How to Get the Best Confetti Photos
how to get the BEST out of your confetti photos: TOP TIPS FROM A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
Confetti is one of my absolute favourite parts of a wedding day to photograph and these photos almost always end up being some of my favourites from the whole gallery. It’s one of the most joyful, high-energy moments of the day, but they work best when the right confetti, setup and timing all come together. After photographing many (many!) confetti throws, I’ve learned exactly what makes the difference between a polite sprinkle and those incredible, floating-confetti, big-smile images couples love. So if you’re wondering how to get the best confetti photos, here are my top tips to help you make the most of your confetti moment.
when & where is best for confetti
Confetti usually follows your ceremony, but I highly recommend keeping it separate from your aisle exit. Aisle confetti often means only the guests nearest the aisle can take part. By keeping it separate, we can move everyone into the perfect location, line guests up properly, create a longer pathway, and capture so many more photos.
Confetti photos always work best when you are outdoors, so we can make the most of the light. If you need to be indoors, try and make sure you are walking towards a natural light source like a big window or open door. This really does make all the difference in how crisp your photos will be.
I cannot express this more… you can never have too much confetti! Sparse confetti disappears on camera. Work out what you need and double it (and then double it again!). If you’d like to go all out, confetti cannons can also work beautifully for added drama, especially when paired with plenty of loose confetti.
Make it easy to grab. Open baskets are ideal, as they encourage guests to take big handfuls, rather than small pinches. Sachets or cones might look lovely, but they often result in gentle sprinkles instead of confident throws. Plus the sachets / cones often get thrown at you alongside the confetti itself, which is not great for the photos or for you
what type of confetti should we buy?
Firstly, check with your venue to see what they allow. For photos absolutely packed full of confetti, I highly recommend biodegradable paper discs. These tend to float and stay in the air for longer, creating a much bigger impact in your photos. If biodegradable paper isn’t allowed, or if you prefer more traditional confetti, classic dried petals can look beautiful. Just try to avoid very small petals, as they can be hard for the camera to pick up and even harder to pick out of your hair afterwards!
Some of my personal favourite confetti moments have been when couples mix both biodegradable paper discs (go for classic white if unsure) with medium sized dried petals. Of course, it’s all entirely down to personal preference, so have a good look through different photos and choose the type and colour you love the most (just make sure you get lots of it!).
BIODEGRADABLE PAPER DISCS
CLASSIC DRIED PETALS
A MIX OF BOTH!
GUESTS – I always help line guests up and give some quick instructions – mainly to throw the confetti high up in the air, rather then in your faces. This often gets ignored but I try my best!
COUPLES – Remember to walk slowly, plus try to smile and keep your eyes open if you can! If you’d like to stop for a kiss halfway down, it creates a lovely photo moment. Mainly just enjoy it – it’s really fun!!
PHOTOGRAPHERS – Confetti is always an exciting (and slightly chaotic!) moment for us. We’re trying to capture as many sharp, in-focus images as possible while walking backwards with confetti flying everywhere, keeping one eye on the couple running towards us and the other on where we’re stepping. My top tip is to shoot in high-speed burst with a fast shutter speed and, of course, try not to fall over while walking backwards.
Where to purchase
As always, google is a good place to start, but my couples most often use the following companies to purchase their confetti:
BIODEGARDABLE PAPER DISCS: Proper Confetti or Your Confetti (Use my discount code: ‘YCLUCYDARBY’ for 15% off at Your Confetti)
DRIED PETALS: Shropshire Petals (Use my discount code: LUCY10 for 10% off orders over £50 at Shropshire Petals)
Of course you can also dry your own petals at home, but this is quite a time consuming task and you’ll need a lot of flowers! If you’re opting for fresh petals, this is usually something your florist can help you with.
