Candid wedding photos are often the ones that many couples treasure most: the laughter mid-sentence, the joy of seeing each other on the aisle for the first time, or the unfiltered joy on the dance floor during your reception. However, what most people don't know is: Truly authentic wedding images rarely happen by accident. 

The best candid moments are created through communication, trust, and subtle direction between you and your photographer. When you feel at ease, your body language softens, and your expressions become more genuine and less posed. Release yourself from the pressure to be a perfect Pinterest model, so that you can simply have fun during your big day. Trust that your photographer will be your professional documenter of the evening, so you can instead truly be in the moment. Believe us, your photos will turn out much more meaningful than if everything was very posed.

The first step to creating some truly touching candid photographs is choosing a photographer whose personality meshes well with yours. When you connect with someone who understands your style goals for your photos, you’ll forget about the camera faster. We also recommend doing an engagement session before your wedding not just for the photos, but to practice being photographed in a lower stakes setting. Allow your engagement session to be a sort of "practice" session for your wedding day. The more familiar you become with the process of posing and being photographed, as well as with the photographer, the less self-conscious you’ll feel on your wedding day. Comfort is what transforms stiffness into authenticity which transforms into those memorable candid moments.

Next, you'll want to focus on natural movements instead of specific poses. For example, instead of standing still and wondering what to do with your hands, try walking together with your partner. Whisper something ridiculous in their ear to make them laugh, or subtly fix/adjust each other’s outfits. Sway, spin, or simply hold hands and look at each other. Movement takes your mind off your body and helps create those natural expressions. It is truly the in-between frames like the hair tuck, the forehead kiss, the spontaneous laugh. The things that are often the most powerful because they’re simply reactions, not performances. Just remember you don't have to discourage yourself from having a great session by trying to be Pinterest perfect.

Finally, remember the importance of why you are documenting your wedding. A wedding isn’t a photoshoot or a movie set. It’s a celebration of both you and your partner during one of the best moments of your lives together. Being present with your partner and loved ones on your wedding day will allow you to think less about looking perfect, and more about actually looking like yourself. Trust us when we say you will love and cherish the images where you were being authentically you much more than ones where you were simply posing for the camera.