Karisa Getting Married: 10 Wedding Photos I Need

I trust my photographer to get all the major "must-have" wedding pictures for me--the bride getting ready, the bride and groom saying their vows, the best man's speech, etc. I also trust that she'll be good at getting everyone in natural looking poses. She did a great job at alleviating my anxiety and awkwardness during the engagement session by giving us poses to try and tweaking them when we looked awkward. This is essential in a photographer, because sometimes you think you look great/cute/hilarious/adorable in a photo, but really you just look strange.

Personal pic

When we posed for this, I thought it looked cute. But seeing the picture, I am confused at the angles. What, exactly, is going on here?

I probably won't give my photographer a comprehensive list of all the photos I want taken, but I do have a running list in my head (which is to say, Pinterest) of photos that might not be standard for every photographer--photos that I absolutely need to have. Here's the Top 10:

1) The groom's reaction as the bride walks down the aisle: Obviously there will be pics of me walking down the aisle, but my favorite part of wedding ceremonies is seeing the groom's reaction to it. (Okay, maybe I stole that from 27 Dresses, but it really is a great part of wedding ceremonies!) A lot of weddings I see online omit these pictures (it's possible that they took them but just didn't include them in the blog posts) but I want to make sure I get Mr. Unicycle's reaction! And he better cry at my devastating beauty!

Image via Danielle Hartland Graphic Design and Photography

Image via Joielala Photography

2) The "dad first look" and "bridesmaids first look": I'm sensing a trend here. Maybe I'm being vain, but I want a reaction shot of my dad and bridesmaids too. Ever since I saw Mrs. Balloons' post on the Dad First Look, I've wanted one of those too. I think parents always imagine what their daughter will look like on her wedding day, and my mom won't get to see the reveal since she'll be there to watch the transformation.

Image via Mrs. Balloons on Weddingbee / Photo by Audrey Hannah Photography

Photo by Meredith Perdue Photography

3) A group shot of all the guests: I was inspired by Mrs. Lox, among others, and I would really like to see this logistical nightmare come true. It sounds like a headache for everyone involved, but the pictures are so amazing.

Image via Mrs. Lox on Weddingbee / Photo by Chad Lippiatt Photo

Image via The Knot / Photo by Gruber Photographers

4) Sassy drinking pictures: I don't know why, but I love these two pictures and I want to copy them. Except I don't drink beer, and nothing else seems as badass and as throw-back-able as a glass of beer. Can I do this with wine?? Or maybe a shot...

Image via Mrs. Zebra on Weddingbee / Photo by Sara Zarella Photography

Photo by Miller + Miller

5) A picture of us holding a "thank you" banner: We held a date banner for our Save the Dates, and it would be kind of cool to continue the theme with a thank you banner to use for our thank you cards.

Image via Intimate Weddings / Photo by Our Labor of Love

Image via Intimate Weddings / Photo by Three Blondes and a Camera

6) A photo of the sparkler sendoff: I'm basically doing a sparkler sendoff because I want the cool photos from it. I also like the drama of the bride and groom leaving in a special way. I'm sounding kind of vain again, aren't I?

Image via National Geographic

Image via Martha Stewart Weddings

7) A backseat kissing shot: I love wedding pictures taken in cars. It seems so romantic and classic, perfect for my retro theme! We'll be hopping into a limo after our sparkler sendoff, so I'm not sure if this will work, with the tinted windows and all.

Image via Kiss the Groom / Photo by Thayer Hearts Weddings

Image via Mrs. Earrings on Weddingbee / Photo by Jane Sanders

8) The bridesmaids in sunglasses: I love cheap sunglasses (the song and the accessory) so I'm thinking of buying a few pairs for me and my bridesmaids to don in an ironic/hipster photo. Plus, it'll be sunny out, so we might need them.

Image via Ms. Kettle on Weddingbee / Photo by Bella Pictures

Image via flowersbythevase on Etsy

9) Informal bridesmaid pictures: I don't want the bridesmaid pics to be overly posed and cheesy. I like the ones that just look like a group of friends is hanging out. Because it's totally natural for my sister-in-law, college roommate, grade school BFF, and high school BFF to all hang out, right?