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Posing Your Couples
When it comes to posing your couples on the day of their engagement session or wedding, you only get one shot. Well, technically you get thousands of shots…

But the poses that you create in those shots are everything when it comes to taking photos of the bride and groom they can treasure for years to come.

So here are a few useful couples posing techniques to take to your next wedding gig so your bride and groom and truly shine!

Posing Techniques for the Bride & Groom

Before you get started, look for anything that is out of place — especially the position and placement of your clients’ hands, arms, and legs.

View the frame from your camera and be sure there are no objects in the background that could create a less-than-perfect image.

One of the simplest techniques for posing your couples is to ask them to hold hands and slowly walk towards you, look at each other and laugh, look at you and laugh, and look at each other and laugh. This repetitive silliness can get them moving and laughing naturally. Have the bride hold her dress away from her body as she walks and swings it a little if her dress permits that.

Posing Your Couples
Brandi Allyse Photography @brandiallysephoto

Ask the couple to face each other, get close, and lean in the forehead to forehead but keep their eyes open. Have them stare at each other and make it a contest — the first one who laughs loses!

A couple leaning forehead to forehead for their engagement photo shoot.
Angela DiPaolo @angeladipaolo_photography

Ask the couple to slow dance and have him give her a turn and a dip a few times.

couple slow dancing in middle of street
Jorge Santiago @jorgesantiagophoto

Ask one of them to whisper something private or silly or sweet or seductive into the others ear, and see what happens!

For the more adventurous couple, you can try asking them to do a piggyback ride! Not everyone is into this, especially if the dress is form-fitting, but some might be up for it!

couple piggy back riding brandi allyse
Brandi Allyse @brandiallysephoto

Consider bringing them to a quiet place — sometimes this is all they need! Families and big events can easily overwhelm people on their wedding day, especially for introverts. So giving them some quiet time together where you simply stand back and let them breathe, talk, and spend a moment together can be priceless. Don’t put away the camera, but maybe stand back with a longer lens and just tell them you want to take some photos of them enjoying a private moment together.

A couple sitting outdoor and looking at each other
Sierra Solis @sierrasolisphotography

Second, pull out your bag of interactive tips from above. Sometimes they feel like they cannot paste one more smile on their face, but if you get them interacting, the smiles come much more naturally.

A couple smiling while looking at each others eyes
Infinite Loop @infiniteloopphoto

The Lift: this one may take some practice, or even a few tries, but you can also have them practice during their engagement session so they’ll be pros by the wedding! For this trickier pose, have the bride and groom face each other. Ask the groom to hook his hands under the bride’s bottom and lift her high enough that she is looking down at him with her hands either loosely draped around his neck or on his shoulders. Her feet should be bent at the knees with her feet kicking behind her. From there you can have them stare at each other or even kiss.

couple kissing in vineyard
Bradley Zisow @bradleyimages

The dip: Have the groom put his arms around the bride’s waist and lean her partway over — parallel to you — and dip her for a romantic kiss or have them stare into each other’s eyes from this position as well.

black and white photos of couple dipping at sparkler exit of wedding reception
Erin Morrison Photography @erinm_photography

And there you have it — a plethora of techniques to use for posing your couples on their big day!


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