Jacksonville Wedding must-have pictures? Are you wondering if there really are “must have” wedding photos? As a wedding photographer, I can tell you there is not a one size fits all wedding day. Every wedding is different, and every couple brings their own personalities, priorities, and story into their celebration.
That said, here is what I have learned after photographing weddings for over 20 years. While every wedding is unique, most of them naturally follow a similar flow. Couples love putting their own stamp on their day and I love capturing that, the majority of weddings move through familiar moments and timelines. And honestly, that is a good thing, it makes it easier to see the extra special moments.
The magic is not in checking off a photo list. It is in the real moments, emotions, and little details that happen naturally throughout the day.
A SHOT-LIST FOR YOUR JACKSONVILLE WEDDING
When I first started my photography business, I had a bride email me a ten page list of must have photos. This was back around 2008 or 2009, and I brought that list with me on the wedding day. I spent the entire day focused on checking boxes instead of truly seeing what was unfolding in front of me. I was so focused on the list that it barely left room for creativity or real moments to happen.
Many of the images on that list were pulled from a wedding magazine and didn’t feel natural to the couple. Things like “mother holding bride’s hand after she puts on the dress” sounded beautiful on paper, but in real life felt forced and awkward because it simply wasn’t how they connected.
When I got home and looked through the images, I realized something important. There was nothing that felt intentional, emotional, or truly unique to that couple’s wedding gallery because every photo was based off someone else’s day. It was a turning point in how I approach wedding photography.
That experience shaped how I work with my couples today. I love hearing what matters most to you, and if there is a specific photo or a few meaningful moments you really care about, we absolutely make sure those images happen. What I avoid is working from a long, rigid list that can pull focus away from the real moments, emotions, and connections that make your wedding day yours.
My goal is to give you images that feel natural, personal, and unmistakably you, not a recreation of someone else’s wedding day.
HOW TO MAKE YOUR WEDDING PICTURES UNIQUE FOR YOUR JACKSONVILLE WEDDING
After nearly two decades of photographing weddings, I sat down and reflected on the moments that show up again and again in my couples’ final galleries. These are not requirements, and they do not happen at every wedding, but they are moments that naturally unfold throughout most wedding days. Think of this as a glimpse into the types of images you can expect when you work with Mollie Jane Photography, captured within the flow of your timeline and your priorities. This structure leaves plenty of room for real emotion, unexpected moments, and images that feel uniquely yours.
As for how many images you will receive, I deliver an average of about 75 to 100 images per hour of coverage. For a nine hour wedding, that means a minimum of 675 fully edited images, and most galleries are closer to 800 or 900. So when you see a collection of commonly captured moments, know that it represents just a small piece of your final gallery. Your wedding day lives in the in between moments, the laughter, the nerves, the quiet pauses, and that is where the real magic happens.
One helpful way to use these moments is as a guide when building your wedding day timeline. Beyond that, the most important thing you can do is trust your photographer. Experience matters, and when you allow your day to unfold naturally, you end up with images that feel honest, emotional, and timeless.
“MUST HAVE” IMAGES FROM YOUR JACKSONVILLE WEDDING
Again, nothing is a must, it is completely according to what you want from your wedding day. We go over all of these things in your questionnaires and phone calls. But I will organize these most common images into sections of the day: Pre-Ceremony, Wedding Party, Ceremony, Romantic Pictures and the Reception.
Kat and Derek’s wedding was so beautiful! A perfect example of how memories happen in the in between. Throughout this blog post, you will see Kat and Derek’s “must-have” images and then there will be a link to their wedding day gallery and you can see how all of these moments weave together.
Kat said:
“Mollie took all the stress out of the day. As a total type-A girlie, I usually want to be in control—but on your wedding day, you just want to float and be present. Mollie made that possible. She communicated so well leading up to the day, and then took charge when it mattered most. She kept us on time even when hair and makeup ran late, got all the shots we wanted, and managed everyone with such ease and grace. She knows what she’s doing—and you can absolutely rely on her. And honestly, that’s the most important thing you want in your wedding photographer.“
Pre-Ceremony Pictures
Pre-Ceremony is, obviously, all of the moments before the ceremony. It is many of the details, all of the getting ready and if there are going to be any first looks. These are some of my favorite parts of the day! I ALWAYS say to plan more time for pre-ceremony, you want this time of the day to feel un-rushed because it is the only part of the day that can feel that way, most of the time. The day feels like a blur.
When I asked Kat what some of her favorite parts of the day, she said:
“Honestly, the day was a bit of a blur, but there were so many special moments. We loved getting ready with our closest friends—it was such a fun, love-filled start to the day...If I could do it again, I’d build in a bit more time for getting ready. We were running behind in the girls’ cottage, which added some unnecessary stress. A little more breathing room in the morning would have made everything feel even smoother.“
Some of my favorite Pre-Ceremony images are:
- All the detail pictures! Your invitation, jewelry, shoes, flowers. I love them all. I have an entire guide on these pictures.
- The dress hanging up
- Your final makeup touches
- Hanging out in the bridal and groom suite
- Matching jammies
- Mom helping you into your dress
- The groom getting ready
- The first looks
Many wedding days, we do some or all of the wedding party and maybe even your bride and groom pictures, as we did with Kat and Derek. But I will include those in another section.
Wedding Party
These are some of the most fun pictures with your people! Your wedding party is made up of the friends and family who have walked alongside you long before the wedding day, and these photos are where their personalities really get to shine. Between the laughter, the inside jokes, the happy chaos, and the hype energy, wedding party photos capture the relationships that make the day feel full and meaningful. They are a mix of classic and candid, polished and playful, and they end up telling a big part of the story of what your Jacksonville wedding day actually felt like.
Some images that I love to capture during your wedding party pictures:
- The full wedding party together, smiling
- The full wedding party cheering and having fun and walking together
- Groomsmen smiling and serious
- Groomsmen GQ walking
- Bridesmaids smiling at me and smiling and laughing at each other
- Bridesmaids bouquets together
- Bridesmaids walking and having fun
- Bride and groom with each bridesmaid and groomsmen individually
I love how one of Kat’s request for her wedding day was to save time for them to just hang out with their wedding party in the groom’s suite and have some drinks and play pool. These made some of the best pictures! And also a testament to leaving room for the moments to unfold naturally.
The Ceremony
The whole point, right? I love how this part of your Jacksonville wedding day is completely documentary. This is the heart of the day, where everything slows down and the focus shifts to what truly matters. From the walk down the aisle to the quiet glances, the tears, the laughter, and the way your people react around you, your ceremony photos are about preserving the emotion exactly as it unfolds. I am there to observe, anticipate, and tell the story honestly so you can remember not just what it looked like, but how it felt to stand there and say your vows.
Some images that are always a priority during the ceremony are:
- Groom and Wedding party walking in
- Bride and father (or whoever is walking with her)
- Bride from the back walking down the aisle (we usually need a 2nd photographer for this one)
- The hand-off
- The ceremony from different angles
- Special events
- Bride and groom during vows
- Rings
- Audience reactions
- Kiss
- Recessional
Family pictures usually take place after the ceremony, when everyone is together and the excitement is still fresh. In some cases, to save time, we can photograph a few groupings beforehand, like the bride with her family or the groom with his family. For the most part though, family photos happen right after the ceremony and are designed to be smooth and stress free. I provide an entire guide to help you create your family photo list ahead of time so this part of the day is as efficient and enjoyable as possible.
Romantic Pictures
These are my favorite pictures of the day. This is the time set aside just for the two of you, to soak it all in and be fully present together. Bride and groom portraits are about capturing your connection, the way you naturally interact, and the quiet moments in between all the excitement. Kat and Derek chose to do a first look, which gave us two opportunities for romantic portraits, right after the first look and again after the ceremony. I will always work within whatever amount of time you give me, but ideally, setting aside at least 20 to 30 minutes allows us to create images that feel relaxed, genuine, and truly reflective of your love.
I don’t have a lot of “must-have” pictures, but I want to capture your love! But I do try to always get:
- Bride and Groom smiling at the camera
- Walking/motion
- Bride by herself
- Groom by himself
- Veil shot
Reception
The most fun part of the day, the party. This is where the celebration really comes to life and everyone can finally relax and enjoy themselves. From the food and the music to the heartfelt toasts, packed dance floor, and spontaneous moments you never even realized were happening, your reception is full of energy and emotion. Some of the most unexpected and joy filled memories of the entire day happen here, and I am there to capture it all exactly as it unfolds.
We always start out by getting all of the details of the reception space. I love getting pictures of all of your hard work coming together. Kat and her mom wanted a special viewing of the reception before guests came in. I loved that they got to see it first!
Let the reception begin!!! During your reception, my intentions are always to capture:
- Grand Entrances
- Special Dances
- Toasts
- Candid Moments with Guests
- Cake Cut
- Fun Activities
- Dance Floor Shenanigans
- Grand Exit
Kat said of the fun and unexpected moments:
“Definitely when our guests picked us up mid-dance party—it was such a spontaneous, joy-filled moment! And having a friend take over the DJ booth added to the energy and made the night even more personal.“
JACKSONVILLE WEDDING: A WEDDING DAY GALLERY
You’ve seen the basic structure of a Jacksonville wedding day, and how “must-have” images work in your wedding day…now, see how your wedding day gallery fills in all of the holes.
Try and put yourself into the gallery. Every wedding day is different, every couple has different priorities so your gallery will be different. But look for consistency, look for the moments, look how the feelings of the day are weaved through documentary moments. The gallery will tell the full story of the day, not just the aesthetics.
Kat said about when she saw her gallery:
“So grateful. That’s the only word for it. We’ve built our life and business together over the years, and getting married felt like a formality in some ways—but seeing the gallery made it feel sacred. It was such a gift to relive the day and remember how much love surrounded us.“
YOUR JACKSONVILLE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
As your Jacksonville wedding photographer, I work from the moment you inquire through your gallery delivery after your wedding to give you the images, memories and experience of your dreams! Kat said of her experience with Mollie Jane Photography:
“Pick someone you genuinely want to spend the day with. Your photographer is with you more than almost anyone else that day, and if you’re not comfortable around them, it’s going to show. I fully credit our beautiful gallery to how at ease we felt with Mollie and the trust we had in her direction. You’re getting married—but you should also date your photographer first!“
I would love to talk to you about your wedding day! And how Mollie Jane can be a part of it! Click the link below to go to me website. I can’t wait to talk to you!
