Engagement Portraits July 27th 2008
We spent a little time with Jailyn and Matt at Big Spring Park, yesterday evening. It was a little crowded at the park with a large group of people playing drums, but that's okay, we still had a great shoot. They are a great couple to shoot with and I am really looking forward to being at their wedding!
Amy and Steven had a beautiful ceremony at Annabella at Cedar Glen this Saturday. It was a beautiful summer wedding! We wish you both a happy new beginning-and everafter!Mary
Traditional Not Seeing Each Other on your Wedding day vs the NEW Magic Moment
Everyone knows that it's tradition for the bride and groom to wait to see each other until walking down the aisle. And while that may still be something that is important to you when planning your wedding, let me share the pros and cons.
When you wait to see each other until the actual ceremony, you spend at least 1-2 hours (depending on the size and patience of the wedding party) taking photographs while the reception has just started. What does this matter? It means your guests are inside the reception hall with no bride.. no groom.. no wedding party.. FOR ONE TO TWO HOURS??? Guess what --they're going to leave! That means by the time you are finished taking photographs, you have fewer people left to eat that expensive cake you took a small loan out to get.. And worse, no people left for the going away photographs..
The Magic Moment:
This just plainly makes more sense (although I do have to admit I'm bias)! Let's say your wedding starts at 6pm. The photographer would arrive about 3 hours early to begin photographing. The "getting readys" bride and bridesmaids, groom and groomsmen. We tell the groomsmen (or bridesmaids-depending how it's set up) to leave while we photograph just the groom. The bride is walking behind him, towards him until he gets a tap on the shoulder from his beautiful bride and is awestruck (all of this is photographed from two angles to get reactions from bride and groom).
What's so great about that? Well, do you get to talk and have a special moment between the two of you when you're walking down the aisle? NO-you say your vows, kiss and then get to begin pictures after the ceremony (no time alone to talk). The magic moment gets even better! After you share a few moments together, we get the group photographs out of the way. Then the Family photographs. Then you have your ceremony and go directly to the reception.. You haven't lost guests due to photographs during the reception; you haven't lost the patience of the wedding party (most importantly the young and hungry ones). You get to go cut the cake, dance, eat, garter & bouquet toss.. And the best part is you have made the absolute most out of your wedding day.
I can't make your mind up for you. However, as a professional, I can let you know that it is much more efficient. It's less stress on everyone. Plus, you have time left for enjoying your wedding. It has taken you so long to plan it-- make the most out of it! Don't let the most important day of your life be remembered as the most stressful one! Tradition is such an important part of the wedding day for some, why not make the Magic Moment a new one.
-Mary
