Shooting weddings isn’t only part of my job, it’s something I truly, truly love. And it’s something I loved before it became my job.

Not too long ago, before I was in the wedding business, I was a recurring wedding guest — and I always had a camera in my purse. The thing was, I wasn’t sure when it was acceptable to use it and when I needed to put it away and let the hired talent run the show. I also wasn’t quite sure how to interact with the professional photographers. Were they supposed to be ignored so they could get plenty of candids? Or was I supposed to mug every time I saw a big lens approaching?

Well, having been on both sides of the situation and understanding the role of the professional photographer as well as the shutterbug (or camera shy) wedding guest, I’d like to share some of my own experiences, missteps, and preferences — and some advice for wedding guests who want to capture your own pictures at weddings without stepping on the photographer’s toes or offending the bride and groom.

Lots of cameras equal lots of wedding pictures, and everyone goes home happy — as long as everyone is as considerate of their fellow photographers as they were at Maiken and Ryan’s wedding.

Please do take pictures at weddings! I can’t stress enough how much I love looking through guests’ wedding photos, and especially how much I loved seeing the pictures my friends took at my own wedding. Professional photographers can’t be everywhere at once, and won’t necessarily be there for every money shot at every guest table, or have just the right angle to show tears of laughter rolling during the best man’s toast. So snap away!

Please don’t cut off or block the professional photographers, especially at key moments during the wedding. The bride and groom will love to see your pictures of the bride’s processional, but not at the expense of having you appear in the professional pictures of the bride’s processional. The same goes for the first kiss, cake cutting, bouquet toss, et al.

Please do take pictures without flash during the ceremony.

Please don’t take any pictures during the ceremony if the bride and groom, or officiant, request this! That means putting your cell phones away, too.

Please do snap candids while the professional photographers assemble the wedding party for portraits. You never know what funny moment is just waiting to happen.

Please don’t direct the wedding party to pose for you instead of the professional photographers during formal portraits, or give the professional photographers suggestions of how to arrange the group.

Please do ask the professional photographers to snap a quick picture of you with the bride and groom during the reception.

Please don’t ask the professional photographers to snap a picture of you with the bride and groom on your camera.

Please do let the professional photographers get a picture of you with your wedding date or your whole table at the reception — after all, the couple wants evidence of their guests enjoying themselves!

Please don’t ask the professional photographers to shoot a series of family pictures or go outside for some romantic shots of you and your significant other.

Please do ask the professional photographers for a business card if you’d like to order prints from the wedding or just initiate a conversation about photography after the event.

Please don’t try to engage the professional photographers in a lengthy conversation about photography during the wedding — much as most photographers love to talk shop, they’re being paid to record the couple’s special day.

Please do pose for the professional photographers if they ask, even if you consider yourself camera shy.

Please don’t turn your face to the camera every time you see the photographer, because candid pictures of wedding guests interacting are a nice counterbalance to standard smiling-for-the-camera shots. If the photographer wants you to smile for a picture, he/she will let you know!

And please — if you have any other questions that I haven’t covered, shoot me an email! I’d love to help you out if there is any way I can.

Happy photographing!

~ Laura