Fun Wedding Photos | Fun Photo Ideas for Weddings | Awesome Wedding Photos
For couples who want to celebrate the time of your lives on your wedding day, here’s how to plan for and capture the most fun wedding photos possible!
Photography and writing by Destination & New York wedding photographer Kathryn Cooper Weddings
Modern Ideas for Fun Wedding Photos
While your wedding day is a very serious commitment to another person, the #1 way most couples describe their ideal wedding day is FUN! And chances are, you want fun wedding photos to commemorate this momentous day in your lives.
Weddings of yesteryear were often serious and elegant affairs, whereas today weddings aspire to be fun, unique, memorable weekends. Camp weddings, adventure elopements, adventure sessions, botanical garden celebrations, weddings on boats…did your grandma do that for her wedding? Probably not.
So, it makes sense that you want the most vibrant, unique, and fun wedding photos to document your day. Because who wants 400 photos of everyone looking glum? No one. Not even you, grandma Betty.
Why “modern” ideas for fun wedding photos??
If you Pinterest or Google “fun wedding photo ideas,” chances are you’re going to see a bunch of old-fashioned photoshoot ideas that in 2024 look quite, uh, corny. You don’t want to see another posed, trite photo of kids looking horrified at their parents kissing, or of men and women playing tug of war? Didn’t think so.
Thus, I came up with a more documentary photo approach to “fun wedding photos,” and decided the word “modern” was the best way to describe the most fun wedding photoshoots that I’ve documented in over a decade as a wedding photographer.
As a candid, documentary wedding photographer here at Kathryn Cooper Weddings, I do love doing fun, creative wedding photos. Occasionally. I’ve even listed some cool poses below! But I’m primarily a wedding photojournalist, meaning I capture moments as they happen versus setting them up. So to me, 90% of the best fun wedding photos are candid and in the moment.
Fun Wedding Photo Ideas
Below are example photos, and fun photo ideas for your celebration to help get the fun started!
| Ideas for Fun Wedding Pictures |
| Get smoke bombs for color, running, and action shots |
| Incorporate your favorite hobby into your day—think board games, casino games, your motorcycles… |
| Bring your cats, dogs, and other pets! Your guests won’t mind |
| A welcome BBQ with games and activities helps your guests meet. Then, day-of, everyone has a new pack of people they know—which means everyone can participate in some up-to-no-good fun |
| Invite fun and funny guests. Seriously, without laughter, there isn’t a whole lotta fun |
| No one’s too old for glow sticks, fiber optic wands, sunglasses, and other costumes stolen from the photo booth |
| Do a joint crossword puzzle for your guests to fill out |
| Invite a drag queen to really shock the crowd |
| Having a multicultural wedding? Make sure your relatives start their traditional dances early in the night—the energy is contagious! |
| Get your photographer to give you fun/funny prompts (vs. staring blankly into the lens) |
| Why do flower girls have all the fun? Get a flower grandma or flower beer boy! |
| Rent a bouncy castle for adults and feel like a kid again |
| Have your wedding party do an enormous run-hug for great, unposed shots |
| Pop the champagne |
| Celebrate somewhere with a ball pit, interactive art, or other cool museum! |
| Let your friends decide on some surprises. Rated PG, of course |
| Bring in an artist, calligrapher, or live painter for some impressive, on-the-spot images |
| Hand out bubbles, biodegradable confetti, or streamers to guests |
Want more fun ideas for wedding pictures? Discuss with your partner what you two love and want (A pizza truck? Celebrity DJing? A Ben & Jerry’s ice cream cart? Casino games?) and if you have the budget, pick something unique and make it happen.
Guests LOVE the unexpected activities and unique vendors, and so do us nontraditional photographers.
Professional (AND Fun) Wedding Photographers
As a fun wedding photographer who loves capturing candid, unprompted moments, I always have my cameras at the ready to get the action and the reaction. I’m known as a colorful, fun, and candid wedding photographer in New York and California–and this is exactly why my clients hire me.
For photographers looking to capture more fun wedding photos—and for couples who want their photographer to get the most fun photos possible—I recommend this:
-Predict the moment once you see the setup, and go for different angles—the side for the whole scene, above, etc.
-Try to get behind the couple for introductions and special moments—it provides more of the ambience than just the couple, and gives a unique look
-Remember that you’re there to capture the couple’s day, so as long as you’re safe and being treated well, always have a good attitude and capture the moments!
-The more easygoing you are beforehand, the more likely people will give you advance warning of something fun/funny about to happen
-Being prepared is half the battle, so try to keep a flash on hand (in your bag) for emergency dark/inside moments, even when outside
-Not throwing a bouquet? Throw stuffed animals or something else for fun
-Try second shutter or long exposure dragging on your camera for dancing shots. It’s super fun and gets more of the feeling and space in
-Specialize in a certain kind of portrait or photo idea? Involve guests—they usually love to lend a helping hand
Want a Fun Wedding? Let Loose!
My top tips for having a fun wedding—and thereby awesome wedding photos—are just to have fun and not worry about the little things.
It doesn’t mean you have to get drunk, nor that you have to dance (see my Weddings Without Dancing article). But, it IS about letting loose, not worrying about your photographer or every guest or a double chin, and just enjoying this amazing occasion with your closest friends, family, and chosen family. Let loose, have a ball, and the fun wedding photos will follow~
Kathryn Cooper Weddings: Fun Wedding Photographers | Ideas for Fun Wedding Photos | The Best Fun Photo Ideas for Weddings
These fun wedding photos are awesome! You really nailed capturing all the joy and energy of the day—so cool to see!