DIY: Must-Have Wedding Shots

We know that wedding day photo opportunities happen only once and there's no getting past the fact that hiring a professional to get those important moments captured perfectly is the way to go. But if your budget for photographs is nonexistent, don't fret! It doesn't have to mean you miss your chance to get the shots that every bride wants.

What you can do instead is find someone or several people if you can, that take decent photos, have them all take the same shots and pick the best.

Perhaps you already know a talented photographer friend or relative who would be more than happy to assist you in your time of need. If not, ask around, a friend of a friend or a relative, there's got to be someone you know who knows someone who fancies him or herself a "professional" amateur photographer.

Negotiate an agreement that could include paying for any supplies, offering to be a reference for them as well as agreeing to let them use some of the better shots for their portfolios. You should also offer them a token amount of money for their time especially if it is someone you are not personally acquainted with, they will almost certainly be expecting some kind of financial compensation for their time and effort, even if they understand your budget restrictions. If it is someone you intended to invite as a guest, you can ask them to do this for you in lieu of a gift.

The Top-Ten Shots

• Classic Wedding Party - should include the bride, groom, maid/matron of honour, best man, ushers, bridesmaids, flower girls and ring bearers. It is usually taken at or outside the ceremony site.
• Family Shot- includes bride and her parents and the groom and his parents.
• The Bride and Groom's Hands - usually taken just before the cake is cut. Typically, the bride's left hand is place over the groom's left hand, and positioned so the rings are in perfect view.
• The Bride and Parents - usually taken before the ceremony. The bride is usually positioned between her parents.
• The Groom and Parents - usually taken before the ceremony. The groom is usually positioned between his parents.
• The First Dance - taken during the reception as the couple dances their first dance together. It can be candid or posed.
• Cutting the Cake - usually captured in a series of photographs that include cake cutting, the bride and groom feeding each other the first bite
.
• The First Kiss - captures the moment the officiant proclaims, "You may now kiss the bride."
• Down the Aisle - includes the bride and her escort as they walk down the aisle.
• The Newlyweds Escape - taken as the bride and groom exit the ceremony location and is usually an action shot.

Story by Nancy Johnston. Photos courtesy of Karen LeClair.