When you’re pouring your heart into planning a DIY wedding — hand-picking every detail, making centerpieces with your best friend, choosing a backyard over a ballroom — you want it to feel like you. Just because you’re skipping the grand venue or traditional vendors doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice stunning, heartfelt photos that tell the real story of your day.
Whether you’re getting married in your parents’ backyard, a campground in the woods, or a cozy local space with thrifted decor and tacos for dinner — here’s how to make sure the moments you’ve worked so hard to create are captured beautifully.
So without further a due, let’s dive into how to plan a DIY wedding and still get stunning photos.
1. Prioritize What Actually Matters in Photos
DIY weddings are usually full of intention. But with all the hands-on planning, it’s easy to get swept into the pressure of Pinterest-perfect aesthetics. The truth? What creates stunning photos is emotion, connection, and real moments — not whether you rented matching chairs or splurged on florals.
Another important aspect to your day is a stress free simple timeline. As a wedding photographer for mostly DIY brides, I assist on creating a timeline that is full if intention and leaves room for slow moments. This helps tremendously when it comes to capturing photos full of feeling and emotion.
What will photograph beautifully:
- You seeing each other for the first time
- Your friends helping you get ready in a messy kitchen
- Your grandma crying during the ceremony
- That awkward, adorable dance you didn’t plan for
Less and less brides are concerned with photos of decor and more on the candid reactions throughout the day.
Focus less on:
- Traditional getting ready with hair and makeup
- Lay flats
- Centerpieces and reception space
- Florals
No I’m not saying these elements aren’t important, they can be but let’s face it, you don’t need 10 different viewpoints of your shoes, jewelry, invites, etc. a couple photos is all your need. Prioritize what is most important to remember.
2. Choose a Photographer Who Gets DIY Vibes
Not every photographer is a good fit for a nontraditional or low-key wedding. In fact many photographers choose only work with couples who hire a wedding planner or coordinator.
Instead look for someone who:
- Can roll with an imperfect timeline or unexpected shifts.
- Knows how to make even a backyard wedding look like art
- Values the same things you do — like honesty, presence, and emotion over luxury
Hiring the right person means you won’t have to worry about awkward posing or whether things look “fancy” enough — they’ll find beauty in whatever unfolds.
3. Build a Simple, Intentional Timeline
One of the biggest pitfalls of DIY weddings is running out of time or trying to pack too much into the day. Give yourself room to breathe — and to be photographed without rushing.
Tips to keep in mind for an easygoing timeline:
- Allow at least 20–30 minutes of “just us” portrait time (during golden hour, if possible!)
- Schedule breaks — especially if you’re the planner and the bride/groom
- Think about light: ceremonies that are at 1pm under harsh sun aren’t ideal. Late afternoon is usually more flattering. A sun tracker app is the perfect tool to have!
- Build in 10-minute buffers between transitions — they will come in handy. Especially for family portraits. If you have a lot of combinations to get through, having extra time really helps keep the following events running smoothly and on time.
- Your photographer can help you shape this around your vision. I love creating timelines for my couples. I’ve made enough of them to know what works best for your day.
4. Lean into the Real & Unfiltered
Here’s the thing — your wedding doesn’t have to look like a Vouge Magazine cover to be deeply beautiful. What will make your photos stand out are the little imperfect moments that reflect you.
- The handmade signs your cousin made
- The mismatched thrifted glassware your guests can take home
- The fact that your dog walked down the aisle
- Your rain plan that turned into dancing under umbrellas
These are the details you’ll love more than anything because they’re real. And real always photographs better.
5. Trust the Process
If you’ve chosen a photographer who sees beauty in chaos and poetry in the small stuff — trust them.
Let go of the mental checklist. Be in the moment. Let the day unfold naturally. That energy will show up in every frame. The laughter, the tears, the in-between glances — that’s where the magic lives.
I hope this blog is helpful when planning your DIY wedding. You don’t need a popular venue, a $10,000 dress, or a huge team of vendors to have a visually stunning wedding. You just need:
- Thoughtful planning based around intention not perfection
- A calm, creative photographer who sees you and understands your needs
- A timeline that lets you breathe
- Space for emotion and presence
Your DIY wedding is already rich with meaning. Your photos should feel the same.
Also keep in mind that if you do choose a venue for your wedding, they do offer chairs, table and most likely decor that you can use just for overall esthetic. This will also help when DIYing your day!
