Here are my #tips I often give to brides and grooms:
1. You’re not as #awkward as you feel. A lot of people feel this and they confess it to me because it’s a normal insecurity in front of the camera. NO ONE is fully comfortable in front of the camera. Actors and actresses often employ some personal technique to psyche themselves out, or to get pumped up in order to get into their characters. Even models confess to feeling #insecure in front of the camera and they work through it. It takes practice and time and they’re professionals. So here’s the deal:
EMBRACE IT. Embrace the awkwardness and laugh through it.
You’re normal. What’s not normal is to have a camera pointed at you for so long. I’ll never ask you to do something you don’t want to do and I understand that time posing in front of the camera expires quickly. For me being in from of the camera I’m pretty well done with it after 10 minutes.
2. Focus on your spouse. It’s so easy to get caught thinking about what you’re supposed to be doing for the photos that you start coming out of the moment. The insecure thoughts start taking over in your mind and the awkward feeling comes back and you say to each other, “I don’t know what I’m doing, hahah”. The laughing part I’m okay with but the subtle eye rolls and missed eye contact end up being trashed images.
The best thing you can do is focus completely on the #love of your life right in front of you. Stay there.
Compliment one another. Whisper something weird in their ear. Give gentle and #romantic kisses instead of a full make out session — You have a plethora of areas to kiss and I would suggest hitting them all (for you men). Lips, forehead, temple, check, ear, nose, neck. When you start feeling stuck and you don’t know what else to do just remember to keep moving together. Likewise, your hands have plenty of material to work so there’s no reason to have an empty hand hanging in the air.
3. Those are really the only two tips I have, but I like 3’s so here’s one final tip. Don’t forget to enjoy yourself. This is supposed to be fun and not at all a chore. Make #fun your priority along with your spouse and make the most of every opportunity because your #wedding day will be a thing of the past in the blink of an eye. And when I ask you for 5-10 more minutes outside for a sunset photo, say yes — I promise you it’s worth it.
