Bride Accidentally Ruined Her Wedding Photos Because She Didn’t ‘Soft Smile’
A bride has revealed how she accidentally ruined her wedding photos in a viral TikTok video because she didn’t “soft smile” — but some viewers are blaming her photographer.
In a TikTok video, which has amassed over 2.5 million views, bride Alisa Vandercruyssen says she chose to enjoy her wedding rather than posing with a “soft smile” for the photos.
@alisamariev i did not practice my soft smile #wedding ♬ original sound – Model Commissions OPEN – Diya
The “soft smile” is a technique — which has been widely shared on TikTok — that is used to simulate a more flattering smile in wedding photos.
In the video, which was first reported by Newsweek, Vandercruyssen, implies that her decision to forgo posing with a “soft smile” as a bride on her big day ended up hurting the wedding photos.
“I did not practice my soft smile,” Vandercruyssen, who is based in Michigan, U.S., says.
In the TikTok video — captioned “Focused on having fun at my wedding and not how I look in pics” — Vandercruyssen shares a series of her wedding photos.
In the images, the bride is seen smiling widely and laughing expressively in various ways — rather than opting to pose with a “soft smile.”
What is a Soft Smile?
According to wedding website The Knot, a soft smile has been loosely defined by TikTokers as one in which a bride’s lips gently curl at the corners of your mouth, on occasion exposing a slight showing of teeth.
@jera.bean #howtosmile #teachmehowtosmile #smiletutorial #phototip #phototips #instatip #instatips #pose #posing #howtopose #naturalsmile #contenttip #smile101 ♬ original sound – Jera Bean TikTok Expert
According to the online trend, a soft smile appears elegant in photographs — as it looks “gentle” rather than “overly expressive” on a bride.
Influencers often encourage brides to rehearse their “soft smile” in a mirror in the weeks leading up to their wedding so that can achieve more aesthetically pleasing photos.
‘The Photographers Didn’t Do Their Job’
Vandercruyssen’s video received thousands of comments. Many viewers told the bride that she looked stunning in the images and that her authentic expressions made the photos “look so much more genuine than a soft smile.”
“These are iconic and way better than a posed smile,” another TikTok user writes.
However, others suggested that the photographer did not do their job properly and should have advised the bride to pose differently.
@alisamariev Replying to @Human ♬ Kiss Me – Radio Edit – Sixpence None The Richer
“I feel like the photographers didn’t do their job. They should know your angles,” a viewer comments.
Meanwhile, another TikTok user writes: “For real, I think you just had sh*t photographers.”
However, Vandercruyssen defended her wedding photographers and uploaded further stunning shots from her big day to show that it was their fault.
TikTok is filled with video tutorials on how to take a flattering photo. In a TikTok trend this year, creators advised viewers to take their own passport photos at home rather than risk having a bad picture taken by a professional.
And PetaPixel reported on an influencer who was almost barred from boarding her flight when airport staff thought she looked nothing like her “hot” passport photo.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.
