Capturing Iconic Wedding Moments: The End of the Aisle Kiss
Fujifilm X-T5 + 23 f1.4 | ISO 640, Shutter 1/250, Aperture f1.4
Every couple dreams of having an iconic wedding album filled with moments that capture the essence of their special day. While there are countless photo opportunities throughout a wedding day, I want to focus on the most iconic shots you should capture at every wedding, starting with the end-of-the-aisle kiss. Let's talk about how the shot generally happens and the best way for you to capture it!
The Iconic Moment:
You've just sat through a beautiful ceremony. Your couple has said their vows, and now you're waiting for those special words. "You may now kiss your bride". You've nailed the first kiss shot, which every photographer HAS to do, and now it's time for your couple to come back down the aisle. As they and their guest celebrate, you're taking photos, and this is where the 2nd special moment comes up. The end of the aisle kiss shot.
Stopping your couple at the end of the aisle for a quick kiss is essential. What makes this shot the best is the candidness of the kiss since it comes out of nowhere for your couple, and seeing all of their guests behind them is extremely exciting for the new couple.
Capturing the Shot:
To ensure you're capturing this moment correctly there are a couple of settings I usually always make sure I have turned on. First, this is the only time of the day when I use continuous autofocus. I'll change my focus area to zone and pick a slightly large square so it can capture both parties of the couple. With continuous AF and Zone AF, I can easily "shoot from the hip" and use my screen on the back to capture this moment.
Once we get to the end of the aisle, I motion with my hand and tell the couple, "Stop and kiss". Now, a lot is happening, and they may not hear you, so I also motion to my mouth to make sure they understand. Generally, this always leads to an amazing shot.
Conclusion:
The end-of-the-aisle kiss shot is one I would put along with the most iconic photos you should be taking on a wedding day. Other images that fit in this category include the first kiss, first dances, first look expressions, laughing at speeches, and so many more. Make sure to click here to hear more about different iconic wedding shots and how to capture them.
