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Posing the Wedding Party: 7 Tips You Need to Implement Now

posing the wedding party

Leading up to the wedding day, the bride and groom spent time carefully selecting the members of their wedding party. The chosen bridesmaids and groomsmen are often their closest friends and family members, and it is essential for you to capture memories of this entire group together!

Posing the Wedding Party

As a professional photo editing service for photographers, we see plenty of images of the wedding party. We also connect with wedding pros to see what challenges they face most, especially when it comes to shooting groups. In the past, we’ve covered how to implement unique wedding photography poses for the groom and his groomsmen. We have also covered the top poses to use for the bride and her bridesmaids. Now, we want to focus on posing the wedding party together, as it can be a challenging task to work with a large group of people at once. Here are 7 tips for wedding party poses you need to implement during your next shoot.

1. Start with a Traditional Pose

When it comes to posing the wedding party, start with simple poses to help make the group comfortable in front of the camera. Place all of the groomsmen next to the groom, and line up the bridesmaids next to the bride. If the groomsmen are wearing boutonnieres, be sure to place the gentlemen on the right side of the frame so that the flowers are showcased. Have the wedding party angle their bodies slightly toward the bride and groom to draw the attention to the center of the frame (this also helps you focus on the most important people – the bride and groom). Simple poses like this are perfect to start with and will ensure that you get a great shot right away.

Quick Tip

To turn this traditional pose into something more creative, try shooting the group from different angles. Also, have the members look at one another rather than right at the camera.

An image of the wedding party together outdoors, under a tree.
Image by ShootDotEdit Wedding Pro, France Photographers

2. Add in Props and Details

Since every wedding is different, each couple will spend time planning out the unique details that they feature at their wedding. Take some time before working with the wedding party to look for any props that are unique to this particular wedding. Did the couple arrive in an old vintage car? You can have your wedding party positioned around the car, posing each member inside and outside of the car for a few creative images. Are the groomsmen wearing colorful socks, or do the girls have stunning heels on? Place the wedding party in a circle or straight line and focus your camera to the ground so that you can capture these unique details.

3. Intermix the Bridesmaids and Groomsmen

Once you take a couple of traditional photos of the wedding party, rearrange them. Have each bridesmaid stand next to the groomsmen that she walked down the aisle with. This is a quick way to create a formal photo that showcases the wedding party in a different way, with the bride and groom still in the center. It is important to ensure that after you move each person around, the poses that you desire are still intact. Each member of the wedding party should be facing in toward the newlyweds, representing the unity the group has during this special moment.

Quick Tip

As you pose the group, remember to look for the little details. Make sure that all of the bridesmaids’ flowers are positioned at the same height, and that the groomsmen’s jackets are all buttoned or unbuttoned.

4. Stagger the Wedding Party

For you to continue posing the wedding party in ways that make each person look their best, add extra depth and dimension to your photos by staggering the wedding party in different positions. During this shot, space is key. Not every photo needs to have the wedding party posed shoulder to shoulder.

If you are in a location with a large open space, take advantage of it. Place some of the wedding party in the foreground and others in the background. Just remember to keep the bride and groom as your main focus. If you are limited on space, find simple props (such as chairs) that can help with staggering. This allows you to have some of the wedding party sit while others stand.

Also, this is a great way to overcome posing challenges that can arise with large groups.

5. Include Action Poses for Variety

Once you photograph the wedding party in posed, formal photos, be sure to capture some action shots as well. A simple way to do this is by setting up a shot of the entire wedding party walking together. With a few minimal directions, this can be a quick and easy way to capture natural emotions and expressions from everyone. Line up the wedding party and direct them to slowly walk toward you as they talk and laugh with one another. Be sure to let them know to not only look at the camera. This is a time for them to engage with each other, so it helps if they all look in different directions.

Quick Tip

Think about the posing instructions you provide to the bride and groom during their portraits. Use the same strategy when you pose the wedding party. The more you can explain or show them with the poses, the easier it will be to capture them naturally.

6. Pose the Bride with the Groomsmen

Spice up the shoot by posing the bride with the groomsmen. Start off with classic poses, where the bride is in the center with groomsmen on each side of her. Once you have captured the basic shots, implement poses that allow the bride and the groomsmen to have fun together. Place the guys in a line and if the bride allows it, have them hold her. Not only will this create candid moments and genuine interaction between them, but the emotions and expressions you capture will be priceless.

7. Feature the Groom with the Bridesmaids

After showcasing the bride with the groomsmen, be sure to feature the groom with the bridesmaids. Start by posing the bridesmaids with the groom, where he is in the foreground, and the girls are in the background. Include poses where the groom and the bridesmaids are close together, capturing the happiness of the special day. Before the shoot is over, add in a few fun poses. Have the bridesmaids crowd around the groom and give him a big bear hug. This will help everyone start laughing, and you will capture their natural expressions.

When you take time to focus on the posing during the wedding party portraits, you can nail the shots right away. Having these 7 simple wedding party poses to rely on will not only save you time and energy, but they will help you take stand-out images.

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1 Comment

  1. Sarah

    Super helpful.. love! Thanks!

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