Wedding photographer warm-up shots: what they are, why they matter, and how they help the rest of the day go better.
Wedding photographer warm-up shots are the photos your photographer takes in the first 30-60 minutes of the day — before the ceremony, before the formal portraits, often before you have even finished getting ready. They are some of the most-photographed images of the day. Here is what they are and why they matter.
Wedding photographer warm-up shots of a couple — Liva Paseka Photography
What are warm-up shots
Warm-up shots are the photos the photographer takes in the first 30-60 minutes of the day: the dress hanging up, the shoes, the rings, the flowers, the venue from the outside, the ceremony room from the empty angle. The most-photographed warm-up shots are the small details that set the day.
Wedding details and prep photos — Liva Paseka Photography
Why they matter
Three reasons: (1) the photographer is warming up too — the first photos of the day are rarely the best, (2) the couple is warming up — getting used to the camera before the ceremony, (3) the small details are the most-photographed images of the day in 10 years' time. Couples who remember the day remember the big moments. Couples who forget remember the small ones.
Couple during wedding prep — Liva Paseka Photography
What to expect during warm-up
A good photographer spends 30-60 minutes on warm-up shots: 20 minutes of detail shots (dress, shoes, rings, flowers, venue), 10 minutes of getting-ready shots (makeup, hair, putting on the dress), 10 minutes of first-look shots (the couple seeing each other for the first time, if applicable). The most-photographed warm-up moment is the first look.
How to make the most of warm-up
Three tips: (1) have the dress, shoes, rings, and flowers ready 30 minutes before the photographer arrives, (2) put the rings in a beautiful box (not a paper bag), (3) have a designated getting-ready room with good light. The photographer will do the rest.
When warm-up goes wrong
Two ways: (1) the photographer arrives late and skips warm-up (red flag — find a different photographer), (2) the couple is too rushed to allow warm-up (most-photographed solution: build 30 extra minutes into the morning timeline).
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Liva Paseka is a Derbyshire-based elopement and intimate wedding photographer. Bookings worldwide.
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Liva is a Derbyshire-based elopement and intimate wedding photographer. Booking 2026/27. Photographs the Peak District, the East Midlands, and worldwide.
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