Should We Do Couples’ Photos Before or After the Ceremony?
When thinking about when to do your portraits on Wedding Day, consider the following:
Do you want to do a First Look?
This is something you should discuss with your significant other to help make a decision. The idea of a First Look is to share a private moment with them and to see them for the first time on the wedding day, which is essentially the first day of the rest of your lives together.
If the answer is YES, we suggest having portraits done before the ceremony
If you do opt to do a First Look, having them done before the ceremony gives you enough time to take as many pictures as possible (if that’s your thing, of course) while you’re still fresh from hair and makeup. This also gives you some time after the ceremony to relax and enjoy cocktail hour before heading into your reception.
If the answer is NO, we suggest having portraits done after the ceremony
We can use up the cocktail hour after your ceremony to get portraits done. Your photographer can whisk you away to a private location where you can enjoy a moment to yourselves and really capture the jubilation of just being married. If you like, we can also sneak in some portraits of you in your Reception before guests are allowed in so that you can soak it all in and get some amazing shots of the decor as well.
Do you suggest any alternatives to a First Look?
If you don’t want to do a traditional First Look but still want portraits before the ceremony, you can do a sneak peek of each other, or a “secret” first look. This is where you both are hidden from viewing each other (think, around the corner of a wall from each other), but you can still speak to each other and hear the other’s voice. You can also use blindfolds with the help of your wedding party and photographers to coordinate standing back to back or in front of each other and get some beautiful photos that way.