Tips for a photoshoot

The complete guide

With this guide, I want to help you as much as possible so that the photo session turns out great. I’ve tried to make it as complete as possible, but if you still have any questions, please let me know via WhatsApp and I’ll help you in any way I can. That being said, let’s get started with the guide!

1. What is a pre-wedding photoshoot?

A pre-wedding session is a photoshoot we do before the wedding day. It’s simply a relaxed moment to create beautiful photographs of the two of you, without the pressure or stress of the wedding itself.

There are no guests, no schedules to follow, and no pressure. Just the two of you enjoying some time together while we create beautiful images.

2. Why do a pre-wedding photoshoot?

First of all, so you can have beautiful photographs together. Most couples mainly have selfies taken on their phones or spontaneous pictures without much thought behind them.

With a pre-wedding session, you’ll have professional photographs taken from different angles, with carefully considered composition, beautiful light, and attention to detail.

When I got married myself, I did a pre-wedding session too, and I still have those photos displayed at the entrance of my home. For me, they became an absolute must. It’s one of those things you may not think much about at first, but once you do it, you realize how worthwhile it truly was.

It’s also a great way for us to get to know each other a little better before the wedding day. You’ll become more comfortable in front of the camera, and everything will feel much more natural when the big day arrives.

3. How long does a pre-wedding session last?

A pre-wedding session usually lasts between 1 and 2 hours. That gives us enough time to create different types of images and move between a few locations so you have a nice variety of photographs.

4. Where can you do a pre-wedding photoshoot?

A pre-wedding session can take place almost anywhere. Most of mine are done in the city, but honestly, almost any location can work beautifully.

There are generally four types of settings:

Urban sessions
Park sessions
Beach sessions
Mountain sessions

Most couples choose a city setting, but any of these options can work perfectly. Once you decide the type of atmosphere you want, we can choose the exact location together. It could be somewhere visually beautiful, a place that’s meaningful to you both, or somewhere with interesting architecture or scenery.

5. What time of year is best for a pre-wedding session?

The first thing I always recommend is: the sooner we do the session, the better. That way you’re covered in case of any unexpected situations.

I’ve had couples leave it until the month of the wedding and then something happened — for example, one of them had an accident and ended up with a cast. So earlier is always safer.

As for the season itself, every time of year can work beautifully. The most important thing is simply having good weather. Beyond that, any month can be perfect.

6. What time should the session take place?

There are two key factors when choosing the time.

The first is the location. If you choose a city session, sunrise is usually best so we can avoid crowds and empty streets look more elegant in photos.

The second factor is light — because light is everything in photography. That’s why I almost always recommend either early morning or late afternoon sessions.

In general, the idea is to avoid the hours when the sun is directly overhead, as the light becomes harsher and less flattering.

The only exception is if we intentionally choose a location where strong contrasts between light and shadow could create something visually interesting in the middle of the day. Otherwise, sunrise or roughly three hours before sunset is usually ideal.

7. What to wear for your pre-wedding photoshoot

Outfits have a huge impact on how the final images will feel, so I think it’s very important to choose clothing that really flatters you.

The general idea is simple: look elegant, without looking overdressed or uncomfortable.

Think of how you might dress for a special dinner or a beautiful evening out.

For him

For men, jackets almost always work especially well. They instantly make the photographs feel more elegant and also help create a more flattering silhouette.

Some combinations that work particularly well:

Jacket + plain t-shirt + trousers
Jacket + shirt + trousers
Jacket + shirt + chinos

A t-shirt under a jacket usually works beautifully because it keeps that balance between elegant and relaxed.

For trousers, chinos or tailored trousers generally work better than very casual jeans. If you do wear jeans, darker tones without rips are usually best.

For shoes, elegant shoes or boots tend to work much better than sporty sneakers.

Jacket with turtleneck

Smart casual

A relaxed suit

“All black” suit

Mediterranean style

For her

For women, dresses usually photograph beautifully. They move naturally with the wind, flatter the figure, and bring softness and movement to the images.

It doesn’t need to be a very formal or long dress. It could be:

A long dress
A midi dress
A short elegant dress

Other great options include:

A tailored suit
Elegant trousers with a blazer
A skirt with a blouse or top

The most important thing is that the outfit feels elegant and refined while still making you feel comfortable and confident.

Maxi dress

Ruffled mini dress

Elegant dress

Suit

Blouse + skirt

Two-piece set

Your styles should feel connected

You don’t need to wear matching outfits or the same colors, but it’s important that your styles feel cohesive.

For example:

If he wears a jacket and elegant trousers, she could wear a dress or elegant outfit.
If she chooses a more casual dress, he could wear a jacket with a t-shirt to maintain balance.

The key is simply looking like you’re going to the same place together.

Colors that work especially well in photography

Neutral and soft colors usually work best in photographs because they allow you to remain the focus instead of the clothing.

Some colors that photograph beautifully:

Off-white
Beige
Sand
Light blue
Navy blue
Grey
Olive green
Earth tones

They’re not mandatory, of course, but they tend to work very well on camera and combine beautifully together.

Things it’s better to avoid

There are a few things I generally recommend avoiding because they can become distracting in photographs:

Large logos or visible brands
Very bold patterns
Stripes or busy prints
Very sporty clothing
Highly athletic sneakers

As I mentioned before, the goal is for the attention to stay on you — not on the clothes.

If you’re unsure, I’m happy to help

If you’re not sure what to wear, feel free to send me photos of the options you’re considering and we can decide together.

8. Preparing for the session

A pre-wedding session isn’t a corporate LinkedIn shoot or a fashion magazine editorial, but of course it’s still worth coming as polished as possible in a natural way.

There’s no need to spend three hours at the hairdresser the day before. Simply prepare yourselves in the way that makes you feel your best.

For men, getting a haircut about a week before the session can be a good idea. If you have a beard, keeping it trimmed helps too. Clean nails, small details — just the usual things.

For women, I generally recommend natural makeup. There’s no need for heavy makeup at all. Something simple that makes you feel good will usually be perfect.

9. What you’ll do during the session

This part is easy: just be yourselves.

Don’t worry if you don’t know how to pose or what to do. Honestly, nobody does. Every couple you’ve seen on my Instagram is just like you — normal people, not professional models.

I’ll guide you little by little with very simple things: walking together, talking, interacting naturally.

The goal is simply for you to connect with each other and for everything to feel genuine and relaxed.

My job is to help you feel comfortable and capture the very best of that moment.

10. The final result: how many photos you’ll receive

After the session, I’ll carefully select and edit the best photographs.

The goal isn’t to deliver hundreds of images, but rather a refined collection of photographs that truly feel meaningful and worth keeping.

A typical pre-wedding session usually results in around 100–120 edited photographs.

11. Things you can do with your pre-wedding photos

Some ideas for how you can use your pre-wedding photographs:

Decorate your home

Of course this had to be number one on the list. A bit obvious perhaps, but absolutely worth mentioning. If you’d like, you can even order prints directly through the gallery I’ll send you.

Use them on your wedding website

Many couples create a wedding website with information for guests — ceremony location, reception details, parking information, schedules, etc. Pre-wedding photographs work perfectly for this.

Use them for your wedding invitations

There’s nothing more personal than using beautiful photographs of yourselves to customize your invitations.

Decorate the wedding itself

Many couples use pre-wedding photographs to decorate parts of the wedding day, and they always look amazing. At the end of the day, this celebration is about your story together, so it makes perfect sense to include these images.

Gift them to your families

Printing one of the photographs in a beautiful frame for parents or grandparents is always a very emotional gift. It’s one of those details families tend to treasure forever.

12. Final tips

To finish, here are a few small tips that make a big difference:

Come relaxed and without rushing. Think of the session as a couple’s plan where you simply spend time together and enjoy a walk.
If you feel nervous at first, that’s completely normal — it usually disappears within ten minutes.
Try to come as light as possible. I’d rather you feel free and relaxed instead of worrying about where to leave a bag or extra belongings. So if possible, avoid bringing unnecessary bags or items.
We’ll walk quite a lot during the session, so try not to wear very high heels that make moving around uncomfortable.

And most importantly: enjoy the moment and let yourselves go. Pre-wedding sessions often become one of the most beautiful memories of the entire wedding experience. I’m sure you’ll have an amazing time.