The getting ready pictures
One classic early shot you'll take is the bride and her party getting ready, like in Figure D.

FIGURE D


Pictures of the bride getting ready are classics. Roll over picture for a larger image.

These are kind of a standard in wedding photography. You'll want shots of her getting advice from her mother, grandmother, aunts and girlfriends as well as applying make-up and fixing hair, putting on the dress and garter, etc. What you'll be allowed to shoot greatly depends on the preferences of the bride, herself.

The same approach applies for shots of the groom and his party getting ready, but that isn't always possible. Many times, the men won't all get ready at the same time and in the same place as the bride.

If they do, this makes it so much easier to get preparation shots of both parties. If not then you may have to sacrifice those shots of the men in favor of the bride. As a general rule, when you have to make a choice of shooting the bride or the groom, tradition maintains you should get more shots of the bride.

The men
You can often get shots of the men together just before the ceremony, as in Figure E, if you can't take any of them getting prepared.

FIGURE E


You never know what you'll catch while the men are hanging out before the wedding. Roll over picture for a larger image.

Another classic shot is of the groom getting advice from Dad. This makes such a good shot that you might even consider staging it. If you're not sure how to pose it, simply ask the dad to straighten the groom's tie. That one is a classic, like the one shown in Figure F.

FIGURE F


The father and groom together are a wedding standard. Roll over picture for a larger image.

At some point the groom and best man will probably converse alone, off in a corner. This also makes a good shot.

The women
If the bride and her party are getting ready at the site of the wedding, which is common practice, arrival shots of them in their street clothes hauling in their gear is another good shot, like Figure G.

FIGURE G


Catch the bride's arrival, before she's in the gown. Roll over picture for a larger image.

At this time you can also take the exterior shots of the location and then set up your equipment in your primary location.

Next, I'll cover shots that are all pretty much standards when it comes to wedding photography. Since men get ready much faster than women, because there's less for us to do to get ready, you will be able to knock out the men-only shots while the women are doing their thing.

Group shots
What you'll want are shots of the groom with the best man, with the best man and groomsmen, like Figure H, with his parents, grandparents, and siblings, possibly with the bride's family,

FIGURE H


You can take this shot of the men while the women are getting ready. Roll over picture for a larger image.

Later, you'll want pictures of the groom with the maid of honor and bridesmaids, but this will have to wait until they're ready. You can throw in a few fun ones too. This is where you can let your (and the wedding party's) imagination flow.

You'll want the same group shots with the bride as in Figure I.

FIGURE I


The pictures of the women are always the highlight of the shoot. Roll over picture for a larger image.