Portrait Time Without A First Look

The First Look or Not The First Look. It’s a question that every bride has to decide, but that’s not the topic of today’s blog post! (For our thoughts on the First Look, check out our blog post here!)

Today we’re going to answer the question of how long to expect your guests to wait in between the ceremony and the reception if you choose not to do a First Look! It’s a question that we get every time a couple is deciding whether or not the First Look is right for them, so we’re going to share some of our thoughts on the blog today!

Most photographers, including us, will still take as many pictures before the wedding as possible. Bridal portraits, the bride with her bridesmaids, the groom with his groomsmen, and so forth.

After the ceremony, here are some approximate times that you can expect portraits to take:

Family (immediate and extended): 30 minutes

Full bridal party portraits: 15 minutes

Bride and groom portraits: 30 minutes

Sometimes brides will want to minimize the time guests need to wait by only giving the photographer 45 minutes or an hour for all these to happen. While this can be done, the part that usually gets cut out is the bride and groom portraits. This is the part of the day that you’ll want to protect the most! Bride and groom portraits are some of the most important photos you’ll take all day. These are the ones you turn into a canvas or frame on your mantle!

The time needed for family pictures will change based on how many combinations you want to take. Whether you included extended family in your shot list, or just keep it within your immediate family, also makes a difference!

*J&A Tip: You can always get as many group shots at the reception as you want! If you have some group shots that you want to have but don’t necessarily need them to be during the formal family portrait time, just grab your group at the reception for a quick shot! We’re always more than happy to get these shots for you all night long! 

Of course, every photographer is different in their time preference. This is ultimately a question to ask your own photographer to make sure you both have similar expectations. :)

We totally understand that this topic is a matter of opinion and varies according to a photographer’s style. We hope that this will give you an idea of what to expect as you decide how you want your wedding day to flow!

*hugs*

Amber