Dear bride on her wedding day, couple before the engagement shoot, or ANYONE IN FRONT OF A CAMERA EVER..

Real life moments of love and happiness are so sugary sweet and honest and comfortable..it makes us all wish for a life with nothing else. But…Sometimes life isn’t. And sometimes, someone (I’m “hypothetically” raising my hand) pulls out a camera. So everyone goes all deer in the headlights and asks the same question..

“What do I do with my hands”

And proceed to look at the camera like the girl from The Ring is climbing out of it. Kidding..thats just how WE ALL feel, right? Those darn cameras. (and the first 30 pictures of any engagement session or wedding day that go missing) 😉

So here’s my little advice for all the couples out there nervous about trying to look “as in love as we really are..or at least like the couple I pinned on pinterest the other day”…

1. Meet with your potential photographer, wedding planner, and wedding coordinator face to face before booking them to make sure they are the right fit..and didn’t just make a great website. This is the one day you get to interview as many people as you want, with the CEO title of “Bride”.

2. Make sure your photographer is comfortable directing poses if you aren’t (professional models tend to have their signature poses, the rest of us go into yearbook smile pose)

3. From a photographers point of view..I thoroughly enjoy creating the picture for you. Again, this may not be your style..and every photographer is different. Technically I feel like its my job to pick the scenery for the shot, the posing, and then let y’all fall into the picture like most couples normally do when they aren’t worried about what to do with their hands, and usually the love and relationship just flow out through expression. It just happens.