Weddings and traditions go hand-in-hand. Deciding whether or not to see each other before the ceremony will determine when your wedding portraits are shot throughout the day. Here’s how it works when we shoot a wedding, and we always leave it up to our clients to choose how they would like to us to weave our photography within their day. Whomever you choose, be sure to spend some time planning with your wedding photographer on the phone or in person to coordinate your plans to make the day flow smoothly.
Basically there are two choices when it comes to the tradition of seeing each other or not seeing each other before the ceremony.
1. Option 1: You don’t want to see each other before the ceremony. No problem, we are a husband and wife photography team. We split off: Poppy goes with the girls for preparation photos, and I go with the guys to drink and smoke cigars. (Not really, the guys do actually take a little time to get ready.) Poppy and I coordinate timing with our phones so that no one accidentally sees each other. I take the guys out and shoot a set of formals and send them off to hide. Then it’s the girls turn. After the ceremony, the rest of the formals are shot before the reception. Couples that choose this option should plan some extra time in between the ceremony and reception, maybe offering the guests something to snack on before the meal is served.
2. Option 2: You’re okay with seeing each other before the ceremony. If possible, the majority of the formals can be taken before the ceremony. This allows for a shorter span of time between the ceremony and the reception, or we can sneak the newlyweds off for a private shoot of just the two of them. This is sometimes a nice bonus for the couple as well, since you get to spend a few moments alone together a midst the chaos of the day.
Of course, the are other options as to if, when, and where other photos are taken, but the tradition of “not seeing each other” definitely affects the schedule for the day. Either way is absolutely fine with us, and we can easily accommodate any couples desires and agenda for their wedding day. Our clients never have to worry, because together, we plan a picture perfect day, and then capture the moments as they happen.