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Wedding Day Shot List by Jasmine Star
Wedding Day Shot List by Jasmine Star
There’s something I want to get off my chest: this project made me nervous.
And whenever I get nervous, I’m tempted to wrap myself in a blanket and eat
burritos in the dark. I was nervous because whenever someone puts together a list,
it’s easy to assume it’s somehow complete, all-inclusive. That’s why I’ve shied away
from sharing this list in the past. Because people will find omissions, flaws, and
inconsistencies in my approach. Oh! The! Mistakes! I’ll be cited for.
This Wedding Day Shot List is in no way a complete guide to shooting a wedding.
At all. What we do as artists cannot be summed up in a series of boxes to check…
I know this. However, when I started shooting weddings, I felt like I was always
missing something. I’d leave a wedding and agonize over the things I overlooked. So
I made a list for myself. This list was merely meant to serve as a foundation…every
wedding is entirely unique, but if I documented the basics with confidence, it freed
me to be creative and push my artistic comfortability. That’s what this list is
comprised of: the basics.
I realized I couldn’t be creative when I was constantly worrying about the things I
might’ve missed. Once I set a rhythm, I was free to move and shoot to my heart’s
delight. Over time, I learned to quickly shoot the basics and get on with being
creative. So that’s what I hope this list helps with. Encouraging you to find freedom
and artistic empowerment.
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TAKE A PEEK
“When you FREE yourself from the FEAR
of failure ,CREATIVITY freely flows ”
You can follow along with this shot list by viewing a gallery of images from
actual weddings I’ve photographed. The gallery helps outline the shot list,
approach, and additional photos I shoot along the way.
http://galleries.jasminestar.com/weddingdayshotlist
PASSWORD: star
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✓
Time Check
30 minutes for details
30 minutes for candids
B R I D E P R E PA R AT I O N /
When I arrive on a wedding day, the first thing I do is say hello to the bride. The bride is usually getting her hair and makeup done at this time, so I
walk to where she’s sitting, and give her a hug (I’m a hugger…hugs aren’t necessary, but they’re extra awesome). I then say the following: “I know
you’re very busy at the moment, so I want to make this as easy as possible for you. In fact, I don’t want you to think of me while you’re getting ready,
so just sit back and relax. The only thing I need from you is to point out someone who’ll help me assemble everything you want photographed.
Things I need are the wedding dress, shoes, jewelry, invitations, garter, and anything else you want documented. As long as you know I’m getting the
help I need, you can sit back and sip on champagne knowing you’re well taken care of!”
At this point, the bride usually refers me to her maid of honor. After meeting the maid of honor, I ask for help in gathering all the details for me.
I do this because I don’t want to waste precious time digging through personal items of the bride when her friend can do that for me. As she’s
gathering details, I set out documenting everything in a timely manner.
+ WEDDING DRESS
Details + SHOES
+ JEWELRY
Earrings
Vertical, up close
Horizontal, up close
Bracelets
Vertical, up close
Horizontal, up close
Necklace
Vertical, up close
Horizontal, up close
Earrings, Bracelets, and Necklace together
Vertical
Horizontal
Sentimental Jewelry (gift from mom, grandmother’s ring, etc.)
+ GARTER
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+ PERFUME
+ VEIL
+ INVITATIONS
+ WEDDING RINGS
Engraving on inside of ring
Vertical, up close of rings
Horizontal, up close of rings
Vertical, up close of rings on invitation or sentimental item
Horizontal, up close of rings on invitation or sentimental item
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+ BRIDE GETTING HER HAIR DONE
Toasts
Candid
Giving gifts
Group photo of bridesmaids in matching robes
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✓
Time Check
15 minutes for details
30 minutes for candids
G RO O M P R E PA R AT I O N /
When it comes to photographing the groom as he prepares for the wedding day, I maintain less is more. Whereas the bride and her bridesmaids
enjoy being in front of the camera, the groom and his groomsmen prefer to be undisturbed for as long as possible. In light of this, I prefer to work
quickly, get the shots I need, then allow lots of time and space for guys to be guys (which usually yields the best candid photos!).
Vertical
Horizontal
+ HANDKERCHIEF
+ SHOES
+ WATCH
+ HANDWRITTEN VOWS
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+ GROOM HANGING OUT WITH GROOMSMEN
Candid
+ GROOM COMBING HIS HAIR
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✓
Time Check
10 minutes for bridesmaids
10 minutes for groomsmen
B R I DA L PA RT Y / 10 minutes for group photos
One of my favorite parts of the wedding day is when the bride and groom are surrounded by their closest friends. Their truest selves are revealed, and
it’s the perfect opportunity to capture their love as a reflection of those who surround them. I work quickly to ensure everyone has a fun time, but I
work closely with my second photographer to ensure we capture a mix of portraits and candids to diversify the wedding day portfolio.
Details
Vertical, head to toe with bride talking with flower girls
Horizontal, bride squatting to be same height of flower girls
Horizontal, flower girls in foreground
Horizontal, head to toe, bride in center with bridesmaids on both sides of her
Vertical, head to toe, bride in center with bridesmaids on both sides of her
Horizontal, waist up, bride in center with bridesmaids on both sides of her, leaning in
Horizontal, head to toe, editorial style posing
Vertical, bride and bridesmaids walking toward camera, looking at each other
+ FLOWER GIRLS
+ CANDID PHOTOS
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+ GROOM WITH EACH GROOMSMAN
Horizontal, head to toe, groom in center with groomsmen on both sides of him
Vertical, head to toe, groom in center with groomsmen on both sides of him
Horizontal, head to toe, editorial style posing
Vertical, groom and groomsmen walking toward camera, looking at each other
+ RING BEARERS
+ CANDID PHOTOS
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+ STANDARD PORTRAIT
Bride and groom centered, with bridesmaids on one side, groomsmen on the other
+ CASUAL PORTRAIT
Bridal party walks with bride and groom toward camera, looking at each other
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✓
Time Check
15 minutes for bride’s side
15 minutes for groom’s side
FA M I LY P H O T O S /
Let’s face it: family photos on a wedding day are likely the least favorite and the most stressful…but they are also some of the most special photos for
clients. During my worst moments, I think of how important these particular photos will be in a few years. Heck, in a few days. When I photographed
Ryan and Katelyn’s wedding, Ryan carefully escorted his mom from her wheelchair when it was time to take a photo together. She couldn’t stand for
long, so within a few seconds, I was finished. Ryan danced an abbreviated mother/son dance later that night during the reception and I captured the
tears that ran down his face. Three days later I received an email that Ryan’s mother lost her battle with breast cancer. I expedited the processing of
the wedding images, so Ryan could use the photos at her funeral. All of this reminded me that family photos aren’t just special, they’re priceless.
Side
Vertical, head to toe
Horizontal, head to toe
Horizontal, waist up
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+ GROOM WITH PARENTS AND SIBLINGS
Side
Horizontal, head to toe
Horizontal, waist up
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+ BRIDE AND GROOM WITH BRIDE’S EXTENDED FAMILY
and + BRIDE AND GROOM WITH BRIDE’S PARENTS, GROOM’S PARENTS, AND ALL SIBLINGS
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✓
Time Check
10 minutes for portraits
10 minutes for candids
BRIDE AND GROOM PHOTOS / 10 minutes for editorial
The defining moment for photographers on a wedding day is the ability to create photos we’re proud of, photos we’ve dreamt of in our minds and can’t
wait to bring to life. However, I’ve documented weddings where I had an hour alone with the couple…and other weddings when I had 20 minutes
alone with the couple. Regardless of the time disparity, it’s important for me to have a mental outline of photos before I even press the shutter.
The more time I have, the more creative I can be, but this is a foundation I lay to ensure my clients have a strong representation of their first day as
husband and wife.
+ BRIDE BY HERSELF
+ GROOM BY HIMSELF
Vertical
Horizontal
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+ BRIDE AND GROOM LOOKING AT EACH OTHER WITH FACES CLOSE TOGETHER
Candid
+ BRIDE AND GROOM WALKING AWAY FROM THE CAMERA WHILE HOLDING HANDS
Horizontal
Vertical
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✓
Time Check
10 minutes for details
30 minutes for ceremony
CEREMONY /
My adrenaline pumps the fastest during the ceremony. It’s the sometimes tenuous pinnacle of a year’s worth of planning, a series of singular
moments (umm, no, the bride and groom cannot replicate their First Kiss!), and a lot of stress. It’s my job to stay calm and focused, setting the
foundation for quickly documenting the details, then pouring my energy to shooting the ceremony in a photojournalistic way.
+ WEDDING PROGRAMS
+ WEDDING SIGNAGE
Vertical
Horizontal
Details
AT CEREMONY LOCATION
+ FLORAL DECOR
Vertical
Horizontal
Vertical
Horizontal
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+ PROCESSIONAL
Grandparents
Parents
Bridal Party
+ BRIDE AND GROOM FACING EACH OTHER ( TAKEN FROM MIDDLE OF AISLE)
Vertical
Horizontal
Ceremony Vertical
Horizontal
Vertical
Horizontal
+ BRIDE’S PARENTS
+ GROOM’S PARENTS
+ GUEST READERS/SPEAKERS
+ FIRST KISS
+ RECESSIONAL
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✓
Time Check
10 minutes for details
10 minutes for candids
C O C K TA I L H O U R /
Every wedding day is different, but the majority of my clients opt to see each other before the ceremony (which I love and am extremely thankful for).
In light of this, it gives me the opportunity to document the cocktail hour when otherwise it would be missed if I had to shoot after the ceremony for
a prolonged period of time. I’ve discovered this time of day is perfect for candid photos and natural documentation of guests mingling, having a
great time.
+ BAR SIGNAGE
+ BAR MENU
+ DRINK STIRRERS
Details
+ PERSONALIZED NAPKINS
Seating cards
Seating signage
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+ BRIDE AND GROOM MINGLING WITH GUESTS (CANDID)
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Time Check
20 minutes for details 5 minutes first dance
15 minutes for speeches/toasts 5 minutes cake cutting
10 minutes for grand entrance 5 minutes bouquet toss
10 minutes formal dances 5 minutes garter toss
(father/daughter, mother/son)
RECEPTION /
Most of the planning a bride does is for the wedding reception. The food they’ll eat, the music they’ll dance to, the cake they’ll cut…all of these details
need to be documented, because after the flowers wilt and the champagne disappears, photos are the only things that remain. In light of this, I
educate clients on the time I need to carefully document details prior to guests entering the reception location. The rest of the evening will be spent
enjoying the fruit of my clients’ labor, so I simply focus on documenting photos that embody the overall experience of the night. This portion of the
list outlines the planned photos from the reception, but intentionally omits listing party/dancing as part of it. Because, well, dancing is dancing,
and during this time of the night, I simply shoot from the heart. And dance a little, too. There aren’t any rules, just photograph people having a great
time and you’ll be covered.
Horizontal
+ TABLESCAPE
+ CENTERPIECE
Details
Vertical, tabletop to top of centerpiece
Horizontal, tabletop to top of centerpiece
Vertical, details of flowers in centerpiece
+ MENU
+ SWEETHEART/HEADTABLE
Champagne flutes
Table seats name cards (this is the first time the bride will use her married last name)
Floral decor specific to bride and groom
Bride and groom chair decor (usually “Mr. and Mrs.” signage)
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+ DESSERT BAR
+ CAKE
Details
Vertical, tabletop to top of topper
Vertical, close up of cake, base to topper
Horizontal, floor to top of topper
Horizontal, tabletop to top of topper
Horizontal, close up of cake, base to topper
+ GROOM’S CAKE
+ BAR SIGNAGE
+ BAR DECOR
+ LOUNGE FURNITURE
+ GRAND ENTRANCE
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+ OVERIVEW PHOTO OF ENTIRE DANCE FLOOR
Horizontal
First
Vertical, head to waist
Horizontal, head to toe
Dance
Horizontal, head to waist
+ WELCOME SPEECH
Speeches
+ TOASTS
Vertical
Horizontal
Vertical
Horizontal
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+ FATHER/DAUGHTER
Formal + MOTHER/SON
Dances
Vertical, head to toe
Vertical, head to waist
Horizontal, head to toe
Horizontal, head to waist
Horizontal, hug/embrace at the end of the dance
+ BRIDE AND GROOM
Vertical, head to toe
Vertical, head to waist
Cake
Horizontal, head to waist
Vertical, close up of hands cutting cake
+ BRIDE HOLDING BOUQUET
JASMINE STAR AND THE JASMINE STAR LOGO ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF JASMINE STAR INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. COPYRIGHT © 2014.
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+ GROOM SEARCHING FOR GARTER
Vertical
Horizontal
Garter
+ REACTIONS FROM MALE GUESTS
Toss
+ GROOM PULLING OUT GARTER
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