How to Avoid Cheesy Wedding Photos

Even though wedding portraits are posed... no one wants portraits that LOOK posed. The more you act yourself on your wedding day, the more your portraits will look candid and authentic. So let's dive in on how to avoid cheesy wedding photos!

Meet your photographer before your wedding day

This is a big one. If you’ve never met the person behind the camera, you’ll likely feel uncomfortable. Fact is, we don’t vibe with everyone! Even if someone has beautiful a beautiful portfolio, the client-photographer relationship goes much deeper than that. So aside from studying your photographers’ work, try to meet with them in person to discuss your preferences and concerns and see if you really click. At the very minimum, get on a call! I always have a virtual meeting with my clients during the booking process to make sure we are a good fit. It's also a good idea to see if your photographer offers engagement sessions so you can both meet your photographer and see if you enjoy their photography style.

Forget your photographer

I know we just met, but forget I’m there! Your wedding day is about you and your commitment to each other. Trust me, I won't be the most interesting thing you see today! Try sharing some laughs and stories, enjoying sweet kisses, and just taking in the scenery! These moments look natural and candid; if I want you to look at the camera for a dramatic look, I’ll tell you!

X-Factor

Sounds intriguing, huh? So, when posing with your significant other, you always want those imaginary lines crossing making an X. Meaning you never want to look directly in the eyes of each other for the portrait. Why? It looks cheesy and staged. So Instead of having my clients look at each other in the eyes, I'll have one of them turn their chin slightly to the side and down, and drop their eyes down, or lean in for a cheek/forehead kiss. This give the portrait a more candid and authentic touch. Fact is, most couples don’t sit there and stare into each others’ eyes, but photographers make them do this all the time! And the result is a cheesy wedding photo.

Don’t wear something uncomfortable

Of course you’re probably not lounging around in your wedding gown or suit on a regular basis, but choose something that really embodies your personal style instead of what you think you’re “supposed” to wear. If you are uncomfortable in your clothes it will show! Also make sure it fits properly! If you bought it a few months ago but haven’t tried it on since, it might fit differently and need to be altered again. This also goes for shoes. Ladies, I know we love to wear heels and that's fine by me, but have a backup pair of comfy shoes (or go barefoot) in case your feet start hurting or blisters start happening. It's hard to enjoy your couple's portraits if all you can think about is getting off your feet.

So to wrap up, in order to avoid cheesy wedding photos it's important to meet your photographer either through a phone call, in-person, or (my favorite option) through an engagement session. It's also important to wear something comfortable so you can move around freely; instead of being stiff and just staring into each others' eyes, opt for natural, subtle movements and try to keep your chin angled slightly down. Lastly, forget your photographer is even there at all and focus on each other! YOU JUST GOT MARRIED! EEK!