Do yourself and your guests a favor...consider getting the portraits out of the way BEFORE the wedding!
Think of the last time you went to a wedding when the wedding party and family did pictures after the ceremony, before the reception. Think about how long you stood waiting for the bride & groom to show up and get the party started. Remember what you were thinking...sitting there waiting.
That's what your guests are thinking when it's your turn.
I know, I've heard all the arguments against getting your pictures out of the way before hand. I say "all" half joking because there really only seems to be one big concern...bad luck/not wanting to ruin the special moment. I understand the concern, I truly do.
However, when you think about it, despite the wedding being about entering a marriage with someone that you love and adore, and the focus on two people and their love and commitment, the wedding itself is almost contrary...in fact, the bride & groom never seem to have a moment alone and all their private moments are shared with an audience tuned in to them. No wonder so many people feel uncomfortable at their own wedding!
Having pictures before the wedding allows the bride and groom to have a truly special moment, when it's not about the pomp and circumstance or the tradition. It's purely about two people making a lifetime commitment to love and cherish, sharing and rejoicing in their love and devotion to each other. There shouldn't be an audience for that! That first moment of such a wonderful day is all the more special because it's private and sincere.
Not only that, it makes the marriage part less nerveracking. You've already seen each other and confirmed the love and devotion. The face waiting for you at the alter is all the more open. And, I will tell you from personal experience that seeing each other before the wedding does not make the ceremony less special.
The way it often works is either the bride and groom have special time to take their pictures together, just the two of them, before wedding party and family arrive. Or vice versa, they can have the entire Wedding Party and all the family pictures done first and then have the bride & groom stay after for their pictures alone, making it an especially personal time, just before the wedding. Often, as the wedding planner, I'll arrange it so they have this time alone anyway to calm nerves, have a special moment and even to eat...the wedding couple never seem to actually get to eat at their own wedding - I make sure they snack before so they don't famish!
Another benefit of getting your pictures done first is you can be sure everyone will be on time to the wedding - the wedding party, family and special friends you want pictures of all arrive early to have their pictures taken. I have two assistants with me for every wedding I coordinate - and I always, especially if the pictures weren't taken before hand, assign one of my assistants to the photographer to round the right family members up...no one seems to know that pictures are being done and where and who with who and so forth...the coordination required to get the pictures taken after the ceremony is much more than to simply have all those required for the pictures know to arrive at the church an hour and a half early or what have you. We ALWAYS lose family members after the ceremony...someone didn't get the memo or is off fixing their makeup or smoking or whatever - seems the photographer always misses someone, by no fault of theirs.
Yet another benefit is everyone is at their finest and freshest...no red noses & eyes or smeared lipstick and wrinkled dresses. The excitement and anticipation are in the eyes, the smiles genuine and easy. It also allows the photographer more time at the reception to capture the amazing candids of your family and friends and all their antics!
And finally, no one is waiting for you before the ceremony...the vendors you're paying by the hour aren't sitting around (save the photographer) waiting to do their thing (caterers, djs, etc). And you don't have a ton of guests tapping their feet and checking their watches. When the ceremony is done it is time to go! It's party time! The pictures truly take over an hour and you just shouldn't hurry through that, which you're always inclined to do because you know people are waiting on you. You miss good pictures and you cut your reception time short - you don't get to partake in the cocktail hour and you have less time to meet and greet with your guests. You feel like your wedding was bam bam bam through all the niceties...because it was! No one is waiting for you before the ceremony - the environment is more relaxed, the pictures unrushed.
Whatever your initial feelings about getting all your portraits out of the way before the ceremony, it is worth consideration. Talk to your photographer about it and discuss with your fiance the pros and cons.
If you decide taking the pictures before hand is absolutely not for you, that's ok - just make sure you've planned for it. Ensure there's a cocktail hour with food. Ensure everyone who needs to be in the pictures knows exactly when and where they need to be and have someone keep the group together or round up stragglers or missing Aunt Jeanne. Ensure you have a solid schedule (and keep to it) so your photographer isn't rushed. Ensure your ceremony venue (if not the same as the reception) is aware you will be sticking around or the reception venue knows you'll be coming for pictures. Ensure your DJ or musician is aware of the pictures and is given a good estimate of time by the photographer of how long you will be off taking pictures so they can keep the guests informed.
Happy Planning!
-Melissa
www.MoonriverWeddings.com
That's what your guests are thinking when it's your turn.
I know, I've heard all the arguments against getting your pictures out of the way before hand. I say "all" half joking because there really only seems to be one big concern...bad luck/not wanting to ruin the special moment. I understand the concern, I truly do.
However, when you think about it, despite the wedding being about entering a marriage with someone that you love and adore, and the focus on two people and their love and commitment, the wedding itself is almost contrary...in fact, the bride & groom never seem to have a moment alone and all their private moments are shared with an audience tuned in to them. No wonder so many people feel uncomfortable at their own wedding!
Having pictures before the wedding allows the bride and groom to have a truly special moment, when it's not about the pomp and circumstance or the tradition. It's purely about two people making a lifetime commitment to love and cherish, sharing and rejoicing in their love and devotion to each other. There shouldn't be an audience for that! That first moment of such a wonderful day is all the more special because it's private and sincere.
Not only that, it makes the marriage part less nerveracking. You've already seen each other and confirmed the love and devotion. The face waiting for you at the alter is all the more open. And, I will tell you from personal experience that seeing each other before the wedding does not make the ceremony less special.
Mike & I decided to get our pictures taken before the wedding - we met, with the photographers in tow at the Gazebo in Palmer Lake. When I got out of the car and saw him standing there, with his hands in his pocket, smiling at me, I started crying - the emotion was unbelievable. I sobbed for a short while as we held each other. I said to him, at least I got this out of the way, and I shouldn't have to cry during the ceremony. Well, don't you believe it. The minute I stepped out on the aisle at the ceremony and saw Mike, I started crying again...and cried through the entire thing. It was truly beautiful and I felt so comfortable waiting to walk down the aisle - I was sure and ready.
The way it often works is either the bride and groom have special time to take their pictures together, just the two of them, before wedding party and family arrive. Or vice versa, they can have the entire Wedding Party and all the family pictures done first and then have the bride & groom stay after for their pictures alone, making it an especially personal time, just before the wedding. Often, as the wedding planner, I'll arrange it so they have this time alone anyway to calm nerves, have a special moment and even to eat...the wedding couple never seem to actually get to eat at their own wedding - I make sure they snack before so they don't famish!
Another benefit of getting your pictures done first is you can be sure everyone will be on time to the wedding - the wedding party, family and special friends you want pictures of all arrive early to have their pictures taken. I have two assistants with me for every wedding I coordinate - and I always, especially if the pictures weren't taken before hand, assign one of my assistants to the photographer to round the right family members up...no one seems to know that pictures are being done and where and who with who and so forth...the coordination required to get the pictures taken after the ceremony is much more than to simply have all those required for the pictures know to arrive at the church an hour and a half early or what have you. We ALWAYS lose family members after the ceremony...someone didn't get the memo or is off fixing their makeup or smoking or whatever - seems the photographer always misses someone, by no fault of theirs.
Yet another benefit is everyone is at their finest and freshest...no red noses & eyes or smeared lipstick and wrinkled dresses. The excitement and anticipation are in the eyes, the smiles genuine and easy. It also allows the photographer more time at the reception to capture the amazing candids of your family and friends and all their antics!
And finally, no one is waiting for you before the ceremony...the vendors you're paying by the hour aren't sitting around (save the photographer) waiting to do their thing (caterers, djs, etc). And you don't have a ton of guests tapping their feet and checking their watches. When the ceremony is done it is time to go! It's party time! The pictures truly take over an hour and you just shouldn't hurry through that, which you're always inclined to do because you know people are waiting on you. You miss good pictures and you cut your reception time short - you don't get to partake in the cocktail hour and you have less time to meet and greet with your guests. You feel like your wedding was bam bam bam through all the niceties...because it was! No one is waiting for you before the ceremony - the environment is more relaxed, the pictures unrushed.
Whatever your initial feelings about getting all your portraits out of the way before the ceremony, it is worth consideration. Talk to your photographer about it and discuss with your fiance the pros and cons.
If you decide taking the pictures before hand is absolutely not for you, that's ok - just make sure you've planned for it. Ensure there's a cocktail hour with food. Ensure everyone who needs to be in the pictures knows exactly when and where they need to be and have someone keep the group together or round up stragglers or missing Aunt Jeanne. Ensure you have a solid schedule (and keep to it) so your photographer isn't rushed. Ensure your ceremony venue (if not the same as the reception) is aware you will be sticking around or the reception venue knows you'll be coming for pictures. Ensure your DJ or musician is aware of the pictures and is given a good estimate of time by the photographer of how long you will be off taking pictures so they can keep the guests informed.
Happy Planning!
-Melissa
www.MoonriverWeddings.com
posted by Melissa | 8:47 PM
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