Posing Guide
The First Kiss
This is an easy pose because it’s the best part of the ceremony! You celebrate your first kiss when the officiant pronounces you married, and says it’s time. We recommend a second kiss surrounded by friends and family halfway back up the wedding aisle, for an extra photo opportunity. Feel free to spend plenty of time practicing this sweet kiss, and if you want to, we’ll encourage you to enjoy this romantic moment all day long. To make this moment even better, give some thought to your backdrop and the lighting conditions of the day. Don’t forget to hold your kiss for at least 2 seconds, and preferably longer, for your wedding photos.
Let’s Dance!
A very natural pose to practice is dancing. We’ll encourage you to practice your “first dance” during the bridal portrait time of the day. This is a great way to focus on each other and let the rest of the world fall away to connect on your wedding day. Whether it’s a gentle sway or a coordinated dance, we love seeing you dance with each other as a posing cue on your wedding day. You’ll be well practiced when you reach the moment in the evening, and can let the emotions carry you away. A cute variation on this pose is a spin, or whichever fun dance move you love.
Give Each Other a Hug
If you’re feeling stressed, we might recommend a hug! Beyond calming each other’s nervous system, this is a great way to breathe together and create a touching image of connection. This posing tip is super easy and never fails to look adorable. A hug is a great way to bring the two of you together on your wedding day and create unforgettable memories. The hug is adorable with friends and family, too, and a simple go to when you don’t know what to do with your hands.
Rest Your Head on my Shoulder
This is a restful pose that looks adorable sitting down or standing up. Taking a moment to rest your head on your partner is a sweet way to both relax and connect. We love this pose because it’s so easy, with lots of variations. If you have questions about background or lighting conditions per the season, feel free to reach out to us. We love helping you plan your dream wedding at Memorable and Vibrant Okanagan Photography.
Take a Little Stroll
One simple but beautiful pose is to take a little walk with your partner! Both walking toward and away from the camera create some cute, natural, and elegant poses. There are endless variations on this pose as well; you can run, skip, or jump if you like. The posing cue works well with the entire bridal party as well, mix it up with looking at one another and cue the giggles.
Different Directions
To create a cool mood, try looking in the opposite direction of your partner. This can come across editorial and edgy, or like a mild and humorous disagreement about what to have for dinner. There are lots of variations of this pose, sometimes as simple as looking in opposite directions, or having your body face in different directions. This pose takes some trust for your photographers, and we’ll help you to make it look good. A fun element of this pose is when you turn back toward each other with fresh love in your eyes on your wedding day.
Take Turns Leading
In some cultures, the bride and groom lead each other at the marriage ceremony. It’s beautiful to think of you and your partner as equals, taking turns influencing one another. No two pairs are the same, and we love seeing all the variations of this pose! Feel free to consult your photographers Michelle for recommendations on the best time of day and location for your photo ideas.
Look Into Each Other’s Eyes
Eye gazing is always a good idea. One of the easiest ways to tune into each other on a busy day is to gaze into each other’s eyes. We love seeing how this posing cue produces different results! Some people laugh with a natural giggle, others get emotional, and others feel the romance and desire of the intimacy. It’s one of our favourite go-to poses for the simplicity of the pose and the way it reminds couples what their celebration is all about. This is a great pose for creating connection, and we love the way these photos turn out.
Smile for the Camera
Early on, we only photographed weddings in a documentary style, behind the scenes with no cues to look at the camera! While we still love documentary style and feature this heavily in our portfolio, there is something to be said for a clean shot with the couple smiling into the lens. Ask us about the difference between documentary and editorial photos, and we’ll tell you the ways that we love blending these styles at Memorable and Vibrant Okanagan Photography.
Bring the Pets!
Is your fur baby part of the family? Bring them along for part of your wedding photography experience! We love meeting your doggos, and we even capture the kitties every so often. If your pets are part of your family and you want to include them in your wedding day, give us a heads up and we’ll help make your furry dreams come true. Dogs, cats, birds, horses, and snakes – we’ve seen it all at Memorable and Vibrant Okanagan Photography. We’re fun loving Kelowna wedding photographers with a taste for adventure!
The Trust Lean
In this pose, you can lean back into your partner’s chest and let them catch you. This cozy pose comes across demure and gentle, and it’s a great cue to bring out the trust between you. Our style of wedding photography focuses on the connection between you. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just photographs beautifully when it’s real. Authenticity is our goal at Memorable and Vibrant Okanagan Photography, we love getting to know you and learning about what makes your love story unique!
Put Your Hand on Their Heart
Putting your hand on your partner’s beating heart is a calming pose that allows the two of you to connect on a busy wedding day. What’s more comforting than your partner’s strong beating heart? If you feel nervous at all on your wedding day we’ll suggest that you focus on one another and connect with each other in your preferred ways. Do you need some time alone together? Just let us know! We’re here to support you on all levels, on your wedding day.
A Kiss on The Cheek
It’s so cute to see you bring a smile to your partner’s face with this adorable move. Both flattering and comforting, a kiss on the cheek is likely to put the light on in both your eyes. The kiss on your cheek will bring you back to your partner and your unique shared energy. We love helping you connect for beautiful wedding photos, and enjoy getting to know all types of people at Memorable and Vibrant Okanagan Photography. Do you have any questions about posing for your couples session? We’re happy to help!
The Dress Toss
It’s so much fun to toss the wedding train for this fashion-forward pose. There are a few photogenic variations of this pose. We love to have an assistant second shooter or bridal party member toss the train of your dress just a few feet in the air, to let it fall where it wants to! The outcome of this photo depends on the type of dress you’re wearing of course. Another variation is to hold the bottom of your dress, and toss it in whichever direction you like! You’re in control on this one, and it always provides a fun, dramatic photo. Alternatively, sometimes Mother Nature takes over and the wind will blow you away, fashionably.
Touch Noses/Rest Foreheads
These are such cute poses for communicating intimacy and trust. Resting on each other creates images that whisper romance and safety. Touching noses brings your lips close together, with the breathlessness that comes from not quite kissing yet. Resting foreheads is a great way to level the chaos of the world and lean on each other. We love both variations of these “lean on me” poses that are beautiful every time. We might recommend one of these poses over the other depending on your height, style, or the time of year. Summer is hot in the Okanagan, and we don’t want you sweating on each other!
Carry Them Away
If you’ve got a good, strong back, a fun pose is to carry your partner. This pose shows off the dress, shoes, and your trust for each other. For the young, and the young and heart, this pose is always a romantic one. The setting for carry them away changes the mood of the photo. Ask your photographer for backdrop recommendations, we love making suggestions for you! We might suggest you take a light spin with your partner to create some movement in the pose. As always, we’re happy to hear your ideas too!
Darling Take my Hand
A simple but sweet pose, all you have to do is reach out your hand for your partner to connect. Reaching out to your partner creates a warm and connected image of the two of you, and it is easy to do. There are lots of variations on this pose, including taking turns, placing a ring on their hand in a beautiful setting, or bending and kissing your partner’s hand in a Renaissance romantic style. We’ve been told we have a cinematic style at Memorable and Vibrant Okanagan Photography and this posing ideas is a good example of poses that create this dynamic style.
Do the Dip
This is a bold move for posing pros! If you haven’t practiced at home, you should get up now and practice the dip with your partner. You might fumble and giggle at first, but this pose comes across as so elegant and romantic. This pose can take some practice (or a few dance classes) so it’s not for everyone, but it does create a very classic silhouette for wedding day photos. It might take a few practice photos to get this one just right, but when it all lines up in a beautiful setting, with flattering lighting, this is a favourite posing ideas for many couples.
A Kiss on The Shoulder
This is a sweet kiss that always elicits a loving reaction. This pose slows down time and allows you to connect to your partner on a busy day. Sometimes couples are surprised when we recommend this pose, but you can see for yourself how photogenic it is! Our goal is always to help you look and feel good on your wedding day. And if you ever don’t love a pose suggestion, feel free to say no, thank you. We want to help you feel connected and comfortable at your couples session, so always let us know what you need.
We Take Requests!
If you have a unique photo idea, we’d love to hear it and see it. Couples often send us photo ideas they have seen on Pinterest, or in their friend’s wedding album. We are happy to take requests, and ask you limit your special requests to 10-15 because some poses are a little bit more complicated than others. We love getting to know your unique wedding style and are happy to help you out at each stage of your wedding planning. Our memorable and vibrant style is represented by the 400+ couples who have chosen to trust us with their wedding day memories, over the last 15 years; we are so grateful for you!
