Wedding photography

Your pre-wedding photoshoot: what to wear and how to prepare

Choosing a location, putting outfits together and making a useful brief for your photographer.

A pre-wedding shoot can look quite different from your wedding photographs. You have more freedom with the location and clothes, and you can choose a time that suits the light rather than a ceremony schedule.

Start with the kind of photographs you’d like to have. That will help you and your photographer make decisions about where to go, what to wear and how to use the session.

Explain what you like about your references

Choose a small number of photographs and say what catches your attention in each. It could be the architecture, the colour, the closeness of the couple or the way they’re framed.

References are most useful when they give your photographer an idea of your taste. They don’t need to become a list of photographs to copy. Your location, light and the way you interact will give the session its own character.

Natalie and Matt standing together between stone columns in a black-and-white pre-wedding portrait.

Choose a location with variety nearby

A garden with a wall or building nearby can offer several different backgrounds without a long journey between them. In the city, look at the surrounding streets as well as the main location you have in mind.

Confirm photography permissions, opening hours and any hire or permit requirements before committing. Discuss crowds, weather and the light with your photographer, and agree on an alternative if the planned location becomes unsuitable.

Natalie in a white dress beside warm stone columns during a pre-wedding shoot.

Try the complete outfits on beforehand

Choose clothes you enjoy wearing and can sit, stand and move in comfortably. Tailoring, an interesting fabric or a strong silhouette can all work well; the right choice depends on the photographs you want.

Try both outfits together, including shoes and accessories. You don’t need to match, but it helps to see how the colours and levels of formality look side by side. Consider the setting too, particularly if you’ll be walking on uneven ground.

Agree on the time after choosing the place

A coastal location and a street between tall buildings can have very different light at the same hour. Let your photographer advise on the timing once the location is clear.

Allow for parking, walking and any outfit changes. Bring practical shoes for moving between spots if your portrait shoes aren’t comfortable for the route. Those small preparations keep the session from feeling rushed.

Natalie and Matt standing on stone steps outside a colonnade, photographed on 35mm film.

Let the photographer direct the session

We’ll guide where you stand or sit, how you use the space and what works with the light. There will also be moments between those directions when you’re talking or reacting to one another.

Tell us about any preferences beforehand, including photographs you particularly want. During the shoot, you can respond to the direction without trying to remember a list of poses. We’ll adjust the plan as we see what works.

Keep the brief useful

A few references, outfits you’ve tried together and a confirmed location are a good starting point. Once the practical details are settled, you can concentrate on the session itself.