Friday Five

5 Ways to Ruin Your Wedding Photos | Friday Five

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Weird blog title, right? Obviously you don’t want to ruin your wedding photos, but there are 5 things you could be doing that might be hurting your chances of getting those wedding photos you’ve been dreaming of since that ring first slipped onto your finger. For this week’s Friday Five, I’m going to give you some wedding planning advice that will help you avoid disaster.

1. Don’t Communicate with Your Wedding Photographer

Communication is KEY. This is the best wedding planning advice I can give you, and it applies to all of your wedding vendors. I’ve written about this before, and the best way to ruin your wedding photos is to avoid communication with your wedding photographer. This is one of the most important, most photographed event of your life. So, if you want the photos that are super important to you, TELL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER!

Make a Family Shot List

I provide a template for all of my wedding clients, listing out every family combination I typically photograph at a wedding. This list also allows couples to add in names of family members, so I know exactly who is supposed to be in each and every photo. This guarantees we won’t miss a photo with ANY member of your family.

List Any ‘Must Have’ Photos

I’ve had a bride ask me for a photo of her dad crying during her first dance. Now…I can’t control people’s emotions. Don’t ask for super specific shots like this; instead, let me know it’s important to catch your parent’s or grandparent’s reactions to certain events. Or, maybe you hand made a gift for all of your bridesmaids, and you want to make sure I grab a few photos of them opening gift bags while you are getting ready. Whatever it is, communicate the importance of certain events, and I will make sure to photograph them!

Tell Me Your Concerns

Do you have a weird lazy eye that you want me to be aware of? (I do, I don’t judge). Are you worried your ceremony spot is going to be super bright? Are you worried about having your divorced parents stand next to each other for family photos? Just let me know, and we will work together to come up with a solution.

2. Get a Spray Tan/Sunburn the Day Before Your Wedding

Avoid the sun, and step away from the spray tan at least two weeks before your wedding. Spray tans tend to look orange on film, and requires a ton of post-processing. So, if you want to avoid possibly being charged an extra editing fee so you don’t look like an Oompa Loompa, DO. NOT. SPRAY. TAN! Avoiding a sun burn also lessens the likelihood of unwanted tan lines.

3. Leave A Hair Tie On Your Wrist (Don’t Pay Attention to Details)

I’m leaving this one in here mostly for fun, because I check these types of things BEFORE we start taking photos, but it’s a good idea to make sure you pay attention to the small things. Are your shoes a little too big? You’re going to have a hard time walking in them. Will your jewelry snag your dress? Will wearing your hair down cover up that AWESOME lacing detail on the back of your dress? These are all things to consider leading up to the wedding day.

4. Don’t Worry About the Location

We’ve all heard this before: location, location, location. Just as it’s a big deal in real estate, it’s a big deal in photography, too. Hiring a professional photographer means that they are able to find beauty in locations you might otherwise overlook. If there is a place that is important to you, but you’re not quite sure if it’s photo-worthy, let your photographer know!

Morada Bay Wedding

5. Don’t Worry About the Sunlight

Location might be important, but lighting is everything. Photographers are in love with something called the “Golden Hour”. This is the hour or so before sunset, when everything is drenched in dreamy, romantic golden light. When planning your wedding, pay close attention to when the sunset is. This will determine the timeline for all of your photos.

A lot of this timeline revolves around whether or not you are choosing to do a first look, especially in the winter months when the sun sets pretty early. If you’re opting not to see each other until you say ‘I do’, you’ll want to make sure your ceremony time is earlier, leaving plenty of time after the ceremony for family, bridal party, and bride/groom portraits. Here is a great site that not only let’s you see the sunrise and sunset times, but also when that coveted Golden Hour begins.


I hope this wedding planning advice helped! Planning a wedding can be stressful, but by following some really simple guidelines, you’ll be guaranteed to have a picture-perfect wedding day.

Want to know more about how I can help you get those killer wedding photos you’re after? CLICK HERE to get in touch.

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ABOUT Alyssa

At home near the sea. Ever-focused on beauty and the thrilling art of creation; found in the moments that leave me breathless and in awe. 

Growing up, photos always fascinated me.  I was raised to be inquisitive, ask questions, and appreciate history.  What better way to peak someone's interest than with a photograph?  

I always thought I would end up in the pages of Vogue (though I still hope!), but after the tragic loss of my mother, I turned to wedding photography on a whim and fell in love with the energy that can only be found when two people decide on forever.  The overwhelming joy, nostalgia, and attention to detail captured my heart in 2012, and I never looked back.

I squeeze clients meetings in between nap times, and I drive my kids to school and daycare only to run into meetings with designers, florists, and beautiful clients before racing back to gather them back up again. The most amazing part, is that I feel most alive in this environment. Wedding days are chaotic, just like parenting.  Couples and families require empathy and genuine care, just like my children.  

I expertly navigate your wedding from my extensive experience in this industry, and what this offers you is the peace of mind on your wedding day to relax and enjoy what you have created. Booking with Alyssa Morgan Photography allows you to sit back, enjoy your party, and trust that every part of the day is going to be handled with ease, grace, and a whole lot of laughter along the way.

Adventurer.  Traveler.  Mother.

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