What to Include, What to Skip, and How to Capture a More Meaningful Wedding Day
Planning your wedding involves a lot of details—venue tours, menu tastings, floral mockups—but one of the most overlooked parts of wedding timeline planning is the photography shot list. As a documentary-style wedding photographer, I often get asked if couples should provide one, and my answer is: yes and no.
In this blog post, I’ll walk you through what a wedding shot list is, what it should and shouldn’t include, how it fits into your overall wedding planning tips, and how to approach it in a way that enhances (not distracts from) your experience. Plus, I’ll provide a sample wedding shot list template, and explain how documentary-style photography differs from editorial-style photography—so you can choose the approach that feels right for your wedding vision.
Go straight to the template.
What is a Wedding Shot List?
A wedding shot list is a checklist of specific photos you’d like your photographer to capture on your wedding day. It can include everything from must-have family portraits to detail shots, venue features, or meaningful moments.
While it’s completely valid to have a few key moments you don’t want missed, overly detailed or exhaustive shot lists can actually detract from the natural flow of the day—and the quality of your final gallery.
What Should Be on Your Wedding Shot List?
Instead of listing every pose or Pinterest-inspired image you’ve ever loved, focus on what’s most meaningful to you. The best wedding planning tips center around making your day feel intentional and personal—and that applies to your shot list too.
Here’s what you should include:
- Family photo combinations: This is the one section where specifics really help. List out the names and combinations of people you want in formal portraits (i.e. Bride with Mom and Dad, Couple with Bride’s immediate family, etc.).
- For more details on creating your family photo list, check out my family photo blog post.
- Moments that matter to you: Are you exchanging private vows before the ceremony? Having a first look with your dad? These are great to note.
- Sentimental details: Think heirloom jewelry, hand-written vows, or a table in memory of loved ones.
- A few personal priorities: Highlight 5–10 moments or types of images that feel especially important to you. While I will do my very best to capture every little detail from your day, these will be top of my mind as must-haves to be sure not to miss.
These requests give me insight into what you value most—without turning your day into a series of posed checkboxes.
What to Leave Off Your Wedding Shot List
While it’s tempting to comb through Pinterest and jot down every image you love, here are a few things to avoid:
- Generic Pinterest poses: Shots like “bride looking out window” or “groom adjusting tie” are beautiful, but if they don’t happen naturally, they can feel forced.
- Overly specific requests: Too many specific instructions (like “photo of flower girl holding the bride’s train while smiling at camera”) can limit spontaneity and distract from real moments unfolding around us.
- A shot list that’s too long: If you send a 75-photo checklist, chances are I’ll miss the most important ones because I’m glued to a list instead of tuned into your experience.
The more we’re focused on capturing moments as they unfold—rather than trying to stage them—the more authentic and emotional your gallery will feel.
The Difference Between Documentary vs. Editorial Wedding Photography
This brings us to an important distinction. Not all photographers work the same way. Knowing the difference between documentary-style and editorial-style photography will help you decide how detailed your shot list should be.
Documentary-Style Photography (which is how I shoot!) is all about capturing real moments as they happen. The tears during your vows. Your best friend doubling over in laughter during your speech. The quiet moment you take to breathe before walking down the aisle. Nothing is staged. Nothing is repeated. Everything is genuine.
Editorial-Style Photography, on the other hand, leans more into posed, magazine-worthy shots. The photographer will direct your movements, adjust your posture, and guide you through curated scenes to get that polished, high-fashion look.
Both styles are beautiful—which is why I also include elements of editorial-style photography in my work. If you’re drawn to authentic emotion, candid storytelling, and a gallery that feels like a rich, cinematic narrative of your day, then documentary photography is likely the best fit.
Why Documentary-Style Photography Adds Value to Your Day
When you trust your photographer to capture the day as it unfolds, you free yourself up to actually experience it.
Rather than pausing for staged shots or orchestrating moments, you get to live fully in each one—and that authenticity shines through in your photos. Instead of only seeing how the day looked, your gallery will help you feel how it happened: the warmth of your partner’s hand during the ceremony, the joyful chaos on the dance floor, your mom wiping away a tear.
Even better, you’ll get to see the day through your guests’ eyes. I love capturing moments you didn’t even know were happening—your grandma hugging your flower girl, your college friends reenacting a dance move from 2015, your parents holding hands during your vows.
These are the images that make your gallery feel full, rich, and emotionally resonant—not just pretty.
A Wedding Shot List Template (That Actually Works)
Here’s a simple, experience-focused shot list that strikes a balance between guidance and creative freedom:
1. Family Formal Combinations
- Couple with Bride’s Immediate Family
- Couple with Groom’s Immediate Family
- Bride with Parents
- Groom with Parents
- Couple with Siblings
Read the full blog post with step by step tips to create this here.
2. Sentimental Details
All the little things that you’ve intentionally chosen to be a part of your day. It’s especially important to include little things that may not be so obvious to me like special cufflinks, a locket with a loved one on your bouquet, custom socks, etc.
- Heirloom jewelry or accessories
- Personalized vow books
- Memory table or tribute details
- Handwritten letters
- Custom ceremony programs or signage
3. Key Moments
You bet I’m going to be there for all the special moments throughout your day, but I’ll ask you to prioritize your top 3 most important parts. This ensures we plan plenty of time during these moments and also gives me direction on which photos you’d like me to include in early sneak peeks. Here are a few examples:
- First look (partner, parent, or bridal party)
- Private vow exchange
- Champagne toast while getting ready
- Emotional reactions (parents, grandparents, etc.)
- Ceremony wide shot with full setting / wedding details
- Ceremony moments
- Reception entrance
- First dance
- Toast reactions
- Candid dance floor shots
- Private last dance or exit
4. Experience-Based Questions to Consider
Instead of listing shots, think about moments and feelings. Here are some questions to guide what’s truly important to you:
- What is your wedding day vision?
- What parts of the day are you most excited about experiencing?
- Are there any traditions or cultural moments you want captured?
- Who are the people that mean the most to you, and how do you want to remember them?
- Are there any surprises or special elements planned?
- When you look at your gallery, how do you want it to make you feel?
- What do you love most about your venue? Is there anything specific about it or photo locations within it that you’d like me to highlight in your photos?
The answers to these questions help me understand your values and priorities, and allow me to document your day in a way that feels true to you.
Final Thoughts: Trust Your Photographer, Live Your Day
At the end of the day, the most important part of wedding timeline planning is building in space to be present. The right photographer won’t need a long list—they’ll intuitively know how to tell your story in a way that reflects your personality, your relationships, and your love.
So yes, give your photographer a few meaningful priorities on your wedding photography shot list. Fill out your family combinations. But then—let go. Let the day unfold. Dance, cry, laugh, and soak it in.
And trust that your photographer has you covered.
If you’re looking for more wedding planning tips or want help building a wedding shot list example tailored to your day, feel free to reach out. I’m here to help you make your day both beautiful and meaningful.
Keywords: wedding timeline planning, wedding planning tips, wedding photography shot list example, wedding shot list template
Featured Wedding: Brittany & Justin at the Wellshire Event Center
Vendors: Photography: Leah Lach Photography | Venue: Wellshire Event Center | Florals: Wildflower and Willow Floral | Hair and Makeup: Fairy Hair Forever | DJ: Amadrama Music | Wedding Dress: Anna Be | Dessert: Sweets by Saige
