They're the heart of your wedding photography -- those pictures, videos, albums and special somethings that aren't to be forgotten, no matter how avant-garde your tastes are. Check out these wonderful bits and pieces that have stood the test of time.

Attendants' Photographs: Provide a wedding print to each member of the wedding party. Although these prints can be any wedding photos that you feel would be most appreciated, customarily they are selected from among the posed photographs taken with the attendant(s) and the bride and/or groom.

Before The Wedding: Many couples feel that it would be unlucky for the groom to see his bride in her gown before the ceremony. While this charming custom adds a healthy dash of romance to the day, it can certainly throw a wrench into the works when it comes to your wedding photography. Most wedding photographers prefer to schedule posed wedding shots prior to the ceremony, when the bride's makeup is fresh and before the guests arrive. Couples who would rather remain apart until the wedding can still schedule posed shots with their families and attendants before the ceremony, leaving their shots together for a later time.

Bridal Portrait: Many brides schedule a formal sitting in the wedding gown prior to the wedding day. Latina brides will sometimes display the bridal portrait at the reception. Asian-American couples who do not wish to include elaborate costume changes in their wedding day will often have formal portraits taken in traditional dress, adopting western-style attire for the wedding itself.

Parents' Albums: Although it is certainly not required, many couples order special parents' albums along with the wedding album. The parents' album is essentially a scaled-down version of the main album, usually about half the size of the wedding album, and focuses on images that hold the most meaning for mothers and fathers. Some central images for the parents' album might include photographs of the couple with close family members.

Wedding Album: This is what it's all about! The images used in the wedding album are selected by the couple based on proofs provided by the photographer, and can include a mix of posed and candid shots. The photographer then arranges the selected images in a custom-designed album, unless, of course, you want to build your album yourself.

Wedding Day Photographs: There are countless special moments throughout the wedding day and every couple has different thoughts about which photo opportunities are not to be missed. There are however, a number of photographs that form the basis of most wedding albums:

• The Bride
• The Groom
• The Bride and Groom
• The Bride with her Mother
• The Bride with her Father
• The Bride with both Parents
• The Groom with his Mother
• The Groom with his Father
• The Groom with both Parents
• The Wedding Party
• The Processional
• The Ceremony Kiss
• The Recessional
• Closeup of the Bride's Engagement Ring
• The First Dance
• The Father-Daughter Dance
• Special Toasts
• Cutting the Wedding Cake
• The Bouquet Toss
• The Garter Toss
• The Getaway

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