What to do With Your Hands in Wedding Photos

What to do With Your Hands in Wedding Photos | Skyler Maire Photography

Congratulations on your engagement! Whether you’re preparing for your upcoming wedding, engagement photoshoot or you’re a photographer looking to step into wedding photography, you might be wondering, “What the heck do I do with my hands in photos?” Hand placement in wedding photos can feel awkward at first, but with some guidance, you’ll feel more comfortable and look amazing.

If you’re a client, rest assured—your photographer will guide you through posing during your session. But it never hurts to prepare in advance! And if you’re a photographer, this guide will help you coach your clients into feeling comfortable and confident. Today, I’ll share tips on hand placement for wedding photos, broken down into four categories:

• Bride or partner wearing a dress & holding a bouquet
• Bride or partner wearing a dress without a bouquet
• Groom or partner in a suit
• Couple together

So feel free to skip ahead to whatever section(s) pertain to you. Alright, let’s dive into what to do with your hands and how to perfect your hand placement in wedding photos!

For the Bride or Partner wearing a dress and holding a bouquet

If you’re a bride (or partner) holding a bouquet, here’s a simple tip: hold it with two hands, right in front of your belly button, and remember to place your ring hand on the outside! If you’re walking, you can hold the bouquet with one hand and either let the other hand hang naturally, place it on your waist, or hold your dress. If you’re not wearing a dress, feel free to slip a hand into your pocket!

For photographers: Encourage your client to move their bouquet between one and two hands for variety in their shots. A reminder to softly place their hand on their waist or dress can help create more polished images.

For the Bride or Partner Wearing a Dress Without A Bouquet

If you do not have a bouquet, you can simply hold your hands gently in front of you. Don’t interlock your fingers, but rather place the palm of your ring finger hand over the back of your other hand.

Alternatively, I like to tell my clients to pretend they’re holding a tiny purse by gently interlocking their pointer fingers together and resting their hands right above their belly button. (I got this idea from Hope Taylor and it works fabulously!) It’s super cute!

And here are a few other ideas of hand placement in wedding photos:

• Place one hand on the smallest part of your waist.
• Softly touch your collarbone or run your fingers through your hair.
• Lightly cross your arms in front or bring your hands to your cheek for a playful pose. (The key word here is gently – we’re not going for elementary school portraits here!)

What NOT to do:

• Leave your hands hanging on either side. We want to avoid those floppy arms!
• Please do not ball your hands into a fist. I don’t know why you would, but I feel like I should mention it regardless. It does not look good, haha.

Photographers: These hand movements give your clients something to focus on, helping them feel more confident and relaxed in front of the camera.

For the Groom or Partner Wearing a Suit or Tux

If you’re wearing a suit or tux, there are a few classic options for proper hand placement in wedding photos:

• Place one hand over the other in front of you, with your ring hand on top.
• Hands in pockets.
• Adjust your tie, cufflinks, or jacket for a more candid feel.
• Pretend to fiddle with your ring or run a hand through your hair.
• Rest an elbow on something – a wall, fence, or other structure. Then place the other hand in your pocket or run it through your hair.

What NOT to do:

• Don’t let your hands just dangle by your sides. We want to avoid those floppy arms!
• Please do not ball your hands into a fist. Again, I don’t know why you would, but I feel like I should mention it regardless.

Photographers: Don’t be afraid to suggest subtle movements to keep your clients looking natural, like adjusting their suit or lightly touching their tie or jacket.

For Couples together

Now, when it comes to hand placement in wedding photos as a couple, the key is to relax and connect with each other. The most important thing to remember is not to overthink it! Focus on being in the moment rather than wondering what to do with your hands. For photographers, it’s all about guiding your clients into feeling natural and connected, while keeping things fun and light-hearted. Here are my suggestions to get you out of your head and into the moment:

Hand placement ideas for couples:

• With a bouquet: Stand in a “V” shape and hold the bouquet together. Or for an alternative pose, go belly button to belly button and have the person with the bouquet drape it over their partner’s shoulder. Touch foreheads, or have one or both people look at the camera lens.
• Touch each other: Gently hold their hand, brush their hair, or touch their face or waist. If you still have the bouquet in the other hand, just hold it down at your side.
• Hug each other: Wrap your arms around their waist, shoulders, or even hug them from behind.
• Hold hands: If one of you is holding a bouquet, the other hand can simply rest at your side or go in a pocket.
• Move: Photographers, encourage your couples to move and interact! Ask them to slow dance, bump hips, or gently pull each other close.
• Keep your hands moving: Sounds weird and open ended, but sometimes that’s the exact direction I’ll give my clients. “Just keep your hands moving for the next minute or so.” Sounds odd, looks great in photos. The more gentle movements added, the more natural and candid the images will turn out.

Photographers: Encourage your couples to keep their hands moving slightly throughout the session. Subtle movements—like gently touching their partner or playing with their hair—add a candid, natural feel to the images.

Final Thoughts

I hope this leaves you feeling more confident in the hand placement in wedding photos for your big day! The best tip is to stay relaxed and let your hands follow your natural movements. Whether you’re the bride, groom, or the photographer coaching the couple, small movements and soft, thoughtful touches make all the difference. The more comfortable you feel, the more authentic and beautiful your photos will turn out.

Photographers: By mastering hand placement and creating a relaxed environment, you’ll help your clients feel confident and natural, resulting in stunning, authentic images! Remember, you can always bring notes and sample photos on your phone if you need them.

LET’S GET IN TOUCH!

Planning your own wedding in the Bay Area or beyond? I would love to document your special day! Feel free to learn more about me. If I sound like the perfect wedding photographer for you, then inquire with me. In the meantime, check out more educational articles and weddings on the blog for inspiration!

If you’re a photographer, check out my blog for more tips and guides to help you direct your couples with ease.

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