How to take the best wedding photos

Wedding season is here. And if you're one who likes to capture every special moment, from the cutting of the cake to the first dance, you know you've got one shot to get it right.

Whether you're a complete beginner or a seasoned shutterbug, taking good photos is all about having the right equipment and knowing the expert techniques.

At Which?, we regularly test a wide range of digital cameras, from compacts that slip into your pocket to premium DSLR and mirrorless professional cameras. So we've put together a list of our top photography tips - and cameras - to help you take wedding photos you'll be proud of.

For the full results of cameras that have been through our tough tests, see our digital camera reviews.

Like a pro

If you're hoping to shoot pro-level wedding pictures, it's important to have the right piece of kit. For the best of picture quality, full-frame mirrorless or DSLR cameras are the way to go.

If you don't want to miss the small and priceless moments, look out for a camera with a short shutter delay and super-fast focusing. Weddings are fast moving and fast paced, with a huge amount going on in just one day, so having a speedy camera will help you to keep up with all the action.

Check out our DSLR and mirrorless camera reviews to find those that wowed us with both speed and picture quality.

Capture reactions

While the couple are the main focus of the day, it's also the other guests and all the little touches, like the flowers, that help to make the wedding memorable.

Keep your camera on hand to capture the reactions of close family and friends, to moments including the speeches, first kiss and walking up the aisle. It's these shots that will help you and others to treasure those 'in-the-moment' memories.

The best bits

The afterparty is often the most fun part of a wedding (and perhaps the part with fuzzier memories). Taking snaps throughout the night will let you record interactions between friends and family, and relive all the best bits. A Best Buy compact camera is the perfect companion to have on hand; it will be small enough to keep in your pocket or clutch bag, freeing you to enjoy the night.

The main thing you want to look for in our test results is low-light picture quality. On the whole, a flash isn't going to produce the best-quality photos unless you've got a premium one attached to the hot shoe. The highest-scoring cameras will be able to produce great photos with no flash in low light, for example when you're in a restaurant or bar, without image noise and compromised picture quality.

Check out our compact camera reviews and look under the test results tab to see each camera's rating for low-light picture quality.

Get in close

As a guest, you're not always going to be able to get right up close to the main event. So if you're keen to get detailed close-ups of the couple from afar, a superzoom or bridge camera is a great choice.

Bridge cameras or those with a superzoom have really long zoom ranges that will produce great photos, even when you're really far away. They're also less bulky and heavy than a DSLR, making them a more portable alternative and saving you the hassle of lugging around additional lenses.

Read our bridge camera reviews to find out which impressed us with perfect picture quality, even from afar.