Chinese Wedding Photography Shot List: Photos to Take On Your Wedding
Wedding portrait photography comes with many moving parts, from pre-wedding photo to post-wedding photo, you want to capture all the memorable moments of the day.
Having a rough photography plan, a checklist, and of course having the right photographer can create different photo style you’ll always treasure.
With the limited time, you may not able to get all the photos you want, so you need to work with your photographer to narrow down to the wedding photo you really want.
- Do you want a photo with your grandparents, god parents, or any important person in your life?
- Do you want a photo with your groomsman and bridesmaid?
- Do you want a photo with a selected wedding pose?
Remember, capturing emotions and intimate moments is at the heart of wedding photography. Focus on the people and the emotions that the people emit.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Always prepare a detailed checklist.
- Work with your photographer on what are the must-have and good-to-have photos.
- Capture emotions and use creative elements for unique photos.
Wedding Photography Checklist
When it comes to capturing the ideal photos during your wedding, making customized lists and work with your photographer to select those photos that you wanted is probably one of the easiest way. As a spreadsheet geek, I often choose to put in all my ideas into writing and keep thing organized. This helps to get the creative juices flowing and make things easier for you and your photographer.
Free Wedding Photography Checklist Template [Excel & PDF]
To help you out, we’ve created a customizable digital version of a wedding photography checklist with all of the popular photo ideas listed below. You’ll find it in Oriental Bridal’s free wedding planning resources (PDF, Google Sheet or Excel download) where you can easily plan, print and share your wedding shot list.
Pre-Wedding Moments Photos
Capture your pre-wedding ceremony excitement. This is an especially important moment for traditional weddings. Moments like Guo Da Li (过大礼) or Wedding Betrothal Ceremony are all treasured moments that marks the occasion.
Take pictures with each of your family from the bride and groom, your wedding party (bridesmaids, groomsmen, and other loved ones) to remember this special moment.
- Outfit or wedding dress hanging (wardrobe, bedpost, chair)
- Wedding party and guest of honor getting dressed and applying makeup
- Parent/guardian helping with details (veil, shoes, zipping up outfit)
- Full-length shot in outfit looking in the mirror
- Detail shots of clothing, shoes, accessories, special items
- Bride’s family tea ceremony
- Groom’s family tea ceremony
- Bride in traditional Chinese dress (Qipao or Cheongsam)
- Groom in traditional Chinese attire
- Wedding door games (gate crashing)
- Red wedding invitations
- Bride and groom’s wedding bands
Actual Day Getting Ready Photos
Today is the big day, and the excitement builds as everyone prepares for the ceremony. From the bride and groom, to your family and friends, capture the candid and heartfelt moments as you get ready to say “I do”.
- Groom with parent and pals (tying the tie)
- Emotional shots with parents and/or stepparents
- Groom with siblings and honor attendant (best man)
- Wedding party final touches (boutonnieres or bowties)
- Bride with bridesmaids having fun
- Groom with groomsmen having fun
Wedding Ceremony Must-Have Photos
Beautiful wedding photo of the couple? Of course you’ll want your wedding photographer to capture you and your partner exchanging vows. But there are a few more photos which can be consider as “Must-Have”. Candid moments like your guests arriving or a close-up of your wedding bands.
- Guests arriving at the site
- Ushers escorting guests and parents
- Close-up of partner waiting
- Wedding party coming down the aisle
- Flower girl/ring bearer
- Grandparents, if applicable
- Couple exchanging vows, rings, and first kiss
- Lion dance performance
- Red envelopes (红包 hóng bāo) exchange
- Couple with double happiness symbol decorations
- The wedding officiant
- Wide shot of ceremony venue
Capture Memories With Your Family & Friends
Congrats! You are almost done. Now it is time to celebrate with some friend and family photos. Take pictures with your parents, grandparents, god parents, wedding parties, your loved ones, and just the two of you.
- Couple portraits
- To-be-wed with parents, stepparents, and immediate family
- Entire immediate family
- Wedding party photos
- Whole wedding party together
- Couple with extended family members
- Bride with bridesmaids
- Groom with groomsmen
Wedding Reception Highlights
You put in a lot of thought making your wedding venue beautiful, romantic and memorable, and the best way to capture it’s beauty for your future kids and grandkids to admire is to have it in a photo. Ensure your photographer captures all the little details that are most important to you and your significant other (your food, your decor, or your dance party).
- Outside reception venue shot
- Reception details (place cards, guest book, centerpieces)
- Couple arriving at the reception
- Receiving line moments
- Head table and parents’ table
- Guests’ tables
- Reception venue before guests arrive
- The banquet setup
Romantic & Candid Shots
Capture the genuine emotions and spontaneous moments throughout your wedding day. These candid shots will be some of your most cherished memories.
- Friends and family making toasts
- Couple sipping champagne
- Couple’s first dance
- Parent-child dances (father-daughter, mother-son)
- Wedding party dancing
- Grandparents dancing
- Kids playing or dancing (if applicable)
- Bride and groom feeding each other sweet dumplings
- Bride and groom sharing a cup of tea
- Bouquet toss
- Garter toss
- Musicians or DJ in action
- Guests on the dance floor
- Couple laughing with guests
- Guests enjoying themselves
- Wedding cake (or dessert) table
- Cake cutting moment
- Couple feeding each other cake
- Leaving the reception
- Waving from vehicle
- Rear of vehicle departing
- Sparkler or fireworks exit
- Couple with wedding car decorated with flowers and ribbons
Taking Photo On Your Wedding Day
Capturing the ceremony and reception requires careful planning and precision. It’s where the big moments happen, so it’s crucial to get everything right. The photographer should arrive early to scout the location and speak with the officiants about any photography restrictions.
Important Moments
- The Processional: Get shots of the bride, groom, and wedding party entering.
- Vows and Rings: Capturing the exchange of vows and rings is essential.
- First Kiss: Ensure you’re ready for the kiss and the joy that follows.
- Signing the Schedule: If allowed, get a photo of the official signing.
- Exit: Capture the couple walking out as a married pair.
Things to Take Note
- Lighting: Many venues, especially churches, restrict flash usage. Ensure your photographer has equipment capable of handling low-light conditions.
- Discuss Restrictions: Talk with your venue about any photography rules. This way, there won’t be any surprises on the big day.
- Positioning: Your photographer needs to move discreetly to get the best angles. Many venues have rules on where photographers can stand.
| Venue Type | Common Rule |
|---|---|
| Churches | Often restrict movement and flash photography |
| Civil Venues | Usually more flexible with fewer restrictions |
Prepare For Smooth Wedding Photo Shot
Beautiful wedding photos starts from good preparation for your big day.
- Discuss with your photographer and venue what moments are most important to you.
- Ensure your photographer knows the wedding rundown and the timeline for the day. This helps them be in the right place at the right time to capture all the important events.
- Reassure the officials that your photographer will be respectful and non-intrusive. Friendly negotiations can often relax strict rules, making your experience smoother and your photos better.
Turning Photos into Wedding Canvas and Wedding Photobooks
Creating a beautiful wedding canvas or wedding photobook can make your special day last forever. Both options offer unique ways to remember your wedding, though they serve different purposes.
- Wedding Canvas: A wedding canvas can be a stunning piece of art for your home. Custom photo canvases allow you to turn your favorite wedding moments into a stylish décor. You can find various options for custom photo canvas prints that will fit perfectly in your living space.
- Wedding Photobooks: Wedding photobooks are great for keeping a collection of photographs in one place. They serve as a modern twist on traditional photo albums, providing a sleek and organized way to display your wedding photos.
Both wedding canvas prints and wedding photobooks are excellent ways to preserve the memories of your big day.
Wedding Canvas Collection
Find your custom wedding canvas designed personally for you, canvas art with traditional Chinese culture made to enchant a loving memories that last forever.
