Your special day is quickly approaching! With all the factors that go into planning your perfect wedding, the time is flying by. To commemorate the love between you and your partner, it's vital that your photos turn out beautifully.

Before planning your wedding photos, explore wedding snapshots from friends, family or couples on social media who were able to create unforgettable memories. Take a look at the following wedding photo guide to plan gorgeous venues and photoshoot opportunities for you and your spouse.

How to Plan a Wedding Photo

Just like planning the perfect wedding, putting together a perfect wedding photoshoot requires preparation. Luckily, with the help of your partner and a trusted wedding photographer, you can find the perfect locations, poses and props to capture your wedding day's ambiance. As the date for your big day approaches, keep the following questions in mind.

What Features Do You Want in Your Photos?

One of the most exciting parts of planning wedding photos is getting to choose the backdrops and settings. You can create unforgettable pictures with beautiful scenery for your guests, friends and spouse to enjoy. Try to match your backgrounds to your wedding's aesthetic to create breathtaking shots:

Nature: If you prefer bright and sunny features to capture the energizing love you and your partner share, consider taking your photos in a flower garden, vineyard or maze. The sunlight on the natural greens and colors of the surrounding flowers can create a vibrant pop against the traditional white and black of wedding dresses and suits.
Barns: For a rustic wedding theme, consider choosing a barn as your photo backdrop. The country-style aesthetic is perfect for couples who enjoy the outdoors and have a bit of a wild side!
Banquet halls: Elegant wedding photos look beautiful in banquet halls. You can adorn these spaces in your favorite colors and incorporate your theme in every inch and corner of these large spaces. This option is perfect for capturing photos of the couple's friends and family in larger weddings.

Will There Be Natural Lighting?

Lighting plays a vital role in the posed photoshoots and action shots during the reception. The proper lighting will keep your photos in focus and vibrantly colored. There are a few ways to implement effective lighting to ensure your wedding photos are as beautiful as the day itself.

To help choose wedding venues with ideal lighting, bring your photographer with you to select the perfect angles for your wedding. This early look will allow them to see the lighting and plan where they can take the best shots during the wedding. They can also let you know where you should stand at the altar, how to face your spouse and ways to walk down the aisle for the most amazing shots.

What Weather Can You Expect for the Time of Year?

The timing of your wedding can determine the backdrops of your photos. The four seasons all offer unique looks:

Winter: Many couples choose winter for the beautiful white blankets of snow.
Spring: Warm temperatures during these months are perfect for capturing budding flowers and the rebirth of nature after the cold months.
Summer: This sunny season is great for beach or water-side venues.
Fall: These comforting months are beloved for their crisp air and beautiful oranges, yellows and reds.

Whichever season you've chosen for your wedding date, consider how the weather can influence the quality of your photos. Rain, wind and snow are often the biggest obstacles for photo shoots. A backup plan for your first-choice locations can give you peace of mind when unexpected circumstances arise.

Are There Outdoor Locations?

Outdoor venues are perfect for capturing the nature surrounding your wedding location. Many couples choose beaches, forests or mountains to create unforgettable photos to look back on for years. When planning your outdoor venue, be sure to consider the weather to create the most beautiful pictures.

Your wedding dress or suit can make you feel warmer, so pick a location that does not trap heat if your wedding is in the spring or summer. Small spaces or areas where you, your spouse and your wedding party will be in tight quarters can quickly make the temperature rise. Choose a location with open spaces or a consistent breeze to prevent sweaty photoshoots. You can also bring portable fans to create elegant, flowy pictures while keeping everyone cool.

If you're getting married during the fall or winter, consider bringing jackets to warm up between photoshoots. Choosing smaller spaces such as steps, arches and walkways will keep you in closer quarters with others, letting you share body heat when the temperatures drop.

Are There Indoor Locations?

If you prefer pictures where the wind, rain or outdoor temperatures cannot affect the final product, you can choose an indoor venue. Indoor locations also make excellent backups in case of unexpected weather.

Prepare a second location where the weather can't impact your beautiful photos. You can choose the inside of a church, banquet hall, gallery or museum for your photoshoots for a backdrop just as beautiful as your first choice.

Is There a Place for Large Group Photos?

For larger groups of bridesmaids and groomsmen, an open, less intimate space can create breathtaking photos. If you have more than six friends or family members in your wedding party, consider coordinating group photos for outdoor landscape-oriented shots. This option allows you and your spouse to stand out among the others while still incorporating them into your wedding photos.

You can also utilize larger spaces for fun poses with your loved ones. Consider asking your wedding photographer to do a first-look photo with your bridesmaids or groomsmen to capture the natural reaction to your wedding day attire. You can also do group huddles to capture a more natural look of your favorite people.

What Will Your Wedding Poses Be?

Well-coordinated poses and fun ideas with your groomsmen or bridesmaids can make your photoshoot experience exciting! You have the creative freedom to choose any pose you desire to capture the love and joy of your big day, all within a few shots.

Discuss your favorite aspects of your wedding day with your photographer to plan poses for your group, couple and individual pictures. Consider the following ideas incorporated in a typical wedding poses guide:

Running through a field or into the distance together
Draping a bridal veil across the couple
Placing bouquets between each other to capture side profiles that highlight hair, makeup, jewelry and any headpieces
Standing in the middle of the wedding party for symmetrical photos

Talk to your Wedding Photographer in Advance

Having a trusted photographer by your side lets you focus on the joy of your special day. To create gorgeous shots of you and your partner, your closest friends and your family, discuss your standards with the photographer before the day arrives. Let them know your wedding's aesthetic and the angles you feel comfortable with to ensure that you're delighted with the final product of each picture.

Don't be shy about what you want! Feel free to give your photographer specific directions so you can reflect on your wedding day in adoration. They can also teach you a few tips and tricks to discover your best angles, poses and lighting options to perfectly capture the ambiance of the wedding you desire.

Explore Photo Ideas from Weddings at Baywood

Inspiration is the first step to creating gorgeous wedding photos to commemorate your special day. With hundreds of beautiful photos to explore, you can rely on Weddings at Baywood to provide one-of-a-kind photoshoot opportunities for your entire party. Along with gorgeous shots of the newlyweds, you can enjoy dozens of dining options, wedding venue locations, flower arrangments, quality sound equipment and many other benefits in our 2022 wedding packages.

We prioritize every couple's desires for an aesthetic wedding to remember for many years. When you plan your big day with Weddings at Baywood, you can choose gorgeous backdrops such as bridges, lakes, flower gardens and open fields to create a beautiful ambiance for your venue and wedding photos.

Contact us today to select the perfect wedding package for your unforgettable day.

Planning a Venue With Wedding Photos in Mind