Photos Before of After the Ceremony?

kekbug3

Hello All, I was wondering about thoughts on doing photos before or after the ceremony. I am leaning towards having them done before, but I was looking to get some other opinions.

tfay85

Hi! I'm a local photographer here in Kansas City and I think it helps to do photos before the ceremony so that you are not rushing to the reception, late or loosing light. 

My brides usually choose to do a first look after getting ready they can see each other before the ceremony to do their pictures. 

I highly recommend it! Especially if you are a photo lover.

The weddings that I shoot without a first look usually get between 600-800 images back, whereas the weddings with first looks get between 800-1,000 images back!

Hope that helps!

Terri

www.husbandandwifephoto.com

fallbride1109

We decided a month before the wedding to do a First Look and take all our photos before the ceremony and we did not regret it.  All the stress just melted away once we saw each other and we could relax during our photos.

If you don't want to do a first look, you can still take a good amount of pictures before the ceremony.  Just do all the ones you can that don't have both you and your FI in them (you with your BMs, the GMs, and family, him with his GMs, your BMs, family, etc.).

Grits8812

We are doing all of ours after the ceremony.  I don't want him to see me before the wedding, and when I asked him his opinion (without telling him mine) he said he didn't want to see me before the wedding. 

But it is to each their own.  Do what works for you and I'm sure you won't regret whatever decision you make. 

jmichlik

We decided to do the "First Look" so we would have a chance to enjoy the cocktail hour and I'm very glad we did. All of our pictures except the ones of just the two of us were taken before the ceremony and they took way longer than I thought they would, well over the hour we allotted. After the ceremony the photographer took us aside for another 15 minutes of pictures by ourselves and then we joined the cocktail hour. Had we taken all the pictures after the ceremony we would have missed the entire cocktail hour and the reception would have had to start late. To be fair neither of us is superstitious either so we didn't care about him seeing me early - I know sometimes that is a concern for people.

ElisabethJoanne

I found a really helpful book for aspiring wedding photographers at a used bookstore.

Pros of before:
Fresher appearance
Usually more relaxed
Guaranteed enough time
Chance at re-dos
No hurry to take down ceremony decorations

Cons:
See each other before ceremony
Bridal party member may not show up on time
No post-wedding glow
Space not set up

The photographers' rec is to take them before.

Annas2013

My fiance doesn't want to see me before the ceremony so we're going to end up doing the ones with our families and our respective halves of the bridal party before the wedding.  The ones where we'd see each other will come after.  I'd rather not have to stand for over an hour for pictures after the wedding when I'd much rather be at the reception.  But that's just me.  I would personally love a first look session but not everyone feels the same.