Pictures Before or After the wedding?

We are - our wedding ceremony & reception are in the same location too! I can spend more time with my guests that way too.

If you want to preserve the OH MY GOSH Look on his face when he sees you in your dress then don't get the shots with him. But, if he says anyway is okay then before shots are great. The Photographer should be able to do them 2-3 hours before you have your ceremony. Don't worry about the guest., since you are having it in the same location. They are there to eat and dance and party. The will eat while you are having the in between ceremony and reception shots, and eat after you get there. The wait is only if you are having a recieving line. Then Before shots are really the best way to go.

We struggled with this one for a LONG time. FH really, REALLY does not want to see me before the ceremony. So as much as I wanted to save time & get the most out of my photographer, we are doing most of ours afterward. We will be doing some before (ones with myself and the BMs, my FH and the groomsmen, etc.) but all the ones with us together and us with our families will be after. I want to make this day special for my FH too, so I caved.

We are doing half and half. We are doing all the pictures beforehand that we can do without seeing each other. After the ceremony we are doing family photos and photos of us. Then we are going to stop at this little pond with park benches and trees to take group shots of the BP and us. Our photographer is anticipating that if everyone cooperates we only need 15-20 for the family photos.

It's making me sorta sad that I won't have the "oh wow" when I'm coming down the isle though. But we were gonna pick a special place to meet and have that special moment when we first see each other.

We are doing all our pictures before the ceremony. I feel pretty confident that when I walk down the aisle--regardless of whether he has seen me in my dress--he is going to have an "oh wow" moment.

Our ceremony and reception are also in the same place, but we are doing all of his with his gm, all of mine with my bms, then between ceremony and reception we will do ours together and family pics.

Our ceremony and reception are at the same place too. We are doing pics of me & the bridesmaids and him & the groomsmen before. That way we only have to do ones of us & the group shots after.

We are taking all our pictures that we can before, except for him and I together (and group). I want our first time seeing each other that day to be when I'm walking to him.

When you opt for the before the ceremony pictures, the "first look" pictures can be more sentimental, because you're more likely to capture a true emotional response from the groom. It's a more intimate experience when it is just the two of you and your photographer(s).

If it is planned well, you'll have more time to work with your photographer and this is reflected in the final product. It's nearly impossible to squeeze in all the bridesmaid, groomsmen, both sides of the family shots then splitting out the bride and groom, and having enough time to go do some creative pictures in the 45-60 minutes between the ceremony and reception. I always suggest that you try to get as many of the pictures done beforehand, or after the reception during the "golden hour" if your wedding started early enough.

I'm in the same boat... i'm taking pics with my FH and our wedding parties before the ceremony and then taking family pics after... I agree... I'm paying a lot for photography and I want to have great photos and not be rushed to get to the reception so guests can eat... plus i think it will help calm the nerves to see every one and mess around... and my makeup and hair will all be fresh for the pictures that matter the most! of me and FH!

Dear Cindy: I offer to all my clients a free engagement photo session where I take over 100 photographs. During this time the bride and the groom get to know me and my photographing style. Then during the ceremony and reception I take approximately over 500 to 800 photos.

I refuse to do pictures with my FH before the wedding. I want him to see me for the first time when I am walking down the isle. I actually do not want any guests seeing me before the wedding except parents and people standing up.

We are doing both. We are getting the majority of our separate pictures done before the ceremony and then all of our together pictures and what separate pictures we couldn't get to, after the ceremony.

We are doing the majority before so we have more time wiht the family. We will take some shots after as well I really want pics as the sun is setting so hopefully that works out!

I know some people want to keep the tradition of not seeing the groom before the wedding, but it will save time and make things less stressful on the photographer, the bridal party, and the guests. My Mom (did weddings for 25 years) said that if you wait to do photos after the ceremony, you're making the guests wait a long time (and it's usually more chaotic). Guests are more likely to leave before all of the events are done (cake cutting, throwing the bouquet, those things) as they'll be tired from the long event. And since you're not being rushed, you're less likely to forget photos with certain groups.

Our wedding is going to be in the evening. So we are going to do most if not all of our pictures before the ceremony. I don't want to keep guests waiting to long.

We are doing it before. We don't much care on the not seeing each other part. Like someone said, there will be an "oh wow" moment (for both of us) no matter what, when I start to walk down the aisle. I was at a wedding recently where they did all the pics before hand and then the bride and groom were around for the cocktail hour before dinner which was AWESOME. Now, you don't really need the cocktail hour if you do everything beforehand, but it was such a good chance for them to mingle with so many people. I've never been to a wedding where I felt like I spent so much time with the bride and groom!

So we aren't doing the cocktail hour, but we will be able to sit down, get our food first, eat and walk around and mingle since we won't have the pics to worry about.

Another thing to consider-how long do you have your photographer for? Is doing pics before going to cut down on their ability to cover the whole wedding?

We are doing as many photos before the ceremony as we can, none of them will be FH and I togther though, those will be taken after the ceremony.

I wanted everyone to have the "oh wow!" moment. I made my own dress and had a heck of a time doing it with DH always around. The only ones who saw my dress before I walked down the aisle were the BMs, FG, and a neighbor who helped me while I was making it.