How to Pose for Your Wedding Photos

Everyone wants to look good in photos. The world has gone crazy for tips, tricks and editing apps to look Instagram-perfect in photos. In this post, I share my best tips on how to pose for your wedding photos. No matter what size, shape or height or you are.

Smile

Try to smile a real, genuine smile – it is your wedding day after all! If you can’t have a beaming smile from ear to ear now, when can you?! Think of something funny that will bring a genuine smile to your face without giving you a fit of giggles. Wearing a lip gloss or wetting your lips will bring more light to your face, and make your lips look fuller. If smiling doesn’t come natural to you, then “smize.” Smiling with your eyes. That sparkle and twinkle in your eye, with a hint of a smile {but never a smirk}.

Tilt

There’s that one {popular} shot that’s taken head on of the couple standing side by side. Apart from that style of shot, you want to always tilt, something. That can be your head, your body etc. Drop one shoulder or hip. Or push it forward to give a softer angle and slimmer physique, no matter what size or shape you are. It’s also a great way of showing off your curves in a really flattering way. This works great for group shots too, especially with your bridal squad!

Slim Limbs

To make areas of your body look smaller and slimmer, move them forward and slightly away from your body. When sitting down, putting your hands on your knees will make your fingers look more slender. Resting them gently on your new hubby’s shoulder or arm will do the same. When you’re in your group shots, try to avoid the claw hand, when your fingers creep over someones shoulder. It makes your hands look huge and can completely ruin a wedding photo. A bent knee, or one leg slightly forward gives the illusion of longer, slimmer legs.

Elongate Your Neck

Elongating your neck will ensure there are no double chins on display. A model trick is to put your tongue up to the roof of your mouth to help achieve this elongation of the neck. There’s also walking around the room wearing a pair of heels and balancing a book on your head to achieve same thing. If you practice yoga, you’ll be familiar with the feeling of drawing yourself up through your spine, up the back of your neck. It results in a really beautiful pose that will look stunning in your wedding photos.

Look Back

Ok so not quite how it sounds. Although a backward glancing look can make for a beautiful pose! Look back and analyse pictures of yourself – as if the world needs any more encouragement! Look at photos you don’t like – what don’t you like about them? Make a note of the way your standing, or smiling, or where you’re putting your hands etc. and try to avoid doing this on your wedding day. Look at photos you do like and what you like about them. Try to recreate those poses, practice them so they feel natural and not staged or “this is my posing look.” It’s got to look effortless and natural.

Pose Like a Pro

Models make a living from posing. Red Carpets {as opposed to editorial shoots} are quite similar to weddings. It involves moving around, posing for the camera in a way that looks natural, elegant, poised etc. All the things you want to look good in your wedding photos. Take some time to analyse the way models and celebrities pose on the red carpet. Where they place their hands, how they hold their arms, where they put their legs, elongate their necks, turn their heads etc. Practice them and recreate them in the mirror. Imagining swapping out your wedding bouquet for their clutch. Sure, you’ll feel awkward at first, but you want to look good in your wedding photos right?

If you really want to get your posing game down, look at celebrity couples and practice posing in the mirror with your fiancé too! Even if you don’t remember any of the poses on your wedding day, the fact that you’ve done it will make you feel more confident on the day – and that will show in your photos.

Work That Dress

You’ve most likely spent countless hours and lots of money on your perfect wedding dress. You want to show it off on your wedding day and in your photos. If it’s got lots of sparkle, beading and sequins, think about where they’re placed on the body. Put those parts of your body forward to attract the light and pick up all those details. That can be your hips, shoulders, chest or arms if there’s really beautiful sleeve details.

If you’ve got a dress with stunning back details, make sure you elongate your neck and back. And stick your butt out, just a little. If you’ve got a deep, plunging v-neckline or a strapless dress, make sure you don’t slouch or slump over. Instead you want to elongate the neck and push the shoulders back a little. For example, this Zuhair Murad couture dress worn by Olivia Culpo at this year’s Golden Globes wouldn’t work if she slumped her shoulders or slouched. There might even be a nip-slip, and no one wants that on their wedding day!

Most of all, remember to enjoy yourself! It will show in your wedding photos. That’s the best advice I could give! I hope these tips are helpful, have fun practicing your poses in the mirror!

Photography: Heather Anderson Photography | Venue: Rancho Las Lomas | Planning + Design: Perfect The Event | Floral Design: Flowers by Cina | Shoes: Bella Belle Shoes | Silk Ribbon: Tono & Co. | Bridal Gown: Tara Lauren | Menswear: Stitch & Tie | Menswear Designer: Michael Kors | Beauty: The Face of Beauty | Earrings: Dior | Rings: Susie Saltzman

You might also like my top tips on choosing your makeup artist for your wedding day

Or for more pose ideas, check out this intimate styled shoot at The Joshua Tree also by Heather Anderson Photography