Are you wondering when is the best time to have your couple photos on your wedding day? This is something I always talk through with my couples during their wedding photography planning session, but here are some of the most popular times to help you plan your wedding day timings!
AFTER YOUR WEDDING CEREMONY
If you are getting married at a different location to your wedding reception (usually church weddings) then I definitely recommend capturing a collection of newlywed images at your ceremony venue. We can make use of the time when your guests are travelling to the reception by holding back for 20 minutes to capture some beautiful portraits together. We can still capture some extra images at your reception venue too - but this will ensure you have a collection of portraits where you made it official!
AFTER YOUR GROUP PHOTOS
If your ceremony and reception are taking place at the same venue, then I recommend that your couple photos take place straight after your group photos. This will usually be just before you have your meal - once you have had time to greet your guests and enjoy a glass or two of bubbles! This means we can also make use of the time when your guests are called for dinner and you can be welcomed back to your guests once they are seated.
GOLDEN HOUR
If you are happy to plan some extra time for your couples images in the evening (which I wholeheartedly recommend!) the hour before sunset is a beautiful time to capture some extra couples photos. You may have heard before that this is called golden hour - it's a really popular time of day for photographers, especially in the summer months. The light becomes lovely and soft with a golden glow in the air which creates a beautiful recipe for really gorgeous images.
I usually suggest golden hour as an opportunity to capture an extra set of images, rather than your only couple images, so that we still capture a set earlier in the day before the celebrations are fully underway!
TOP TIP
Your couples portrait session can take as long as you like, but I understand there's a fine balance between making time to capture some gorgeous images together without keeping away from your guests for too long. Think of this time as a lovely opportunity to spend some time together! I recommend that you plan enough time for at least one 30 minute session for your couples photos. If you would like to capture golden hour images too, make time for an extra 30 minutes in the evening.
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