Be Present, Be Together, Be You: The Key to Candid Wedding Photos

13 hours ago

2 min read

I have so many couples tell me how much they love candid wedding photos—and honestly, I do too. They are some of my very favorite images to capture on a wedding day.

There is just something about a photograph that catches a moment exactly as it happened. A genuine laugh. A quick hug. Your dad wiping away a tear. Your best friend cracking you up. The way your new husband or wife looks at you when they think you aren’t watching.

Those are the moments that make your wedding day yours.

But there is something I want every couple to know about candid photography:

Candid moments don’t happen if you don’t interact with the people you love.

mom and dad of groom watching their son walk down a flight of stairs

As your photographer, I can watch for those little moments. I can anticipate them, look for the emotion, and be ready with my camera when they happen. But I can’t manufacture genuine connection.

If you want beautiful, candid photographs of your wedding guests, go talk to them. Hug your grandma. Laugh with your friends. Dance with your siblings. Pull your dad in for an extra hug. Visit with the people who traveled to celebrate with you. These actions are key to candid wedding photos

And most importantly, interact with each other.

Hold hands. Whisper something in your spouse’s ear. Steal a kiss. Laugh together. Take a quiet moment to soak it all in. Forget about the camera and simply enjoy being married to the person you love.

Some of my favorite wedding photographs happen when my couples aren't thinking about photography at all. They are simply living their day.

Bride in white dress and sunglasses cheers beside groom in white tux at outdoor wedding reception, guests and DJ behind them

You don't have to pose for every moment.

One of the things I love most about wedding photography is that not every photograph needs to be perfectly posed. While I will absolutely guide you when needed, I also want to give you space to simply be.

Your wedding day will go by quickly. There will be so many people you want to see, so many hugs to give, stories to share, and memories being made all around you.

Don't spend the entire day worrying about whether you're doing something "right" for the camera.

Go be with your people.

The photographs will follow.

Years from now, I want you to look back at your wedding gallery and remember more than what everything looked like. I want you to remember how it felt.

The laughter. The happy tears. The people who surrounded you. The way your husband or wife looked at you. The joy of having everyone you love gathered in one place.

Those are the photographs that tell the story of your wedding day.

And I truly believe those moments are gifts from God—little glimpses of the love and relationships He has placed in our lives.