Wedding Wednesday-Tip of the Day
How Much Time Do I Need for Photos If I Don’t Have a First Look?
If you want to go the more traditional route and forego a first look, here are the minimum time suggestions you will need to schedule for photos after the ceremony.
1. For family formal portraits, you will need 30 to 45 minutes depending on the size of your families.
2. You will need a at least 30 minutes for bride and groom portraits and about 30 minutes for your bridal party pictures, depending on the number of people in your party.
3. If you are taking photos off location, you will have to gather everything together and transport it. It is a good idea to designate a friend or someone who is not going to be in photos to do this for you to save time.
4. Keep in mind that it is super hard to keep family, friends, and bridal party members together and all in one place after the ceremony, especially if it is a large party.
For that reason, you need to allot some extra bubble time in case someone goes missing. These are the minimum times. If you have more people in your family and bridal party photos, you may want to add some more time.
When my husband and I were married, we went the traditional route and did not have a first look. We did something fun to save time after the ceremony. We scheduled our family portraits before the ceremony with each side of the family separately. This is also when we did portraits of each side of the bridal party. It also allowed for our parents and families to have some time with each of us before the ceremony. It was fun and a very special time to spend with our loved ones. After the ceremony we saved some time by only needing a few with the immediate families and the entire bridal party. This idea could work for you, too!
When planning your wedding, photography is not the area to save money. Remember, when the ceremony is over, the dancing is done, the cake is eaten...the photos are what you have to cherish for generations.
XOXO,
Amy
