Non-Traditional Wedding Photos

We’ve all seen them. The traditional wedding albums, the conventional poses, the smiles, the confetti, and the happy couple cutting the cake. These people look like they come right out of a story book and they do, because this is how wedding photos have been done for generations. Thousands and thousands of people have been photographed in this way and nobody sees any reason to change it. That is, unless, you are looking for something a little bit different or a little bit more interesting.

While the traditional wedding photographer will no doubt still have his or her place in your own special day, you could also make room in the album for some more unconventional ideas. You could be a trendsetter and have some awesome photos to show for it.

One friend who got married recently made room on each dinner table for a disposable camera, so her guests could take some pictures themselves. One common problem of the sit down meal after the wedding is that the bride and groom don’t have the opportunity to interact with their guests very much. The cameras meant we could get some more unusual pictures, and capture some more memories for the happy couple to keep. When they look back on their wedding, it is one of their favorite things. People were having a good time in celebrating their marriage, and they were actually able to be a part of it, as well.

We also managed to get a few pictures of the bride and groom happily tucking into their meal (both ravenous after the early morning nerves put paid to their appetites, no doubt) - some comical pictures which appealed to their senses of humor and just the kind of photos the professional photographer doesn’t tend to take. That’s not a knock against the professional photographer, it’s just that he has been trained to do things in the traditional way. If you want some a little bit different, then you will have to take matters into your own hands.

Another friend went one step further on her wedding day, and decided not to have a professional photographer at all. Instead she asked all her guests to bring cameras and to take as many pictures as possible throughout the day. As many of the guests had digital cameras, the couple created a photo album online (you can do this with Flickr, Photobucket and My Space, among others), and added everyone who had taken photos to their friends list. This way, they got the most intimate, fun pictures that their friends had to offer.

All in all, it’s about creativity. You can find ways to get the best, coolest photos if you try hard enough. People like to be photographer when they are having a good time. This is one of those facts of life. If you give them the chance to do that at your wedding, you will end up with some cool pictures for your album at the end of the day.