Capturing the essence of a wedding day through candid photography requires more than just technical skill—it demands a deep awareness of the flow of moments and the fine art of timing. Seasoned wedding photographer Anna Craig, known for her ability to freeze authentic, fleeting moments like true poetry, intuitively knows that the magic lies in balancing structure with freedom. To her, the key to beautiful, natural photos is a subtle adjustment to your approach to allow the day to unfold naturally. Here, Anna shares her expert insights on how to create space for those magical moments, ensuring that every candid shot is perfectly preserved while still embracing the spontaneity and joy that make your celebration uniquely yours.
Embrace the Flow
If you want candid wedding photography, you need to have a free-flowing mindset above all. As a fellow Type A, I, too, can easily feel the need to control every little thing at every second. But when it comes to your wedding day, the more you go with the flow of the day and everything it brings, the better. By doing this, you’re allowing yourself—and others—to be human. You’re letting the day naturally unfold, which is the true heart of documentary photography.
Savor the Magic of
Your Wedding Morning
Leave time to soak up your wedding morning! This will always stand as one of my favorite moments to capture on a wedding day. Think through how you want this part of the day to feel. The first few hours of your wedding day can have a big impact on the rest of it! Some ideas: grabbing coffee with your soon-to-be husband or wife, exchanging private vows, having breakfast at a local diner before heading to your getting-ready suite, or taking time alone to meditate or journal—to truly soak in the importance of the day ahead. I always recommend having your photographer there for more than just an hour in the morning because there is so much to capture in this window!
Leave Room for
Unscripted Moments
Leave time for moments to naturally happen. When timeline planning, I always ask my couples, "How do you want to spend your day?"—not how your wedding venue or planner wants you to, but how you do. While structure is necessary for parts of the day, I encourage you to leave space! This allows for spontaneous moments with friends and family, a chance to regroup, maybe an extra look in the mirror—or an extra kiss with your spouse-to-be! Leaving space in your day also helps create a relaxed feel, which is key for photographers to produce genuine, joyful photographs.
Prioritize Fun by Planning
Portraits Before the Ceremony
Schedule all portraits and family photos before the ceremony so that afterward, you can fully enjoy cocktail hour and the reception—this is when the magic happens! The drinks and hors d'oeuvres are flowing, you see friends you haven’t seen in ages, parents reconnect with old friends who babysat you—it’s a natural, joyful time. Some of my favorite photographs come from these unforced groupings during cocktail hour! It’s the bread and butter of natural and, most of all, fun photos.
Sneak a Private Peek
at Your Reception
Before your reception doors officially open, grab your spouse and opt for a private sneak peek at your reception space! I’ve found this to be prime time for genuine reactions—the feelings between you and your spouse are pure joy as you’re about to be surrounded by all your loved ones and throw the huge party you’ve planned. And let’s be real, you’ve probably had a glass or two of champagne by now, so laughter comes easy!
