What Every Wedding Photographer Needs in their Camera Bag

 

When the idea of being a wedding photographer first flew into my head, like most beginners, I innocently didn’t think it would need much more than some mad technical camera skills, a little creativity and some good quality gear. Oh boy was I wrong. So, so wrong.

I quickly learnt that being a wedding photographer (at least a full-time one) takes a great deal more than a good eye and camera knowledge. You gotta know all about business, marketing, designing, social media strategies, SEO, branding and the list goes on. Actual photography becomes only but a fraction of what needs to be done – but don’t get me wrong, it’s all great fun!

Early on in my business – aka right after I shot  my first solo wedding – I also learnt that the role of the wedding photographer on the wedding day is also much much more than just taking pictures. Apart from helping with the schedule and basically keeping everyone on track, I also often find myself being the go-to for hair emergencies, wardrobe malfunctions and any other wedding minimergency.

This is why I put together a small pouch with wedding day necessities that I carry along with me everywhere on the big day. It doesn’t weigh much and it fits nicely in my camera bag that is rarely more than a few feet away from me. You never know the someone might need a tissue or a safety-pin. The bridal party and bride and groom rarely have bags and pockets to stash things in, so as the person with – let’s be honest – TOO many bags to drag around, I’m the one with all the STUFF.

 

A peek into my wedding day emergency kit:

Tissue Paper

For obvious reasons, Kleenex are always a necessity on wedding days. Wether they be for happy tears or for those emotional moments, tissue paper is the most obvious must-have.

Bobby Pins and Hair Elastics

These are as much for me as they are for the ladies (and some times the guys!) in the group. Hair always starts off looking pretty perfect, but as the hours add-on, sometimes a few bobby pins are in need to fix stray hairs.

Safety Pins

Believe it or not, these have been THE BIGGEST lifesavers. I can’t count the times I’ve saved the day by having these close at hand. They’ve fixed finicky boutonnieres, bow-ties with missing clips, broken shoes, bra straps and the list goes on! Have a few different sizes on hand and you’ll definitely be the superhero of the day.

Tide To Go

Spills happen. And when they happen on fancy dresses and suits, you’ll be sure to have something to quickly fix the mess and make sure nothing stains.

Tooth Picks

No one wants bits of food stuck in their teeth on such a special day, right?! And to be honest, I don’t feel like spending hours removing those bits of food in Photoshop later on either. ;)

Snacks

Speaking of food, breakfast always seems so far away by the time the wedding dinner rolls around. So to keep the bride and groom happy during photos, I like to have some quick healthy snacks on hand to offer any hungry bear.

Feminine Hygiene Products

Guys, if you’re reading this, I’m sorry, but these might also save the day…

Double Sided Tape

Tape is also very versatile, but it’s mostly great to hold down fabric to the skin (aka dress cleavage!). Photographer’s tip… it’s also great to hold rings for those macro shots.

 

Items I’ll be adding to my bag!

While writing this post, so many great ideas have popped into my head of things I need to add to the bag. So here goes:

How-To Tie a Tie

I’ve been asked by groomsmen so many times if I know how to tie a tie and embarrassingly enough, I don’t yet! So not only will I be practicing at home, I’ll be printing off a cute little schematic to stick in my bag so I can sip it out at any time. (Because, yes, phones are not always so close by.) :P

Vaseline

When fingers get swollen in the summer heat, it can be difficult to remove the wedding rings. So when it comes time to get some ring shots and the rings refuse to come off, Vaseline could save the day! It’s also great for dry lips or to remove makeup.

Glass Cleaner and Micro-Fiber Towel

You wouldn’t want to be taking pictures only to realize halfway through that someone has a huge smudge on their glasses, but nothing to wipe it off with. TADA! Problem solved.

Mini Scissors

These can be useful for almost anything! But the big one I’ve encountered is cutting the threads on the new groom’s and groomsmen suits. Those are often forgotten during th getting ready phase, so if we can snip them just before the photos, everything will look just perfect.

Bandages

Again, these have many uses, but one that comes to mind right away is to save the girl’s feet! Fancy shoes are never the comfiest, so if a heel rescue is needed later on during the day, you’ll have just what she needs.

 

Can you think of anything more I should add to my bag? Let me know in the comments below!

 

You might also be interested in this video! >> What’s In My Camera Bag??!