HOW TO SHOOT MICRO WEDDINGS IN 2024
While it takes some serious skill and experience to shoot large scale weddings with their action packed timelines and huge guests lists, there’s a common misconception that photographing an elopement or a micro wedding must be a whole lot easier by comparison.
When really, shooting micro weddings and elopements demands an entirely new skill set all together. One that relies on you, the photographer, to capture intimacy in a whole new way, while often staying incredibly present to each moment where distractions are few and far between.
At a micro wedding, you’ll likely be one of the few guests contributing to the vibe and energy of the day. But having less guests doesn’t make a wedding any less of a celebration. In fact, it’s often an opportunity for couples to double down on the details, spend more on design or location and bring more intimacy into every element of their nuptials. Meaning you’ll not only need to become besties with the couple’s tight knit group of guests, but you can often have a whole lot more detail to capture within a shorter time frame.
Whether you’re new to shooting micro weddings, want to offer elopement photography or looking to master your craft, here’s my top tips to really leverage the intimate dynamics that a smaller guest list can offer and prepare you for your most personable role yet.
1. Get ready to work faster and smarter
Elopements and micro weddings often mean having less hours to capture the content you’d typically have 8-10 hours to do at a traditional wedding. So not only do you have to have your storytelling down pat and know your couple’s most important wishes like the back of your hand, you’ll also need to be efficient and make sure not a single moment (or guest) is missed.
HOT TIP:
On top of reading the room and anticipating your guests’ emotions by constantly looking out for those visual cues, work smarter by making sure you take 2-3 consecutive shots of each moment so that you have a series of images to choose from later. Simply taking one photo and moving on might seem like the way to work faster, but it can quickly put you in a pickle when that one photo becomes unusable (hello blinking guests).
2. Capture relationships, not just guests.
It’s likely that every guest that attends an elopement or micro wedding has a pretty special relationship with the couple and out of everyone in their life, this person is someone they hold dear. So above familiarising yourself with each attendee, go one step further and get to know their unique relationship and what bonds them together. It’s the opportunity to really let these intimate relationships shine that make micro weddings so rewarding.
3. Be as present as possible.
While a micro wedding is usually made up of less distractions, fewer logistics and less of a chance you’ll lose a guest or two just as you’re setting up the group shot, it does create more opportunity for authentic moments. As you’ll likely be less in the background and moreso a part of the family, be extra mindful of the energy you bring to their day and anything that could distract from the magic in the moment.
MORE: I loved the way my eloping couple Jo & Andrew speak about being present in this video. It really is felt by both the couple and guests alike.
4. Don’t let the numbers distract you from what’s important
No matter the size, every wedding centres a couple with a vision, a story and a list of things that matter most to them. Focus on giving your couple the same experience and thoughtfulness in understanding their vision as you would a couple with a larger scale wedding, and get curious about their choice to choose a smaller wedding in the hopes that you can uncover even more details about their story.
Above all, staying focused on your couple and the people that surround them is your key to successfully capturing the intimacy of a micro wedding. Enjoy and make the most of the opportunity to shoot at the new and unique locations that can accommodate smaller weddings, and if in doubt, simply come back to your core reason for becoming a wedding photographer - it’s that personal touch and energy that makes all the difference.
Interested in taking that next step towards building your portfolio and booking more micro weddings for 2024/2025?
As a self taught wedding photographer with over 5 years experience running a successful 6 figure business and shooting over 350 weddings, I know a thing or two about creating a seamless couple experience and one-of-a-kind portfolio that is second to none and converts every couple into lifelong fans of your work. Check out my mentoring packages here and let’s get you feeling prepared, professional and profitable as you build a business and life you love.
Sean.