Wedding Photos - Wedding & Reception in the same venue.

[Deleted User]

Hello there fellow brides! 

My wedding and my reception are going to be held not only in the same venue, but in the same room - and I'm wondering if any of you have dealt with this before? I am wanting to figure out the best plan for getting the group pictures done without having the other guests just standing around staring...also, because I'm a traditional glutton for punishment I will not be doing a first look - I want the first time I see my groom in my dress, veil, ect. to be when I'm walking towards him. Any ideas? Thanks!

photokitty

If you are unwilling to do a first look I would find another space on the grounds to take the group shots. Your guests will be distracting and accidentally get in the way while they go about cocktail hour in the same room. 

We had our wedding and reception in the same room. We did a first look, I am soon glad we did. We also did all the family group photos before hand bc both immediate families wanted to arrive early. We had the ceremony, everyone in attendance went outside to take a large group photo while the venue staff took 10 minutes flipping the room. The guests went back in for cocktail hour. We took a few more quick photos with godparents and what not, and then joined in cocktail hour. It really reduced a lot of stress.

Just remember - Your groom is not moved by the attire, but the fact that you are headed down the aisle to marry him. You could be in a potato sack and he would still be moved. Here is my canned answer for why you should reconsider you opinion on the first look. 

I love first looks bc...

-I prefer seeing the reaction of the B&G in one photo. The groom will still be moved by the moment of you walking down the aisle, a first look won't change how he feels about you.

-He's not looking at the dress, he's excited to see you coming down the aisle to marry him - having seen you an hour before isn't going to change that emotion.

-It will save a LOT of time. You can go to cocktail hour and enjoy the yummy appetizers! You can spend more time talking to your guests, freeing yourself up to party on the dance floor more after dinner.

-You can have a comprehensive photo shoot with FI at multiple locations if you want.

-It calms your nerves and gives you some special time alone on an otherwise busy day.

-You can have the bridal party and family photos done just before the ceremony. Everyone can be there a little early and then your parents are free to greet the guests at cocktail hour and be good hosts.

DH & I went and took photos together for about 2.5 hours, just relaxing and having fun.

Then we reserved an hour for family photos, still prior to the ceremony. We did not have a wedding party, but have large family, so it was about the same as having a wedding party. That way everyone got to start partying right away. I am super happy with the way we did it. It was wonderful having some fun time together without suffering a gap for the guests or us missing out on all the fun at cocktail hour.

The wow factor is not about how you look, your groom is wowed bc in that moment he sees his entire life ahead walking down the aisle. It's the marriage, the promise, the future, the way he feels about you that cause the WOW, not the dress, the makeup, the hair or the way you look. You new life together is the wow 

GL!

JoanE2012

Ditto photokitty.   We did a first look and I don't regret it one bit!  We were able to take many photos before the guests got there.  Then after the ceremony, we joined our guests for the cocktail hour (my favorite part of any wedding!).  We did do a few family photos during the beginning of the reception and we used the lobby area (it was decorated nicely for the holidays and had the fireplace going).

In addition, the first look meant we got photos outside in the daylight.  Our wedding was in December, so if we didn't do the first look, it would've been too dark after our 6pm ceremony to take photos outdoors.

Seeing my groom also eased my nerves.  I was tearing up as I was going to see him for the first look.  I was able to stop, compose myself, breathe and then meet him.  I couldn't do that walking down the aisle and I certainly didn't want to be tearing up walking down the aisle!

If you insist on not seeing your groom though, you'll have to find an outdoor area or lobby area if you don't want to be interrupted or on display to your guests.  I hope you reconsider....I think there are far more advantages for a first look!

dave1photo

sometimes shooting photo's before the ceremony can seem to be a better idea than it turns out to be.  The main reason is the shooting photo's can be tiring.  And you don't want to be tired.  many brides want to just contemplate the event that is about to happen, without handling "details" to get them out of the way.  It's all about the two of you and the committment that you're going to be making to each other.

I find that we can usually work around any couples concerns that thay won't be able to attend their cocktail our because of lengthy photo'.  This certainly need not be the case.  If everyone is where they need to be, my photo's take about 20 minutes, to get all of the family photo's that I need. 

So if you WANT to do a first look, then that's a wedding decision that you will be making.  But if you feel that you need to do a first look because of photo's, then that's something that can be worked around/

(edited by mod)

[Deleted User]

 My groom seeing me for the first time as I walk down the isle really, really means a lot to me. It's what I've dreamed about since I was a little girl..I know it's old fashion and a little hokey, but that's my dream. 

Thank you so much for the advice though, I really appreciate the candid advice from you guys!!