The Wedding Photo Shot List (Free Printable Checklist)

A good wedding photo shot list covers eight parts of the day: details, getting ready, the first look, the ceremony, family and wedding party photos, couple portraits, the reception and the send-off. Your photographer will cover the standard moments without being told. The shot list is for the things only you know: the heirloom, the people who matter, the surprise, the photo you want to recreate. Below is the complete list, moment by moment, the way I work through a wedding day, and a free printable version to fill in and send to your photographer.

I’m Korbin, the photographer and videographer behind KDH Weddings on the Gulf Coast. Every couple I work with gets a planning call where we go through a list like this one. Most of it I shoot on instinct. What I need from you is everything I can’t guess.

How to use a wedding shot list (and how not to)

• Do list the people, objects and moments that are personal to you. Your grandmother’s ring. The college roommates. Your dog.
• Do tell your photographer about surprises, special traditions and family dynamics ahead of time.
• Don’t hand over 200 Pinterest poses. A long list of set-ups means less time for the real moments, which are almost always the best photos.
• Don’t list what every photographer shoots anyway: the kiss, the rings, the first dance. They’re on the list below so you can see them, not so you have to ask.

1. Details (while you’re getting ready)

• Dress on a hanger, near a window
• Shoes, veil, jewelry and perfume
• Rings together, with the invitation suite
• Suit or tux details: cufflinks, watch, tie, boutonnière
• Bouquet and flowers
• Heirlooms (a grandmother’s ring, a locket, a handkerchief sewn into the dress)
• Vow books and letters

Tip: gather every detail into one box before I arrive. It saves 20 minutes of searching and gives you better detail photos.

2. Getting ready

• Hair and makeup finishing touches
• Bridal party in matching robes or outfits
• Getting into the dress: buttons, zip, a parent helping
• Shoes and jewelry going on
• Reading a letter from your partner
• The first time a parent sees you dressed
• Getting dressed: jacket on, cufflinks, tie
• Groomsmen together, and a moment with dad
• Solo portraits of each of you, fully dressed

3. First look (if you’re doing one)

• The walk up and the tap on the shoulder
• Both reactions, from two angles if there’s a second shooter
• The first hug
• Letters, gifts or private vows
• A first look or first touch with a parent

Not sure? Here’s first look or no first look.

4. Ceremony

• The venue and ceremony site before guests arrive
• Guests arriving and being seated
• Grandparents and parents walking in
• Wedding party walking in; flower girl and ring bearer
• The partner waiting at the front, watching the aisle
• The walk down the aisle, and the hand-off
• Vows, and the readings
• The ring exchange, up close
• Any unity ritual (sand, candle, handfasting, a cultural tradition)
• The first kiss
• The recessional, and the guests cheering
• The first moment alone right after

5. Family and wedding party photos

• Couple with each set of parents
• Couple with immediate families
• Couple with grandparents
• The full wedding party, formal and fun
• Each side of the wedding party
• The couple with each attendant

Family formals are the part of the day that runs over most. My wedding family photo list has the exact grouping order I use to get through them in about 20 minutes.

6. Couple portraits

• A classic full-length portrait
• Close-ups: hands, rings, the veil
• Walking together, candid
• A portrait with the venue, the beach or the city behind you
• Golden hour: 15 to 20 minutes around sunset
• Night portraits, with city lights or a starry beach

On the Gulf Coast, sunset runs from about 4:50 pm in December to about 7:53 pm in late June. I plan the whole timeline around it. See my wedding day timeline guide.

7. Reception

• The room before guests come in: tables, centerpieces, cake
• The grand entrance
• The first dance
• Parent dances
• Toasts, and the reactions to them
• Cutting the cake
• Bouquet and garter toss
• Guests dancing
• Table photos, if you want them
• Any special dedication or surprise performance

8. The send-off

• The tunnel of guests (sparklers, bubbles, petals)
• The car or carriage leaving
• A last look back

The personal list (the part that really matters)

This is the list I actually ask couples to send me. Five to fifteen lines is plenty:

• VIPs I might not know are VIPs: a godparent, a best friend from childhood, an aunt who raised you
• Anyone who can’t stand for long, or who needs to leave early
• Family situations I should know about (divorced parents, people who shouldn’t stand together)
• Heirlooms, special objects and cultural traditions
• Surprises: a song, a gift, a reveal
• One photo you’ve always wanted (recreating your parents’ wedding photo, for example)
• Anyone who’s passed away that you’re honoring, and how

How many hours do you need to get everything on the list?

• 3 hours: ceremony, family photos, couple portraits and the start of the reception. Best for small weddings and elopements.
• 6 hours: from the end of getting ready through the first dance and toasts. The most common choice.
• 9 hours: getting ready through the send-off, with nothing missed.

My packages are 3 hours ($1,500), 6 hours ($3,000) and 9 hours ($4,500), with a second shooter on 6 and 9 hours. The second shooter is what makes two getting-ready rooms and both reactions at the aisle possible. See pricing

FAQ: wedding photo shot lists