is that? All of these people you love will likely never be in the same room together, so catching as many candids of the fun and laughter is so important. You’ll want to see your Dad busting that awkward dance move or your Grandpa’s face when your maid of honor tells that slightly embarrassing story during her toast!

Photo by wedding photographer, Meagan Emilia Photography

We hope that these little tips and hints help you capture all of the big & little important parts of your day! We know the best moments are in the details, so browse Randolph women’s sunglasses today to bring both something new and old to your wedding.

Photo Credit: Meagan Emilia is a sought after destination wedding photographer based in New England. Her images capture the moments of the day and the journey of a lifetime.