One of the questions I often ask couples during our final planning call ahead of their wedding day is "what are the most important moments on your wedding day?"

Each couple has a different answer, but ask you might expect their ceremony and couples portraits are often answers. Another answer I hear time and time again is "confetti".

The confetti line after your ceremony is a wonderful moment - being showered with flower petals by your closest friends and family moments after you because a husband-and-wife, or husband-and-husband, or wife-and-wife! If these images are particularly important to you, there are things you can do both in advance and on your wedding day so that we can create incredible confetti photos.

What should I do before my wedding for perfect confetti photos?

1. What confetti does my wedding venue or church allow? Before you even order your confetti, the first thing to do is check what sorts of confetti your venue or church allow. Lots of venues only allow you to use natural or biodegradable confetti. This is great few a few reasons - it looks far better is your photos, it's better environmentally, and it means you there won't be left over plastic confetti from a previous wedding. The key one of these for your wedding gallery is that it looks so much better in your photos - particularly if, like me, you love fine art wedding photography! Natural confetti is softer, more delicate and helps to create such a romantic look.
2. What colour should I get? This is very personal to you and the great news is the answer doesn't really matter for getting the stunning confetti photos. Choosing two or three different colours can be really beautiful - why not pair white flowers with rose petals that match your colour scheme.
3. What size confetti petals should I get? This again very much comes down to personal preference. If you love larger specs of colour, go for larger petals, or if you prefer a more consistent shower of petals choose smaller ones. You can always mix and match here too - why not combine some larger rose petals that match your colour scheme with some smaller white petals (delphiniums are a good option).
4. How much confetti should I order? This one really is important and the simple answer is more than you think you'll need. Lots of companies sell confetti by the "handful", and from experience you'll need at least two "handfuls" per person to get the full effect in your photos! Think of this as a minimum - there's no harm in having more confetti and you really can't have too much!
5. Is there anything else I can do to really make a statement? If you want to make a statement with your confetti, why not order some confetti canons! These are fantastic because they release so much more confetti into the air above you have handfuls alone can.

What should I do on my wedding day for the perfect confetti shot?

The good news is, by your wedding day, the key things for the perfect confetti shot are already done! After your ceremony, whilst you enjoy a few moments together as newlyweds, my team and I will set make sure your guests are lined up close enough that the confetti will reach you and explain how to throw confetti for the best results (telling everybody to put the confetti in their hands to throw it rather than going straight from the bag/cone makes such a difference).

There are then three simple things you can do on the day to help us create the perfect confetti moments on your wedding day:

1. Enjoy it! This is a really special moment, where you can appreciate your closest friends and family showering you with flower petals as a celebration of the two of you and your relationship. This advice really applies throughout your wedding day - after months, if not years, of planning enjoy the moments and soak in all the details safe in the knowledge that I'll be on hand documenting them for you to treasure.
2. Take your time. In all the excitement of having just gotten married and seeing all your friends and family, it can be easy to rush your confetti line. Take your time to stroll through your friends and family and look around as you soak it all in - at each other, at me and at your friends and family. It can be tempting to lower your head when you see the confetti, but continue looking up and around for the best images, and remember to smile!
3. Pause for a kiss (and maybe even a dip). This is a favourite of mine - about half way along your confetti line, I'll have positioned a couple of members of your bridal party (typically your best man and maid of honour) with instructions to wait until you pause for a kiss to throw their confetti. I'll let you know who this is on the day (you won't need to remember in advance, don't worry!). If you've ordered confetti canons, they're absolutely perfect for this moment too.

A post like this wouldn't be complete without sharing a few of my favourite confetti photos, so enjoy looking through! Of course, confetti doesn't just have to be for after your ceremony - why not have your guests shower you with it during your first dance like Penny & Andy did when they married at Bourton Hall last summer!