You’ve heard ‘timing is everything.’ This saying holds true for wedding photography also.
I spend a lot of time with my couples going through the timeline of events for their day. I plan out the time available for family formals, photos of the bridal party, and especially those one-on-one moments between just the couple and the photographer. What I find is that a couple will usually have to miss attending their cocktail hour because it is the only time between the ceremony and the reception to get all the necessary special photos. And, if you don’t mind missing your cocktail hour, that’s ok with us.
There will be times that we ask you to leave your reception for 10 minutes because the lighting is absolutely perfect outside. That ‘bewitching’ hour when the sun begins to go down provides a golden backdrop for some beautiful photography. My suggestion is to jump outside for that few minutes to get those photographs -- and remember that your album will be enhanced because of that extra time. Any good photographer will coordinate with the banquet manager and the DJ to ensure they don’t call parent dances or cake cutting for the few minutes that you’re gone.
Here are a couple of ideas to give your photographer that extra time he or she needs:
Consider a first look. That’s a special time that your photographer will set up (in a quiet location) for the groom to see the bride before the wedding. This also gives the photographer time to do those intimate couple shots while everyone is not tired and sweaty. It also provides the opportunity for a couple to relax and share some time together prior to the ceremony - good for calming the nerves!
Another option is to provide the photographer an extra 1/2 hour between the ceremony and when the cocktail hour is to begin. Or perhaps extend your cocktail hour to 1 1/2 hours instead of an hour if the ceremony and reception are in the same location.
As always, we want your day to be special, but we want to ensure that we capture all the moments, and make your bridal album something to be cherishes for the rest of your lives. Please leave a comment and feel free to make additional suggestions.
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