Wedding Photo Poses - Fun and Outside the Box

I remember looking at my parents' wedding photos for the first time and thinking: "That's Mom?" My mother's siblings and old friends often describe her as the life of a party whenever their conversation entails the unforgettable stories of their youthful years. If I had to choose one celebrity to portray my mom in a movie, it would probably be Margaret Cho, a cheeky but very amiable comedian. In her wedding album, however, she seems to have put on the traditional bride persona, pretty much like Margaret Cho trying to impersonate Princess Kate Middleton. Having said that, I still love all of her wedding pictures. She was a gorgeous bride, so refined and composed. I see a lot of love and happiness in those pictures, yet I wish there were some photos that had captured her true vibrant personality as well. Of course, most brides and grooms would love to look glamorous in their wedding portraits, but don't you think your wedding album would be even better if it also has some fun photos that show the quirky side of you?

Incorporating your favorite hobby into your wedding photos is a playful way to let your personality shine. The bride and groom in the picture above are probably big football fans, whereas the couple on the right might have played music in the same band. See how you can use props or poses related to your pastime to tell a story about yourself? What I really like about the football couple's wedding photo is that they cleverly include the bridesmaids and groomsmen in it. It seems like everyone was actually having lots of fun in that photo shoot; that's why they all have huge and genuine smiles on their faces, not just a posy "say-cheese" smile.

What you need in your "double posing" shot is a fake photographer. Or you could pretend to be a celebrity couple and have a group of friends act as "paparazzi," trying to snap your wedding photos. Pose for your pseudo shutterbug and pretend to be unaware of the real photographer who's taking the picture of the entire scene. In other words, you are supposed to be posing as a poser. This trick can bring about a charming wedding snapshot and also help couples who might be a little camera-shy to feel more relaxed, as they're basically posing for their friend instead of the real photographer.

Tyra Banks would agree that one of the best ways to pose for a camera is to appear unposed. Normally, the photographer is supposed to capture lovely moments of the bride and groom throughout the wedding, but candid photography doesn't always work, and those moments might slip away before he could snap a shot. To make sure you have some amazing "candid" photos in your wedding album, strike some unposed poses for your photographer. Make it look like the photographer is sneaking snapshots of your unrehearsed moments. For example, the groom could whisper into the bride's ear; the bride could smooth the groom's hair, etc. Be creative. Be subtle. And ask your photographer to take pictures of the same pose from a few different angles.

Life is a journey, and marriage is a way to formally announce to the world that you won't be taking the trip alone. Don't always remain stationary like a mannequin in your wedding photo poses. Take a walk with your bride or groom, and allow the photographer to capture those steps you take together. It makes the shot seem quite spontaneous and also symbolically depicts your readiness to start a new journey as a married couple.