Your wedding day is one of the most exciting (and most photographed) days you’ll have in your life! I always want my brides to look back on their wedding photos and think positive thoughts. One way to ensure that will happen is to make sure you look and feel your best on your wedding day. Today I am going to share some tips that I think will make you look like the best version of yourself in your wedding photos.

Hire the right photographer

Picking a wedding photographer is the single most important thing you can do to make sure you look back on your wedding photos with fondness. If you pick a photographer you aren’t comfortable with, that will show in the photos! Most couples end up spending more time with their wedding photographer on their big day than they do with their friends and family, so make sure you hire somebody you like and trust to capture every moment of your wedding.

Test out poses at an engagement session

Once you pick your perfect photographer, it’s important to learn how to pose! For many people, their wedding and the surrounding photos (engagements, formals, wedding day) are the first time they’re posing in front of a professional photographer. An engagement session is a perfect test run for your wedding day! Find out what poses you feel most comfortable in. If you see something you don’t like in your engagement photos, tell your photographer so they can remember not to pose you that way during your wedding day. Having this initial session with your photographer can help you both know how to get you looking your best on camera.

Invest in alterations

Once you and your fiance have picked out your perfect wedding looks, make sure you get them altered or tailored to flatter you perfectly. A dress or suit off the rack is great, but it might need a few little touch-ups here or there to really make you look your best. Spending a little extra money will go a long way to making sure your photos look stunning.

Add the right accessories

Adding high-quality accessories to your wedding day look can really elevate your portraits. Selecting accessories that flatter you and your bridal look can do wonders to boost your confidence the day of your wedding. If you decide to do a formal session before your wedding day, it will be a great chance to check your accessories and make sure they’re exactly what you want.

Hire hair and makeup artists

Hiring a professional hair and makeup artist for your wedding day will help you feel and look your most gorgeous and confident on your wedding day. These trained artists know what they’re doing and want to help you look your very best. Do a trial run with a few people before the big day to make sure they’ll be able to give you the hair and makeup look you want on your big day.

Take breaks for food and water

I can’t count the number of times I’ve told this to my wedding couples, but it always bears repeating. Make sure you take time to eat food and drink water on your wedding day. Dehydrated and hungry people are often grumpy people and grumpy people can only fake happiness for so long. Your wedding day will likely be so busy, but please don’t forget to eat! Keep some snacks in your car to munch on between venues if you need, have somebody set a timer to come get you for a dinner break during the reception. Do whatever it takes to make sure you don’t get to the end of the reception and realize you haven’t eaten since 7 am.

If it bends, bend it

Bodies are meant to bend in certain places, so make sure not to stiffen up during your wedding photos. To help yourself look more natural and relaxed, roll your shoulders back, keep your elbows slightly bent, and shift your weight onto your back foot whenever possible. Hands and arms tend to be the most awkward-looking part of photos, so keep them loose and follow the guidance of your photographer! We’re here to make you look great.