If you aren’t crazy about the thought of having your picture taken at a wedding, even your own, join the club. Unfortunately, it doesn’t matter whether you are the bride, a bridesmaid, or a guest, the chances are very good that you will end up with your picture being taken, and probably numerous times. Making matters worse, your picture will probably end up being shared for many years to come, and that doesn’t even count Facebook posts.
If this all sounds like you, consider reading this to be one of your wedding needs.
Chapter Overview
1. Strike a Pose
If there’s anybody who knows how to pose for a camera, it’s Hollywood celebrities, especially when it would be best to look 10 pounds lighter than they actually are. To do that, take five steps to heart. First, stand with your hips turned at a 45-degree angle to the camera. Next, shift your weight to your back foot. Now, swing your other leg in front of you with your toe pointed to the camera. Make sure you bend your knee so you don’t look stiff. Now, put your hand on your hip. Finally, smile.
2. Smile
It doesn’t matter how much your feet are killing you, smile. Wedding pictures are meant to be looked at forever, so no matter how big and painful that blister on your foot is, smile like your life depends on it. When you feel your brow starting to furrow, let your lips fall back into place, relax, and smile. If you are having a problem, don’t hesitate to ask the photographer to give you a countdown, but on the count of three, open your eyes and turn on that smile. You can take your shoes off soon enough.
Another aspect of smiling is to avoid booze. Hopefully, this will go without saying, but everyone has seen those wedding pictures that were taken after someone had too much to drink. If you are planning to have alcohol at the wedding make sure that you, as well as all the members of the wedding party, reserve their libations for after the wedding. You can smile without it.
3. Smile With Your Eyes
Supermodel Tyra Banks might have said it best when she said, “Smile with your eyes.” This is not to disregard the trend of skipping all the smiling pictures in favor of something more serious, but there will be nothing topping how happy you were on your wedding day when you review those pictures years from now.
4. Go Easy on the Orange and Yellows
It’s no secret that a good makeup job will make you look more photogenic, but when you use colors that are little more bronze than usual, cameras tend to go a little crazy. And this doesn’t mean just makeup. Even your insta-tan creams will do the job too. Wear them with extreme caution, because you are likely to look like a carrot when it comes to photo time.
Also, go easy on the glittery makeup. This might add a nice touch to your skin in person, but when it comes to your photos, the chances are very good that it will look like sweat.
5. Avoid the Double Chin
It doesn’t matter how thin you are, double chins can plague women when they have their pictures taken. To prevent this, elongate your neck by moving your head forward and lift your chin up slightly. Be careful that you don’t feel your neck creasing because that means you have moved your head too far. Another tip to help with “turkey neck”: touch the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth, right behind your front teeth. Then relax.
6. Fake Sleek Arms
For better or for worse, a vast majority of wedding pictures show brides and bridesmaids in sleeveless dresses. This leads many of these folks to either keep their arms close to their body or keep them clasped behind their back. This supposedly camouflages “bingo wings,” those unsightly, jiggly upper arms. Unfortunately, this often makes your arms look bigger than they are, not to mention your shoulders looking broader. Instead, lift your arms out to your sides just far enough that your biceps and triceps will have breathing room. They’ll look thinner too.
7. Stand up Straight
When many people feel self-conscious, they tend to slump. The truth is that slouching doesn’t help anything. Besides, this should be the happiest occasion of your life. Put your shoulders back, your chest out, and pull your belly in towards your spine. Better yet, the better your posture is, the thinner you will look. Many people believe that, when they have good posture, they can’t be relaxed, but the opposite is true. Good posture makes you feel better about yourself, and that confidence will shine for all the world to see. And, when you stand up straight, be sure to take a few deep breaths and let the tension drain from your body.
8. Never Underestimate the Beauty of Laughter
Probably everyone has seen those pictures when something unusual happened and everyone started laughing when the photographer snapped a picture. Chances are good that that picture is one you will remember the longest, and for good reason. Everybody loves to laugh, and they love seeing everyone having a good time. Next time, why not just start laughing? The chances are good that everyone will catch on and you will have a great picture for your effort.
9. Don’t Try Not to Blink
If you remember the time before digital photography, you probably remember when however hard you tried, somebody had their eyes closed when the photographer shot the picture. This got to be an expensive problem. Today, with digital photography, it’s not a problem. It’s okay to try to avoid blinking, but if you do, the picture can be taken again. Trying to avoid blinking is not only useless, but it also makes your eyes dry out, and you end up with red eyes.
A wedding is probably the most unforgettable day in a person’s life. Fortunately, great photography will allow you to keep those memories forever. You can make those memories even more precious by doing your part to make sure you look like the belle of the ball. Your efforts will be well rewarded.