Weddings are beautiful times. Albeit a little stressful as time approaches, nobody can take the charm out of these enchanting days and the magic that comes with the colors, outfits, food, music, and people of a well-planned wedding. And the wedding rituals? Oh, they are endless.
Among the sea of such varying rituals, we recently observed the trend of a pre-wedding photoshoot emerging. A pre-wedding photo session can be done anytime between three to eight months before a wedding. This photo shoot can be a perfect opportunity for the couple to not only get comfortable in front of the camera and get acquainted with the photographer but also get a ton of romantic shots to showcase during the wedding.
A very unique sense of photography comes into use when you shift your theme to a candid pre-wedding shoot. Candid pictures, often captured without the knowledge of the subject, prominently deliver authenticity and convey emotions in their truest forms.
Why Opt for a Candid Pre-Wedding Shoot?
While envisioned pictures with specific poses turn out to be majestic, they are often repetitive. You can search the internet for unique poses, but so does every other couple. So, why not reflect on the unmatched authenticity and romance you reflect as a couple?
As you delve into the internet ocean in search of unique pre-wedding photoshoot ideas, here’s what a candid pre-wedding shoot can offer you:
- A real, unpolished perspective that reflects the most picturesque dynamics of your relationship.
- An authentic version of your story without the pressure of correctly posing and fake smiling.
- The viewers are transported into the emotions displayed as the love keeps shining out of your pictures.
- Candid pictures sell better than posed ones: Did you know this fact?
Candid Pre-Wedding Photoshoot Ideas: Fun Ways to Present Your Love
While you don’t need to work out rigorously for your camera to get good angles in a candid pre-wedding photoshoot, you do need some prep and planning for your shoot to turn out smoothly. A theme, for example, is a noteworthy area that needs attention before the shoot.
The planning further mainly involves preparing yourselves. Here are some tips to compose yourself before a candid pre-wedding photoshoot:
- Avoid overthinking about how you will look in pictures
- Stay calm about the weather. Enjoy whatever you are blessed with — rain or shine.
- Do not try any new skincare routines a few days before the shoot; you may break out.
- Try to focus on your partner and not the camera to get rid of any anxiety.
Here are some candid pre-wedding shoot ideas:
Save the Date: Pre-wedding Couple Photoshoot
This is one of the most common concepts that can be personalized in several ways. Use the opportunity to reflect on what you like to do as a couple.
Do you like sandy beaches and lying down there? If yes, carve out the dates in the sand and play around it. Let your photographer click some breathtaking pictures of you. Let those shots be as real as your love — mid-laugh, sand in the hair, hand-in-hand, and adoring.
Hand in Hand
Another beautiful and candid pre-wedding photoshoot idea on the beach is crafted as the couple takes a walk along the shore. Hand-in-hand with eyes only for each other. This can be turned into a more playful picture if you chase each other and the picture is taken mid-run with blooming smiles on your faces.
A very cool advantage of a candid pre-wedding shoot is that it can easily be turned into a date for the couple. If we excuse the photographer for trying very hard to be discreet, the couple can act like it is just a romantic date. This will help articulate unpretended emotions, and you can have a lot of fun on the set!
Dance the Night Away
Capturing pictures mid-step while walking or running can be fun, but what makes the mid-step shot look regal is when it's captured while dancing. Now, don’t get it wrong; there are always two sides to the dancing photo.
One, you can choose a vintage spot that looks like a ballroom, dress up looking fancy, and practice. Get acquainted not only with the spot but also with your partner’s dancing style. Let the photographers do their job as you present yourself with utter grace in each other arms.
Two, you opt for what I call ‘wild dancing.’ It can be throwing up your hands in the air and moving your hips under disco lights or late-night dancing in the kitchen under dim lights. Both of these themes are promising and can fabricate some beautiful pictures.
Beauty in Blankets
If candid means portraying the most romantic parts of your life completely unfiltered, mornings are the best time to shoot. Emphasizing the beauty of more simplistic and authentic ways of life is what makes up a unique candid pre-wedding photoshoot.
Capture the couple snuggling in the bed, sharing soft smiles over coffee cups, and chatting animatedly during breakfast. What’s more candid than a loving, unruly mess of a couple, right?
Passionate Pictures for Candid Pre-wedding Photoshoot
The perfect moments are not created, simply discovered, mostly when people are so engaged in doing what they love that they never realize how much raw emotions are flickering over their faces.
Let the couple follow a passion — the food fight as they cook together, the colorful smudges on their clothes as they paint together, the sweaty faces and sunshine smile as they are busy gardening, the splashes of water as they swim, literally anything they enjoy doing.
The atmosphere where a candid pre-wedding photoshoot occurs need not be perfect, just raw. The essence of the love is captured unvarnished when it is given a chance to shine through, not under the pressure of camera flashes and perfectly articulated poses. This is the main reason camera operators are advised to stay as inconspicuous and subtle as possible.
Some Candid Wedding Photoshoot Ideas
Why stop at pre-weddings? Weddings are a perfect opportunity to capture some of the most heartwarming pictures. Let us look at some ideas for a candid wedding photoshoot:
Ceremonial Shots for Candid Wedding Photography
There are a ton of things that go on during a wedding ceremony. As a photographer, pausing every ritual and asking for a pose is never a convenient idea. Candid wedding photography is the best shot you have.
Capture between special moments — the var mala ceremony, the moment the bride and groom are showered with petals, the first looks at each other, the sindoor filling, and the majestic baraats. Personally speaking, every moment of a wedding is worth freezing in time.
The Fun Times
While the ceremonies themselves are terrific, the after-moments of any party display more subdued emotions untainted by the pressure of crowds.
Try capturing the soft dances and laughs at dinner, and include close friends and family of the couple as they all cheer and have the time of their lives — there are a million personalized touches you can include.
The Un-Wedding
The moments before the ceremonies commerce are usually stressful but exciting. While people are busy getting everything in order, try to capture the essence of it all.
Take some breathtaking pictures as the bride’s mother helps her put on a set of bangles or while the groom’s father helps him fix his sherwani. Freeze the moments as the friends act goofy and the children play around. Just remember not to shoot people who might be uncomfortable or invade heavily on someone’s privacy, and you have a unique, candid wedding photoshoot!
Some Tips for the Best Pre-Wedding Candid Photography
Pre-wedding or not, candid photography is one of the most rewarding styles of picture-taking. Here are some candid photography pointers you can easily classify as candid wedding photography tips or even use for pre-weddings.
Always Keep a Camera Handy.
When you regularly have a camera with you, you get into the habit of photography. You start being alert at all moments and develop a keen eye to observe people around you. Every moment is unique in itself and will never repeat itself. So, you have to learn to make the best of your surroundings.
Steer Clear Of Complicated Lighting Techniques
Plain-spoken photography is one of the most trending pre-wedding photoshoot ideas. The best thing about this style is that you do not need any complicated techniques to capture pictures. This includes avoiding the use of complex lighting techniques, too. The pictures we want to capture need not be perfect, just candid and authentic.
Stay Subtle
If your subject constantly realizes your presence, they need to be more comfortable. As a photographer, you must learn the art of blending in with your environment. Try to be less obvious by changing camera angles. For example, instead of holding the camera in front of your eyes, hold it at your waist. Use a long lens for distance shooting.
Conclusion
While posed pictures may meet every standard of perfection, there is a charm about candid photography that remains unmatched. Candid pre-wedding photoshoots capture moments that matter the most to you as a couple. They reflect upon the emotions that may be hidden under different circumstances. Plus, setting up these photoshoots gives the couple a great bonding experience before the wedding!
At VsnapU, we take care of all your needs to create a perfect album display catered to your needs of displaying your love unfiltered and authentic. Take a look at some of our blogs to learn more about pre-wedding couple photoshoots, like pre-wedding pose ideas and pre-wedding outdoor photography.
Frequently Asked Question:
Q1. What is candid photography at a wedding?
Ans. A candid wedding photo shoot is a type of photojournalism where the photographer captures real moments of heartfelt emotions and joy without intervening in the course of events. We can use this approach in not only weddings but pretty much any ceremony or occasion, including a pre-wedding candid photoshoot.
Q2. What are candid shots in photography?
Ans. A spontaneous shot captured without any posed appearance or the subject’s knowledge is a candid approach to photography. Also known as snap shooting or spontaneous photography, its main purpose is telling stories and conveying unfiltered emotions through pictures.
Q3. What to wear for a pre-wedding photoshoot?
Ans. Usually, your outfits depend on the theme and location of your shoot. But comfort always remains a priority. If you opt for a posed, regal pre-wedding photoshoot, long gowns for women might be the best option. A formal tux or smart casual style would look the best for men. But keep in mind not to wear something that is not you. Colors that look attention-catching on camera include sapphire blue, dark red, teal, coral, and emerald green.
Q4. How to plan a pre-wedding photoshoot?
Ans. Whether you go for a candid pre-wedding photoshoot or a posed one, you will want to prepare everything fully. Here is a checklist of things you will need to take care of in advance.
Reserve location and choose timings
Book a photographer who coordinates well with you
Arrange for a make-up artist
And have a plan B ready in case anything goes wrong
Q5. How to pose for a pre-wedding photoshoot?
Ans. If candid photography is not your thing, you can do a pre-wedding photoshoot with poses. Here are a few ideas that convey romance in the best sense;
The backward hug
The forehead kiss
The twirling pose
Hand-in-hand with each other
The running shot
During a posed or candid pre-wedding photoshoot, the most important thing for a couple is to have fun and tell stories of their romance. Let your love speak for itself.
