Every once in a while, someone asks me if I shoot from a shot list on the wedding day.  My answer is no.  I do not.  Why?  There are a few reasons:

• Thanks to sites like The Knot, couples are told that they need to list out every single thing they want photographed on the wedding day.  But let’s be honest – those overly detailed shot lists are ridiculous.  If you really feel like you need to give your photographer a shot list that includes “the First Kiss” and “bride hugging bridesmaids”, then you should probably fire your photographer immediately and hire someone you trust.  Wedding days are fluid, full of candid moments and emotion.  Wedding days are not intended to be a scavenger hunts for photos.  If you send your wedding photographer on a wild goose chase for photos that may or may not organically happen, they WILL miss the important moments that are right in front of them.  Trust your photographer and let them remain present on your wedding day, so they can tell the story of YOUR day – not someone else’s version of what should and shouldn’t be photographed.

• Pinterest boards and long shot lists can hinder your photographer’s creativity and ultimately lead to disappointment.  So many things factor into your photographers’ ability to take a great photo and just because you’ve seen it elsewhere, it doesn’t mean that the conditions of your wedding will yield the same photographic results.  Light plays a very important role in the way I shoot and it makes a HUGE difference in the look of your photos.  Trust your photographer to do their job – which is to create the most beautiful photos of YOUR wedding day with the conditions + resources available to them.  Please don’t pressure your photographer to recreate someone else’s Pinterest wedding!
• Every wedding is different!  A shot list tends to put a box around the elements + moments of a wedding day… but that’s just not realistic.  Weddings are unique events and they are ever-changing.  Shot lists just aren’t flexible enough to allow your photographer to do their job well.

• Instead of a shot list, I always ask my clients what is most important to them on their wedding day.  Did they spend a lot of time on the design of their reception space?  I’ll make sure to take a TON of detail photos.  Is their wedding all about the music + the party?  I’ll make sure to spend a ton of time on the dance floor throughout the night.  Did they put a lot of thought + personalization into their decor?  I’ll be sure to capture it.  Instead of trying to come up with as many specific shots as possible, I encourage an open dialogue with my clients so that I can do my thing and focus on the parts of the weddings that are most important to them – all while capturing the ENTIRE wedding day to tell the complete story.
• My one exception to my “no shot list” policy is for family formals + wedding party photos.  I always send my clients a group shot list about a month before their wedding and ask them to note which groupings of people are desired for family formals + wedding party photos.  Having an organized list with first names during these larger group photos is SO helpful and allows me + my team to keep track of everything for my clients.  It helps me keep everyone organized, get through these photos quickly + ensure that no important groupings or people are missed.

That being said – if there are things that are important to you, that you want to make sure are captured, but aren’t totally obvious – please tell your photographer.  For instance, your Nana’s wedding dress lace is wrapped around your bouquet or you’re wearing your mom’s veil.  Sentimental and not-so-obvious details like that SHOULD be shared with your photographer!  However, the obvious photos – a bridal portrait, bouquets, table decor, centerpieces, First Kiss, First Dance – those do not need to be noted.  Rest assured, I will absolutely capture those standard moments + details because they are naturally a part of your story.  At the end of the day, you need to trust your wedding photographer.  If you feel the need to micro manage how + what they shoot on your wedding day, there is a lack of trust – and why would you hire someone you don’t trust to be there with you on the biggest day of your life?!  Good, seasoned photographers are expensive, but I promise you that they are worth ever single penny.