Wedding Photography & Video FAQ: From the Ceremony to Cocktail Hour
The ceremony may be one of the shorter portions of a wedding day, but it contains moments couples have waited months or even years to experience.
Then the ceremony ends, everyone celebrates, and suddenly the next part of the timeline begins moving very quickly.
For many weddings, the time between walking back up the aisle and entering the reception is when family portraits, wedding-party photographs and couple portraits all need to happen. An hour can sound like plenty of time until you look at everything you're hoping to accomplish.
Understanding what happens during this portion of the wedding can make the difference between feeling rushed and having enough room in the timeline to enjoy it.
WHAT DO PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO CAPTURE DURING THE CEREMONY?
The ceremony isn't simply about photographing the first kiss.
The story begins with the processional. We want to capture the people walking down the aisle, the groom's reaction, the bride approaching the person she is about to marry and the reactions happening around them.
During the ceremony, photography and video may include the couple at the altar or ceremony space, vows, rings, religious or cultural traditions, reactions from parents and guests, the first kiss and the newly married couple walking back up the aisle.
Every ceremony is different. A Catholic wedding may have different traditions and timing from a Jewish wedding. A synagogue ceremony may include traditions that require different positioning and preparation. Other religious, cultural and civil ceremonies have their own important moments.
That's one reason it's helpful for the photography and video team to understand the ceremony before it begins.
WHAT PHOTOGRAPHY OR VIDEO RESTRICTIONS SHOULD WE ASK OUR CHURCH, TEMPLE OR SYNAGOGUE ABOUT?
This is especially important for religious ceremonies.
Rules can vary considerably by location and may change over time. Some locations may not permit flash photography during the ceremony. Some may restrict where a photographer or videographer can stand or move. Others may not allow photography or video professionals onto or near
the altar or certain parts of the ceremony space.
Those restrictions don't mean you can't have beautiful photographs or video. They simply affect how the team needs to approach the ceremony.
If you're planning a ceremony in Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Miami, Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Palm Beach or elsewhere in South Florida, it can be helpful to ask the location about its current photography and video policies while you're planning.
Whenever possible, we also like to confirm the rules when we arrive because procedures can change.
HOW MUCH TIME SHOULD WE ALLOW FOR FAMILY AND WEDDING-PARTY PHOTOS?
There isn't one amount of time that works for every wedding because every family and wedding party is different.
What surprises many couples is how quickly the combinations add up.
A family sequence may begin with the couple and both sets of parents and then move into each side of the family. That can include the couple with the bride's parents, the bride with both parents, the bride with her mother, the bride with her father, parents and siblings together, siblings together or individually, grandparents and other close relatives. Then there may be a similar series for the groom's family.
After family photographs, there may still be the wedding party: the bride with all of her bridesmaids, individual bridesmaids, the groom with all of his groomsmen, individual groomsmen, the couple with each side of the wedding party, the entire wedding party together, flower girls, ring bearers and finally portraits of the newly married couple.
Not every couple needs every combination.
When time is limited, some couples prefer to concentrate on group photographs rather than photographing every wedding-party member individually. The important thing is recognizing how many separate photographs can be hiding inside the simple phrase “family and wedding-party pictures.”
HOW CAN WE MAKE FAMILY PHOTOS RUN MORE SMOOTHLY?
One of the biggest things that helps is making sure the people needed for photographs are nearby and ready.
A carefully planned family-photo list doesn't save much time if someone has already gone to cocktail hour, a sibling is talking to guests or a family member has stepped away when their group is called.
Couples can provide a list of family combinations that are especially important to them.
It can also be extremely helpful to have a planner, coordinator, friend or family member who knows most of the people involved help gather the next group.
The photographer is arranging people, handling cameras and equipment, watching lighting and creating the photographs. Having someone nearby who can call names and make sure the next group is ready can keep everything moving much more smoothly.
It also means less of your cocktail hour is spent searching for people.
WHAT IF WE HAVE A VERY LARGE FAMILY?
Large families are not a problem. We simply like to know about them ahead of time.
For larger groups, depending on the location and the people involved, it may be better to create different levels rather than placing everyone in one extremely long straight line.
Stairs, steps, chairs, sofas, settees or different elevations can sometimes help us arrange a group so faces remain visible and the photograph has more dimension.
With especially large families, thinking about the portrait location ahead of time can be helpful. It allows us to consider whether the intended space can comfortably accommodate the group rather than discovering that after the ceremony.
CAN A FIRST LOOK GIVE US MORE TIME FOR FAMILY AND WEDDING-PARTY PHOTOS?
It can, and this is one of the practical advantages of a first look.
Once the couple has seen each other before the ceremony, there may be an opportunity to complete some couple portraits, wedding-party photographs or certain family combinations beforehand.
That doesn't mean every photograph has to happen before the ceremony. It simply means fewer photographs may be waiting afterward.
For couples with large families or wedding parties, that extra room in the timeline can make a noticeable difference.
WHY CAN A ONE-HOUR COCKTAIL HOUR FEEL MUCH SHORTER FOR PHOTOS?
Because the entire hour isn't necessarily available for portraits.
The ceremony ends. Everyone hugs. Guests congratulate you. Someone needs to use the restroom. A relative starts talking to friends. Members of the wedding party begin heading toward cocktail hour.
By the time everyone reaches the portrait area and the first group is ready, some of that hour has already passed.
Depending on the wedding and how quickly everyone can be gathered, a one-hour cocktail hour may leave approximately 45 to 50 minutes, and sometimes less, for the photographs that still need to be completed.
That is why planning the portrait combinations ahead of time can matter so much.
SHOULD WE CONSIDER EXTENDING COCKTAIL HOUR?
If the venue allows it and it works with the couple's plans, an extended cocktail hour can be worth considering.
It may give photography and video more breathing room, particularly with large families, large wedding parties or multiple portrait locations.
But there is another reason we like the idea when it works: the couple may actually get to enjoy more of their own cocktail hour.
Couples spend a great deal of time choosing food, drinks, music and the atmosphere their guests will experience. It can be disappointing to realize afterward that they barely experienced any of it because the entire hour was spent taking photographs.
A first look, completing some portraits beforehand, extending cocktail hour or reducing the number of requested portrait combinations are all possible ways to create more room in the timeline.
There isn't one solution that is right for every wedding.
HOW DO WE KEEP FAMILY AND WEDDING-PARTY PHOTOS FROM FEELING RUSHED?
Planning is usually more valuable than simply trying to take photographs faster.
A wedding with a small immediate family and a small wedding party may move very differently from a wedding with grandparents, multiple siblings, large extended families and a large wedding party.
Neither is a problem. They simply shouldn't automatically have identical timelines.
When time is limited, decide which photographs matter most. Individual photographs with every bridesmaid and groomsman may be important to you, or group photographs may be enough. Photographs with grandparents may be a priority. Your priority may instead be completing family
photographs efficiently so you can spend more time with guests.
The goal is to make those decisions before you're standing outside the ceremony with the reception clock already running.
FROM “I DO” TO THE PARTY
This part of a wedding can move incredibly quickly.
One minute you're exchanging vows. The next everyone is hugging you. Then someone is gathering grandparents, the wedding party is beginning to scatter, the photographer is organizing the next group and the reception entrance is getting closer.
That's why a little planning beforehand can make such a difference.
The goal isn't to turn your wedding into a photo shoot. The goal is to make sure the people and moments that matter are documented while still giving you time to experience the wedding you worked so hard to plan.
FAQ
Q: What does photography and video usually capture during the ceremony?
A: Coverage may include the processional, reactions, vows, rings, religious or cultural traditions, the first kiss and the newly married couple walking back up the aisle. The exact coverage depends on the ceremony and any location restrictions.
Q: How can we make family photographs move faster?
A: Have important family members nearby, prepare priority combinations in advance, and consider having someone who knows the family help gather each group.
Q: What if we have a large family?
A: Large families can be photographed beautifully. Knowing the approximate group size beforehand can help the photography team choose a location and arrangement that works well for the group.
Q: Can a first look help our post-ceremony timeline?
A: It may. Once the couple has seen each other, some wedding-party, couple or family photographs may be completed before the ceremony, leaving fewer combinations for cocktail hour.
Q: Should we extend cocktail hour?
A: If the venue allows it and it fits the wedding plans, additional time can be helpful for larger families, wedding parties or more extensive portrait lists. It may also give the couple more opportunity to enjoy cocktail hour themselves.