The confetti shot is one of the most memorable wedding photos you’ll have in your wedding gallery. All of your nearest and dearest smiling and cheering for the happy couple, confetti raining down around you all. It’s the perfect celebratory moment that is so commonly requested by many couples - it’s a must-have moment! Which makes it a moment, and a photograph, to cherish. 

So, understandably, you want it to be perfect. The confetti shot does require a certain amount of planning and preparation, but the most important factor is the joyful energy it’s famous for. I'm going to talk about how to get it just right so that on your actual wedding day, everything is pre-prepared and all you need to do is enjoy that shower of confetti floating around you.

Documenting the fun, free, and authentic moments of your wedding is my goal as a photographer, so I’ve put together my top tips to help you to prepare for that epic confetti shot of your dreams. When the big day arrives, all you’ll need to do is simply walk in the moment and enjoy the celebration of your love, surrounded by all your loved ones.

THE MORE THE BETTER

My first point is that you’ll need to remember - guests don’t tend to bring their own confetti! So be sure to plan ahead, and don’t be afraid to go BIG... The more confetti, the better! I recommend taking the number of guests into consideration when deciding on the amount of confetti you’ll need - you’ll want a bucket full with enough for your guests to dig their hands in and grab a handful. Alternatively, if you don’t want one big bucket of confetti then each guest could receive a small box or envelope with their own confetti inside. When planning this, don’t forget to make sure that there’s enough to be able to repeat the shot, just in case. It’s better to have too much confetti than not enough. The last thing that you want is to be disappointed when what you thought would be a cloud of confetti is just a mere sprinkling of a few pieces and then you can’t redo the shot! This leads me to...

THINK ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT

Planning for your confetti shot ahead of time not only allows you to make sure that there’s enough but also to choose the perfect type of confetti. I cannot stress enough that this is so important to consider! I always encourage couples to opt for environmentally friendly options, though I would advise against rice or seeds - as these hurt when they’re thrown at you! 

Brighter, more colourful, and medium-to-large-sized pieces of confetti work best. Which is why using biodegradable confetti is a wonderful option when you want to avoid leaving a mark on the environment. If you’d like something a little different and even more natural, then dried flower petals also make an incredibly timeless, romantic, and eco-friendly alternative.

If you want to go for more of a DIY approach, why not try using a hole punch or paper cutter to cut your own shapes out of dried leaves? This is a fun, eco-friendly, and pretty way to get those fun confetti photos without any nasty plastic glitter or pieces!

CHECK WITH YOUR VENUE

It’s important to remember that some venues might have strict rules around confetti. Some only allow it in specific areas, while others don’t allow it at all. So make sure to do your research beforehand so you don’t get caught out and disappointed on the day.

If your venue is pretty casual around confetti, then your photographer can help you to pick out the best location to take the shot if you’re unsure on where would be best. But if your venue is one of those that doesn’t allow confetti, there’s no reason to worry. Bubbles, ribbons, flags, maybe even a nighttime sparkler exit! - are all great alternative options, and are just as magical to shoot. 

TRUST YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER

The only rain we want on your wedding day is the rain of confetti falling just right. So a little order and synchronisation are needed for the perfect confetti shot. It’s totally worth the little bit of extra prep!

After the ceremony, I’ll have a quick chat with your wedding guests and will get them prepared and in place for the photograph. I’ll ask the guests to stand close to each other and throw their confetti upwards (and not at you - you don’t want confetti flying directly in your mouths!) to create that picture-perfect flutter.

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN AND SMILE

The best confetti shots have the couple smiling and laughing, not shrinking away and trying to avoid a piece of confetti in the eye (hence the upwards-throw). With the confetti thrown correctly, all that’s left for you to remember is to keep your heads up, eyes open, and smile! At the end of the day we want to have captured beautiful natural moments, so don’t stress too much about the perfect pose, just remember to live in the moment and have fun! 

TAKE IT SLOW AND ENJOY THE MOMENT 

You’ve planned this day for months or even years! Everything is in place. Now, enjoy the moments as they happen. Go at your pace, take a pause to share a kiss or an embrace. 

If you have a specific pose in mind for your confetti shot, don’t be afraid to practice before the wedding, so that on the day, it’ll feel as natural as breathing. When you’ve preplanned an idea of your poses and photo styles for your big confetti moment this really makes sure that you’re on the same page as your photographer in terms of how your photos are going to be captured.

But most importantly, enjoy this celebration of your love, and know that your photographer is capturing every second of it. You want to make sure you remember your wedding day for exactly what it was, rather than getting too caught up in poses and angles.