In the world of documentary and wedding photography, we as photographers are always stepping into a new environment. No two days are ever the same. It’s part of what we love about the job.

The tricky part about this, however, is that the spontaneous nature of our jobs makes it a little bit tougher to nail the shot every single time. In order to do our jobs the best we can, we might ask for a bit of help. After all, I believe that getting a great photo is a collaborative experience — a skilled photographer can make “anything” look good, sure. But with a little bit of help from you, we can make magic.

Get to know your photographer, let them get to know you.

Let’s just say it — getting your photo taken is awkward, and that is the last feeling you want to have on one of the happiest days of your life. The best candid photos happen when you feel comfortable and relaxed, and getting to know your photographer is one of the simplest ways you can ease those nerves about being in front of a camera. When you feel like you’re just hanging out with a friend rather than posing for a stranger, those candid moments will happen naturally.

On the other hand, make sure your photographer is getting to know you too. We want to know about your love languages, your quirks, your favorite things about each other. All of this intel makes us better documenters and allows us to photograph you more truthfully and authentically.

All it takes is a simple coffee date. No wedding talk, just learning about each other. And if you still feel a bit nervous after that, schedule an engagement session and let your photographer show you how fun getting your photo taken can be; that way, you can walk into your wedding day feeling fully confident in your photographer, and yourself.

Slow down your schedule.

If your schedule is jam-packed with little room to breathe in between, you may get so caught up with staying on time that you forget to take it all in. Some of the best candid moments happen during that down time in-between events. It gives you that time to have an extra long conversation with your grandparents, an impromptu karaoke moment with your best friends, or more time to hug all of your guests.

Time flies extra fast on your wedding day. Squeeze in that extra wiggle room.

Give us space to roam.

If the venue allows it, make sure your ceremony and reception setups give your photographer lots of room to walk around. As a documentary photographer, I love capturing guest reactions during the ceremony, speeches, etc. and it makes our jobs easier when we don’t have to squeeze through a tight aisle, or aim the camera only a few feet from your guests.

The more space you give us, the more inconspicuous we can be.

Honor and awe your guests.

This is something I learned from The Art of Gathering — “when you awe as a host, you are putting yourself above your guest. When you honor, you are placing your guest above you. When you do both at once, you end up making your guests feel like valued members of a club to which they have no business belonging.”

This day will first and foremost always be about the two of you. But if you start to consider the little ways you can include your guests and make them feel extra loved, you’ll make magic. Awe them with a beautiful venue, a stunning outfit, impeccable florals; honor them with your words and your time.

A few simple ways you can honor your guests:

Write each guest a personal love note on their name card (even if it’s just a sentence!).
Spend 5-10 minutes at each table and greet your guests individually.
Include photos of yourself with your guests in your guestbook and/or as decor.

A simple act of love can foster so many beautiful moments and memories on a wedding day. The more love you pour in, the more will shine through in your day (and your photographs).

Want to read more about what I learned from the book? Click here.

Use your cocktail hour wisely.

If candid photos are important to you, prioritize your cocktail hour (and join as much of it as you can!). Some of the best photographs happen during this time, since this is when you’ll get to greet most of your guests and everyone will be on that post-ceremony high. Because of this, I recommend timing your cocktail hour to be about an hour before sunset, when that golden hour light hits just right.

This is also why I recommend having your cocktail hour somewhere outdoors, so you can take advantage of all that amazing light and get great, unposed photos with all of your guests.

Give your guests a dress code.

As a documentary wedding photographer, I am taking photos of your guests constantly. I might even argue that your guests are the most important “decor” of all. Besides the two of you, they are what I will be photographing the most — crying with you at the ceremony, hugging you at cocktail hour, dancing with you at the reception. Your guests will be in 90% of all of your wedding photos, so if aesthetics are important to you, consider giving them a dress code (even if it’s just a simple color scheme to match your decor or venue!).

Clear your spaces, and find that good light.

I will always prioritize preserving the moment over making sure everything in the photo looks perfect. The most important part about being a documentary photographer is making sure that the moments happen naturally, not because I stage them to happen.

That being said, if aesthetics are important to you, make sure your spaces are clean and free of anything you don’t want photographed (water bottles, half-eaten food, etc.) and try to choose a space with good lighting. Even the best photographers can only do so much with a dimly-lit, messy space. Help set us up to do the best job for you as we possibly can.

How to Get the Best Candid Photos on Your Wedding Day