What to wear while photographing a wedding

This post is for the ladies, because I feel like they generally have a harder time with this. The men have it easy – show up in a suit and you’re good to go! haha. In a lot of photography forums, one of the most asked questions is “What do I wear?! And what shoes do you love?” I figured today I’d share a quick and easy post about what I wear while photographing a wedding day, and how it can change from one season to the next!

Something I discovered about a year or so before I got pregnant with Lily was that I really LOVE to photograph a wedding day while wearing a dress! Actually, I wrote a post about it here:

>> My newfound love for dresses! <<

This past winter, I tried to photograph a wedding while wearing pants and that was a mistake. I wanted to give it just ONE more try and I realized that I don’t think I can go back to it! haha. When it comes to deciding what to wear as a photographer there are a few things that I like to keep in mind:

  • It HAS to be comfortable! I’m wearing it for several hours straight, and being a wedding photographer is actually a very active job. I have to be sure that I can move easily and freely in whatever I’m wearing and that I’m not constantly needing to adjust it!
  • Pockets are life. I love that the pockets in my dress are practically invisible and they’re DEEP! I can store my card holders, keys, lists, pens, whatever I’ll need at random points of the day in there and not worry about them falling out.
  • Everyone has a different philosophy about this, but I like to dress like I could be a guest at the wedding. Wearing the all black uniform is not for me, because I like color far too much! I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve been stopped by a guest at a wedding and been complimented on my dress! And friends, I wear the SAME outfit to EVERY wedding I photograph! Every. Time. It makes my prep work the night before so much easier because I already know what I’m going to wear, and I bring the same backup dress (a sleeveless gray H+M dress) to every wedding as well.
  • Account for the season. My dress is sleeveless so it can be layered with a cardigan or even leggings if it’s going to be a chillier day! Sleeveless is also great because then I’m not overheating in the summer months! Summer in New England can be pretty brutal! When we get into the super cold winter months, I break out my gray wool dress, black leggings and add a colorful scarf to complete the look!
  • I like patterned dresses as much as possible, because, well, it can hide the sweat better 🙂 hahah. A little weird, but it’s the truth!
  • You still need to look professional! My dress comes down to my knees just about, I always wear compression shorts underneath (remember, I said it’s actually a very active job!), and there is zero chance of cleavage showing! I cringe when I think back to what I wore when I first started working weddings! There may have been black jeans involved (insert face palm here).
  • When it comes to shoes, I always wear the same ones: My black yoga mat sanuk sandals! I wear these to every single wedding until it’s too cold to not wear them! I’ve also gotten lots of compliments on these surprisingly enough, and my feet don’t usually hurt afterwards, and no blisters!! In the winter I wear the same black boots I’ve had for years and years, so I can’t even tell you what kind of boots they are anymore, haha.

 

Well, this post ended up being longer than I thought it would be! haha. I guess I have a lot of thoughts on what to wear while photographing a wedding! I hope that this was helpful in some way, and I also thought I’d include some examples of what I’ve worn over the years!

Today I'm sharing my top tips and examples for what to wear while photographing a wedding! tips for photographers, what to wear to a wedding.

This is the outfit I wear while shooting a wedding in the winter months!

Ever wonder what to wear while you're photographing a wedding? Fear no more! I share all my top tips to picking out your outfit!

Here's an easy way to determine what to wear while photographing a wedding! tips for photographers, photographing a wedding, what to wear

 

Photographing weddings while pregnant

Linda is a Boston-based photographer specializing in weddings and creating family legacies. You can see more of her work online at lindabarryphotography.com, on Instagram, or on Facebook. If you want to reach out directly: linda@lindabarryphotography.com. To sign up for the monthly newsletter full of encouragement and real life, click here!

I've rounded up my best tips (with examples!) for what to wear while photographing a wedding!

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Ever wonder what to wear while you're photographing a wedding? Fear no more! I share all my top tips to picking out your outfit!

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You can usually find me adding books to my never-ending “to read” list; challenging myself to do things like not shop for a year; sneaking crispy m+ms from my secret hiding spot so I don’t have to share them with my daughter; and melting over seeing my children smiling at each other.

Oh and I guess I should mention - I’m a seasoned Portland wedding photographer who provides not only kick-ass wedding photos, but also a meaningful and laid-back experience from the time you book to the delivery of your final images. 

I share all things personal, business, tips, and life as a mom and business owner here on the blog!

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i'm a mama of two, a razzleberry peace tea hoarder, and a photographer

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