Wedding Couple Photos Q&A: Quick Tips for Fun, Authentic Portraits

In this blog post, I’ll be sharing some of my favourite couple photos from recent years. I’ll also be sharing tips and ideas to help you get the most out of your couple photos, along with my process for capturing these on a wedding day quickly and efficiently. 

Capturing your connection in a natural way

As a documentary wedding photographer, 90% of my time on a wedding day is dedicated to capturing real unposed moments. But for a very small portion of the day, I turn my attention to capturing couple portraits. Still, the same philosophy applies. My aim is to capture these portraits in a way that feels natural, relaxed and genuine so the images flow nicely with the rest of the day.

My couples book me as their wedding photographer because they love the candid nature of the photographs I take. Often, when they get in touch, my couples tell me that they don’t want to spend lots of time away from their friends and family on the day, and they definitely don’t want overly ‘posed’ photographs. 

FAQs for Effortless Wedding Couple Photos

With that in mind, here are some questions I get asked on a regular basis. Hopefully, the answers will help you feel more comfortable with the idea of having your photos taken on your wedding day!

Do We Need to Have Couple Photos at All?

You (hopefully) only get one shot at a wedding day so I’d strongly recommend having at least a few photos of the two of you together in your finery. It’s not very often that you get to have nice photos together as a couple so don’t waste the opportunity! Even if it’s just a quick smiley snapshot.

We Hate Having Our Photo Taken, Will We Look Awkward?

If I had a pound for every time I’ve heard this question, I would be able to retire! The thing that most of my couples worry about beforehand is looking awkward in their couple photos. It’s totally normal to feel this way, as we’re not used to having our photos taken in this way. Most of the photos we take these days are selfies that we have control over so the idea of having a photographer point a big camera at you can be a bit daunting. 

It’s About the Feeling

The key to not looking awkward in your wedding photos is to not feel awkward in your wedding photos. And the way to not feel awkward is to just be yourself. I will only ever give you light direction on where and how to stand with each other, and then I’ll encourage you to focus on each other. You’ll be able to laugh and chat about the day so far and before you know it, you’ll be back at the bar with your guests.

Top tip: Make sure you’re connected to each other at all times, in whatever way is most comfortable to you both as a couple. This looks different to everyone. It could be holding hands, linking arms or hugging.

Couple Photos are Not Just for the Romantics

You don’t need to be “romantic” if that’s not your style; the best photos happen when you’re comfortable, whether that means laughing with each other, or doing something totally unique.

You can lean into the unconventional and do something fun that you both love. This couple had their wedding reception at an arcade. They were having a great time together and it made for a more unusual photo opportunity.

Why Not Have a Practice Run

If you’re still unsure about your couple photo session, why not book a pre-wedding shoot? This is a great way to help you get a feel for being in front of the camera. You can find out more on my blog about why pre-wedding shoots are a great idea.

Does It Need to Be Just the Two of Us?

Yes. This is the one portion of the day where it should just be the two of you together with no distractions – so Auntie Joan and her iPhone 5 will have to stay behind at the bar and have another glass of Prosecco. 

Believe it or not, your couple session will likely be the only time you have to yourselves on the whole of your wedding day so you won’t want to miss out on that. Having that breather is really important as it will help you reflect on the day so far. 

The only time I will make an exception to this rule is if your dogs want to get in on the action, because how could I say no to them?!

When Should We Have Our Photos Taken?

During the Day

In a more traditional wedding setting, I recommend taking care of your couple photos during the drinks reception, and after your family photos. That way, when you sit down to have your meal all the ‘formal’ photos will have been taken care of and you won’t have to think about photos at all for the rest of the day. 

Your venue usually allows 15 minutes before the start of the wedding breakfast to get all your guests in and seated before you make your entrance. This is the perfect time to disappear for your photos as your guests will be too busy going to the bar and the toilet to notice you’ve gone. 

In the Evening

If you’re lucky enough to have a golden hour on your wedding day, then I’d jump at the chance to have a few more photos at this time. Depending on the time of year you’re getting married and your timeline this may take place during your meal. I will always ask if you’d like to step outside for 5 minutes in this case but it’s absolutely your decision. This is a great way to have more variation in your couple photos without venturing to a new location. The light can make all the difference!

If you’d like to see how I plan ahead for these photos, check out this golden hour TikTok I made. Here is one of the final photos from this session!

Where Should We Go for Our Couple Photos?

Explore your Wedding Venue

I encourage my couples to stay close by for their portraits. Explore the area surrounding the venue you’ve chosen. The session will normally involve a short stroll around your venue, stopping off at various points for photos. 

The best backdrops won’t always be the obvious ones. This is because a lot of the time it will depend on the quality of light in that location. Sometimes that does mean waiting until later in the day to revisit locations when the light is less harsh. For example, I waited until the evening to take this photo with the castle as a backdrop as the sun was lower in the sky and there were no harsh shadows on the couple. 

You won’t need to worry about any of this as I know what will work and I’ll be able to guide you to the spots that will look the best for the time of day. Even if it’s not an obvious location, lighting can make a simple backdrop stand out!

Choose a Special Location

If you’re visiting multiple locations throughout your wedding day you can have a quick session in each place, or pick one location specifically for photos. This couple got married at the York Register Office and decided to venture over to the museum gardens for photos afterwards. I love this photo of them both backlit under the ruins of St Mary’s Abbey! 

How Long Will Our Couple Portrait Session Take?

My recommendation is to set aside 10-20 minutes for your couple photos on your wedding day. This amount of time is short enough so that you’re not spending too much time away from guests, but it still gives me enough time to capture photos with a little variation. 

The Choice is Yours

The time you set aside can be split into two or even 3 short and snappy sessions throughout the day. This usually depends on your personal preference, the timings of your day, the locations you’re visiting and sometimes even the weather.

You can spend as much or as little time on your couple photos as you like. If you’d rather just have one quick session that’s absolutely fine! If you want to spend longer than recommended that’s ok too. How you spend your time on your wedding day is completely up to you. 

The photos are about the wedding, the wedding isn’t about the photos.

How Will the Weather Affect Our Couple Photos?

If it’s raining 

I’ll encourage you to grab an umbrella and embrace it as much as you can! I always have clear umbrellas with me on a wedding day just in case. That’s exactly what we did here and I love these photos. 

If the weather is really bad or there’s no outside space, you can still get beautiful couple photos inside. Often I’ll look for a bit of window light to keep the photos looking as natural as possible. Here are a few examples of indoor portraits!

If it’s too sunny

If it’s a very bright day with no available shade, I may recommend leaving your photos until later when the sun is lower in the sky and the light is more flattering.

Bonus: Creative Portraits in the Dark

Sometimes I’m drawn to a particular scene for its creative potential! Here’s an example of a couple photo taken at night in front of their venue. I used lighting inside to illuminate the feature windows and light the couple outside separately. This took a few minutes to set up but once I’d done so, the couple were only outside for a few minutes to get the shot. 

Similarly, I set up this shot inside the venue and only had the couple in place for a few minutes to get the photo. If you like the idea of trying something more creative when it gets dark on your wedding day I’d love to hear your ideas! 

You can get awesome couple photos no matter the weather, time or day of time of year!

Awesome Couple Photos Are Just the Beginning

Whether you’re aiming for natural or more unconventional photos, your wedding day portraits will reflect who you are as a couple.

I hope this post has been helpful and answers some of the questions you have about couple photos. Here are some other blog posts you may find helpful!

Wedding Group Photos: The Guide to a Stress-Free Experience

Dogs at Weddings: The Guide to Cute Dog Photos at Your Wedding

The Best Advice for Epic Confetti Photos on Your Wedding Day!

See more awesome wedding couple photos below!