Wedding Ceremony Photography checklist is a handy thing that can really help you and make everything smooth. Especially for newbie, we might ask ourselves, what we need to capture? Instead of puzzle that in our brain, you can prepare a complete wedding photography checklist to save the day.

So let’s share some of the basic list that I can recall based on a Chinese Wedding.
Basically, there are few sections for the wedding photography shots.

Before the wedding ceremony

Bride Side:

• Wedding dress – Either lying over a chair/bed or hang up beside the window

• Make up session for the bride, remember to check what’s time the make up artist arrive

• Wedding shoe – Try hang it on the window

• Mother of the bride fastening the bride’s necklace

• Mother of the bride putting on the bridal veil

• Bride looking into a mirror

• Bride hugging parents

• Bride looking out window

• Shoot the small details – Like flowers, table settings and etc

• Bride hugging parents

• Bride close friends preparation

• Bride’s sisters hide behind the bride room door, with their hand and head appear

Groom Side

• Groom tying tie

• Parent of the groom putting on the coat on groom

• Calendar – show the exact date clearly (very important, this will be very helpful for the slide show)

• Groom showoff with the Ang Pow (for Chinese ceremony)

• Banquet of wedding flower

• Wedding Car

• Wedding Teddy Bears

• Wedding Rings

• Wedding Bed / Room / Slipper

• Groom looking into mirror

• Groom hugging parents

• Groom stepping out the doorstep

• Groom and his friends or brothers (Perhaps a group photos in front of the wedding car)

• Groom enter the car

• Wedding Car on the road (If possible)

Wedding Photography Shoot during the ceremony

Usually for Chinese Ceremony, the sisters (bride’s close friends), they will prepare something for the groom and his brothers. Usually will be a series of challenge for them that will make all of us laugh. So below might be the shoot you might consider.

Bride house

• Groom car arrive

• Bride’s brother open the car door

• Groom give the open door Ang Pow to bride brother

• Activities between bride’s sisters and groom / groom’s brothers

• Close up on the gate / special food or drinks / funny tools

• Sister asking for Ang Pow

• Sister opening the Ang Pow

• Sister opening the lock / gate / key

• Groom enter the bride’s house

• Groom holding the wedding flower (close up maybe)

• Shot of the guests

• Capture the decoration on wall, door, or table

• Groom opens the bride door

• Groom seeing bride for first time

• Groom and bride exchanging the ring

• Kissing and hugging

• Chinese tea ceremony

• Family and group photos

• Bride and Groom stepping out the house

• Bride and Groom entering the car

• Close up through the car windows that cover bride / groom

Groom House

• Opening the wedding car door

• Groom and bride entering the house (Remind them to walk slowly)

• The tea ceremony

• Family and group photos

• Shot of the guests

• Close up on hands

• Groom and bride entering their room

• Chinese traditional inside the room (Usually there will be kids to jump on the bed)

• Bride helping groom to take off his coat

• New marry couples with their friend

• Bride throwing the flower for her sisters (This is a best part, make sure you cover it with fast shuttle speed)

Ok, I think that’s all I need to share here. In conclusion, make sure yourself prepare this a week ahead. The main purpose doing  this is not ask you to refer the list during the actual day, but to ensure you know what’s you are going to capture and well prepare, is ok you might miss some but the wedding photography check list will automatically seal in side your brain.