Today my husband and I celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary, and I have one important thing to say: WOW! Time really does fly when you are having fun. Despite our fair share of challenges, the last five years have been filled with an abundance of laughter, endless joy, countless concerts and shows, tears of joy, tears of sadness, pizza nights, and a love that has continued to prove its resiliency. So now I have a question to ask. What part of that is not worthy of commemorating with an anniversary photo shoot?
My answer: No part, of course! Every anniversary marks a year of memories. Good or bad, happy or sad, those memories will live within your souls and will be the compiling moments of a year worth remembering. Dylan and I booked an anniversary photo shoot for our third year of marriage, and we felt so much connection in celebrating a not-so-perfect year. A year that was not a “milestone” in the traditional sense, but was a milestone for us. We danced, we laughed, and now I want to inspire you to book an anniversary photo shoot for yourself.
RECREATE WEDDING PHOTOS
This anniversary photo shoot tip is a special one for us, and I know it will be for you too. If your wedding is one of the most special days of your life, why not relive those memorable moments? When we got married, we hired an epic photographer who captured our day in such a beautifully unique way. He shot a set of images that he dubbed “Mendocino Gothic” and they are some of our favorite photos of our day. Take a look!
Incredible, right?! We love these photos so much that we now recreate them in every photo shoot we do together. Without fail, each time we strike this pose we are transported back to the magic of our wedding weekend. We now have a collection of images inspired by the iconic American Gothic painting by Grant Wood.
OPT FOR OUTSIDE
There is no better location for an anniversary photo shoot than the great outdoors. You can choose a setting that is a familiar favorite, or find a new place to travel to. From beaches to mountains, grassy meadows to wide open deserts, the possibilities are endless. You can choose any beautiful backdrop that will set the tone for your photos, and I recommend picking a location (or two!) that compliments the outfits and overall vibe you are aiming for.
DANCE AND BE SILLY
If you are looking to book an anniversary photo shoot with your partner, you obviously want to have fun, so try not to just stand stiffly. Grab each others hands, spin, twirl, run around like children, and be silly. Create authentic moments where you are candidly laughing, even if you are celebrating a difficult year. Try to remember any joy you may have had and let that joy shine through in your photos.
SHOOT IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS
An anniversary photo shoot is usually an investment, so try to get the most bang out of your buck. If your photographer allows it, shoot in two different locations. Pick locations that are close in proximity, but offer differing landscapes. For our anniversary photo shoot, we shot some images on the beach, and another set of images in a grassy field. We ended up with two completely different vibes, which we loved.
NEW LOCATION, NEW OUTFITS
As you can see from those images, our grassy field shots are completely different than our beach shots. Picking out a a different outfit for our second location helped with that. We wanted a classy vintage vibe when we were on the beach, but warm coziness when we were in the field, so we chose outfits that fit those vibes. Have fun with the clothes you choose and try to compliment the locations you will be in.
FIND A FUN PHOTOGRAPHER
I have given you a bunch of inspirational tips for your anniversary photo shoot, but this is arguably the most important. Put some effort into booking the right photographer for you and your partner, and make sure they will have fun with you. My husband is not a big fan of being in front of the camera, so we always choose photographers that don’t take themselves too seriously. We want to have fun, so we want them to be fun too. Do your research, and ask questions!
Don’t have the budget to book a professional photographer? Grab a friend and an iPhone, head out to a dreamy location and take the photos in a more casual, off-the-cuff manner. They may not be the worlds best photos, but they will be special and that is what’s most important.
Once again, I truly believe that all anniversaries should be commemorated. For us, an anniversary photo shoot is not something we have done every year, but the one we did was incredibly special. I have a few of the photos framed throughout our house and every time I see them I feel a sense of gratitude for the me that decided to book the shoot. You won’t regret it, I promise.
xoA
Over To You
Have you ever booked an anniversary photo shoot? Was it a milestone year or just a memorable one? Do you have any tips of your own? Or maybe you found these to be helpful? Now raise your hand if you are feeling inspired! Yes? No? Let me know in the comments below.
