Wedding First Kiss Tips and Inspiration

“You may now kiss your bride” is followed by cheers from the wedding guests and feelings of joy from everyone who witnessed the special moment. Of the many wedding rituals, the first kiss at the end of a wedding ceremony is one of the most memorable. After the heartfelt vows, the ring exchange, and other religious or cultural traditions that all take the audience through a rollercoaster of emotions, the first kiss is the perfect culmination and ending to the ceremony. To make sure you have wedding first kiss photos that are as perfect as the memories of the moment, here are a few wedding first kiss tips:

Practice Beforehand

Practicing before hand will give you and your partner a chance to get on the same page. How long should it be? Should you use tongue? Is one person going to dip the other? A little discussion and practice will answer all of these questions and help you shake some of the nerves you may have in the moment.

Close Your Eyes

This is a fairly obvious tip but one that is often overlooked. The wedding first kiss photo can look a bit unnatural if either has his or her eyes open during the first kiss.  Close your eyes and enjoy the brief moment.

Eliminate the Gaps in the Bodies

Gaps in the bodies can create an awkward “middle school dance” feel to the photo. Remember to bring the bodies together to eliminate the gap for the wedding first kiss.

Watch Your Hand and Arm Placement

The hands and arms should always have a place to go with intention. The most common places are either around the other person’s hips or shoulders. This is where practice comes in handy because you can determine which person is doing what.

Hold It for a Couple of Seconds

One of the most important tips that wedding photographers can give their wedding couples in regards to the wedding first kiss is for the couple to hold the kiss for 2 seconds or more. This helps ensure that the photographer doesn’t miss the moment. It also allows the photographer to get a couple of different compositions, one wider shot and one closer/tighter shot.

Do It Again After the Recessional

After recessional, go in for another kiss at the end of the aisle. Consider a dip or a lift for an even more dramatic photo. This is often one of the best, most iconic photos from the day because of the emotion of the moment combined with the beautiful background consisting of your wedding ceremony site and all of your wedding ceremony guests.

Be in the Moment

The final tip that we’ll conclude with is to be in the moment. Don’t overthink it, be nervous or do things “just for the photos.” If you happen to miss of a few of the things mentioned above, don’t worry about it! It’ll still be an incredible, memorable, and beautiful moment.