How Long?

One question that we frequently get from brides is: “how long will the posed pictures after the ceremony take?”. The answer: “that depends”.  At Hampton Roads Photography we usually go through a progression of groupings beginning with the bride and groom and the officiant, then the parents, immediate families and extended families. After that, the wedding party is brought in, followed by photos of the bride and groom together and separately.

How can you speed this process up? If there is time we will do photos of the bride and bridesmaids and the groom and groomsmen before the ceremony. Also, parents and other family members can be brought in for photos ahead of time. You will need everyone ready in plenty of time before the ceremony is planned to start. You don’t want to be in a photo session when the guests are arriving. You may also consider having all the photos done before the ceremony. We can even arrange a special private time for the bride and groom to come together for a brief romantic interlude.

After the ceremony, things that slow the process down are missing people (make sure everyone that is to be in the photos knows to hang around), and too many family and friends taking turns greeting the bride and groom or taking their own photos. We don’t object to these photos being taken, just understand they can disrupt the sessions and you may have groupings with everyone looking at a different camera.

One other thing to remember, the more time you give us for these photos, the more time we have to create unique and exciting images. While it is natural to want to get right to the party, there won’t be another opportunity to get these photos. Every time someone tells us they will get a certain photo at the reception, it never seems to happen.

-by Carl Anderson of Hampton Roads Photography