The style of your photoshoot does not really depend on:
The entire photoshoot style is defined by your wedding dress.
Your dress length and style will determine the posing, and posing always defines the photoshoot style.
Let’s look at some examples.
- The photographer's style
- How shy or confident you feel in front of the camera
- And definitely not on how many photoshoots you've done before
The entire photoshoot style is defined by your wedding dress.
Your dress length and style will determine the posing, and posing always defines the photoshoot style.
Let’s look at some examples.
"Bonjour all the beautiful, adventurous, and ambitious ladies, our wonderful brides. And our respect to the intelligent handsome future grooms. Hope you have a good time reading. Let's begin!"
Article by — HELEN
helping brides since 2012
Your dress length is the base
If you're wearing a long, princess-style ballgown that doesn't show any legs and restricts lower body movement, you'll likely have classic, posed wedding photos. While these might be more staged, they’ll still look elegant rather than candid and fun. Why? Because it’s almost impossible to run, dance, sit, or move freely in such a voluminous dress.
a long princess gown
Long puffy gown allows only upper body posing, and the legs are not visible
A princess-style ballgown or any long dress is gorgeous, but it limits how much you can move. It’s designed for drama and elegance. Since the dress covers most of your body, especially your legs, you can’t really twirl, run, or even walk freely. It’s not a dress you can dance in or move around a lot without the fabric getting in the way. Think about it like this: you’ll have photos of you standing together, holding hands, sharing a kiss, or sitting gracefully. Here is what is possible with a long dress:
Simple standing or slow walking
Posing with your hands and face
Kisses and hugs
If you want poses with lots of movement and candid moments, don’t buy a long dress. If you’ve already bought a long dress, skip the poses that involve a lot of movement.
Now, if you’re in a dress with a slit, that’s where things shift. Suddenly, you can move more freely—walking, twirling, even dancing—so the photos become more dynamic and fun. You’ll see poses that feel more modern.
dress with a slit
If your dress shows the legs, it opens up so many more possibilities for movement
Walking together with your dress flowing behind you
Twirling or spinning, where the slit shows off your legs and adds dynamic energy to the shot
If you’re wearing a dress that shows your legs, you can expect fun and modern photo poses. Why? Because a dress like that allows movement—and showing movement in photos adds a dynamic, playful, and even sexy vibe.
So, if you’re after passionate and fun poses where you and your partner are close, flirty, and connected, you’ll need to wear a dress that shows your legs or has a slit. A long, heavy dress simply won’t give you that flexibility. Long dresses and movement-based photoshoots don’t go together—it’s just not possible. You can’t walk freely, let alone run or move actively, when wearing a big, puffy gown.
You might be thinking: “But Helen, why can’t I wear my mermaid dress and do running or kissing poses? What’s the problem?” The problem is that it’s almost technically impossible! A mermaid dress, especially with heels, limits your steps to tiny micro movements. The train and the tight fit don’t allow for full walks, making it hard to move naturally. If you do not believe me, put the dress on and give it a try.
Plus, the groom can’t easily approach or hug you because of the puffy skirt around you. Overall, posing and moving in a long, structured dress is much more difficult and limits the variety of shots you can get.
So, if you’re after passionate and fun poses where you and your partner are close, flirty, and connected, you’ll need to wear a dress that shows your legs or has a slit. A long, heavy dress simply won’t give you that flexibility. Long dresses and movement-based photoshoots don’t go together—it’s just not possible. You can’t walk freely, let alone run or move actively, when wearing a big, puffy gown.
You might be thinking: “But Helen, why can’t I wear my mermaid dress and do running or kissing poses? What’s the problem?” The problem is that it’s almost technically impossible! A mermaid dress, especially with heels, limits your steps to tiny micro movements. The train and the tight fit don’t allow for full walks, making it hard to move naturally. If you do not believe me, put the dress on and give it a try.
Plus, the groom can’t easily approach or hug you because of the puffy skirt around you. Overall, posing and moving in a long, structured dress is much more difficult and limits the variety of shots you can get.
to summarize
If you want to feel like a princess for the ceremony but also capture some candid moments, consider an outfit change. Here we explain how to do it.
an outfit change
Formal for the ceremony
Gorgeous details
Relaxed and candid Louvre shots, wearing a cocktail dress
