quick wedding question

[LynziMarie]

I wasn't sure where to post this... but I figured pros will know! haha

I'm doing a wedding next saturday (not my first, but the only other one I've done was horribly unorganized so we never got to this part....) and I was just wondering when an appropriate time would be for doing the formal shots of the bride and groom, as well as the wedding party.
Assuming the bride won't want her groom to see her until she's walking down the aisle, doing it before wouldn't logically be right.... so my first instinct would be to shoot them right after the ceremony and just before the reception.

am I correct in my assumptions?

 

[tirediron]

That's the time I would try for, assuming of course that the location for the formals, the time to get there and back, prep, etc, still works for the time the reception is supposed to start with at least a few minutes to spare...

 

[Big Mike]

I wasn't sure where to post this... but I figured pros will know! haha

See

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=95620

The appropriate time is whenever you have the time. Most wedding days are pretty hectic and busy....so you get the photos when you can.

The usual time to do it, is after the ceremony and before the reception. However, it's becoming more common to do it before, if that fits the schedule better. This does go against the tradition that they B&G should not see each other before hand...but this also gives you the opportunity set set up that first viewing and get it in photos.

Really, this should be planned out, long before the wedding. As I said, most weddings are rushed for time because things always come up to delay the process. And if you don't have adequate time to get good photos...your photos won't be at their best, which means you didn't do a good job. That's why it's important to plan out the schedule and get as much time as you need. I usually tell them that I want/need two hours or more, even though it usually takes less time. You almost alway get less than you planned for.

 

[Renair]

I shot my first wedding yesterday, will post pix later today, hard work, it was so hot in the church. Basically after the church, we went straight to the 'off location site' so the grooms men and brides maids etc as well as guests had a chance to get some drinks first while we were gone for 20 minutes. Then came back and everyone was bit more relaxed with the wine and beer and then did the Bride and Groom with the Grooms men and Brides maids and got some real fun photos. At the end of the day, since they are paying for it, I simply let them dictate what they wanted. Its good too to know you can tell them if they dont know or have too much pressure on them....

 

[visualpoetry]

Here's how I do it..
Getting Ready Shots
Ceremony
Formals
Reception
Sneak the bride and groom away for their own personal shoot

 

[JIP]

It really all depends on too many factors. If you have the time and they are game it is becoming more and more accepted to shoot formals before the ceremony. For me this is a breath of fresh air because it seems like a weight is lifted from my shoulders ahead of time and I do not have that weighting on me all through the ceremony. Normaly though you will be doing anything like that right after the ceremony.