The bride is undoubtedly the star of the show on her wedding day.

However, her must-have shot list does not differ much from the groom. Focus on the following photos for the bride:

Bride Details – In addition to the dress, shoes, and rings, a bride’s details often include a large array of accessories like bracelets, earrings, and necklaces. To allow enough time to photograph these details, request in advance that the bride gather all of her details into one convenient location. While brides typically want an image of the dress by itself, that’s not always the case with the smaller details. If the bride opts to have the details photographed while she’s wearing them, then you won’t have to waste time setting up product-style shots of the details that she really won’t care about.

Photojournalism of the Bride – Your visual storytelling will only benefit from capturing wide, medium, and tight angles, so keep this in mind while photographing the bride and her bridesmaids as they’re getting ready. Photojournalistic bride prep shots usually include the following:

• The make-up artist putting the finishing touches on the bride’s hair & makeup

• A gift exchange between the bride and her bridesmaids

• A champagne toasts

• The bridesmaids or family members helping the bride into her dress and shoes

Classic and Creative Portraits of the Bride – Must-have bridal portraits can include details, usually of the bride’s face, dress, or flowers, as well as full length (front & back) portraits, and images of the bride getting ready on her own. To capture more images in less time, use the same lighting and location for both formal and bridal prep portraits. After getting your classic portraits, look for reflections or shoot through objects to use for capturing creative shots.

For more information, read our article on How to Crush Bride Prep.

Here are some tips for photographing the groom and his groomsmen.

Indoor and/or Outdoor Portraits – For indoor portraits, choose a location with great lighting, possibly near a large window (or several), and make sure that the background is clean. Having great lighting and a clean background is also ideal when shooting outdoors, so be sure to scout ahead of time and use apps like Sun Seeker to ensure the lighting will be optimal in the location you’ve chosen.

Candid and/or Posed Portraits – Candid and posed portraits are not always exclusive of one another. When the action is slow, create shots of the groom and groomsmen by directing the scene and prompting the action (gift exchanges, toasts, card games, etc).

Dramatic vs. Soft Lighting – While you could go the “standard” route and use an umbrella or big soft box to get soft, diffused light over the entire group, you might also consider capturing an image or two using dramatic lighting, especially if you’re using editorial-style posing.

You can find specific posing cues for grooms and groomsmen here.

See three ways to photograph groups with flash here.

Individual Portraits of the Groom with Each Groomsman – In addition to photographing the groom with his group of groomsmen, be sure to capture images of the groom with each individual groomsmen. Generally, try to capture at least one standard pose and one funny pose (see images below).

Feminine Posing – The poses for bridal parties should highlight femininity, curves, and softness. Here are some key points to help guide you toward creating a flattering, feminine, pose for all of the bridesmaids.

• Narrow stance

• One knee crosses center to create more of an hourglass figure

• Hip kicked to one side

• Hands posed with purpose or at rest

• Relaxed joints

• Neck extended (slightly)

• Chin down/eyes up (softness)

• Chin up/eyes down (power)

• Walk heel over toe

Soft Lighting – Soft light is light that has been diffused through a light modifier (such as a soft box or sheer curtain), either on or off camera, and it generally produces fewer (or softer, less contrasty) shadows. For more information on off-camera light modification, check out our fifteen favorite off-camera flash light modifiers in this article!

Group Placement – When placing the bride and bridesmaids into position for a group portrait, place the VIPs closer to the bride (Maid of Honor, family members, etc.) and watch for contact points between the bridal party.

Touchpoints – Make sure that the bridal party is connected, but they should not overlap one another by more than 20% unless instructed to do so for a particular pose (such as a group hug).

Multiple Expressions – Once the bridal party is in position, mix up the poses and expressions by making micro-adjustments. This is as simple as asking the bridal party to look at the camera, look at the bride and lean into her, or just start laughing out loud, which usually results in genuine laughter.