10 Reasons to have Pre-Ceremony Photographs

Pre-Ceremony photographs are becoming more and more popular with couples opting to have their ‘first look’ as a private and intimate moment.

From calming your nerves to having more time with your friends and family, there are many benefits to having the majority of your photographs taken before the ceremony.

Here are my top 10 reasons to have your photographs before the ceremony:

1. Less stress. The anticipation of walking down the aisle can be totally nerve racking! If you’re not one for standing up in front of a crowd it can be downright intimidating. Then add on the fact that you’re about to see your future husband or wife right before you commit to them for life! The stress can really take over. But if you’ve already spent time with your love, this can really relax the situation. Who better to calm your nerves than the love of your life!
2. More time for photographs. Plan it right and there is no rushing back to the reception to find that the meal has been served because the chef simply couldn’t wait any longer! Photos that run overtime can inpact on the meal – no one wants overcooked food at their special day! By having the photographs taken prior, you are under no pressure to rush.
3. More time with family and friends. Instead of being whisked off to your photo locations you can grab a glass of bubbles and celebrate with your guests.
4. Capture the emotion without the distractions. You can really stage a ‘first look’ and capture all the emotion if you’re only worrying about two people. Once you add in the celebrant, the videographer, guests, bridal party etc. there are loads more factors to work around to capture those heartfelt expressions.
5. Special one on one time before the big event starts. Imagine having a quiet time with your love right before the big event kicks off. A quiet smooch, a few ‘I love yous’ and a lovely reminder of just what the day means to you both. This was my absolute favourite part of our big day.
6. More props. Sometimes it’s hard to work out logistically how to get things from A to B. Friends and family are normally very willing to help but if you have some specific props you want to use for your photographs, things that require a bit of effort to cart here and there, it’s nice to know that they are taken care of before the ceremony even begins. And family and friends are free to relax and enjoy.
7. Have double the special moments. You get that intimate moment with your loved one then another special moment as your friends and family see you for the first time. A double whammy of emotion. I also loved catching my future hubby’s eye as I walked down the aisle and sharing a, ‘wow, this is really happening’ look.
8. Look picture perfect. Photographs before the ceremony can mean you’re fresh and picture perfect, straight from hair and make up. No tell-tale cheek streaks, no grass stains on your dress (how did they get there?) just picture perfection.
9. Ditch the kids. If you’re having little ones in your bridal party you can get their photographs over and done with then they are free to leave with the babysitter or play in the garden without worry of getting dirty!
10. Take advantage of the light. Planning a ceremony as the sun sets? Take advantage of the light earlier in the day then get your gorgeous, sun set photographs later after the ceremony.

Not everyone is keen to buck tradition when it comes to weddings. Having your photographs before the ceremony is not for everyone. It’s your special day so make sure you plan things just how you want them, not how traditional dictacts.

This Blog was written by Jodine McIntyre from Social Smartie, a marketing, promotions and events management company.