My philosophy for wedding portraits has changed a LOT over the years.

Back in the day (aka like 2019), everyyyyone would carve out like an hour to go do golden hour pictures.

I, of course, tried to do things like that but would end up getting them done in 30 minutes (if you’ve shot with me before, you know I like to move fast!)

I truly started to enjoy doing them in 30 minutes, mainly because who wants to spend so much time away from their party??

I could see the couple looking back every time their guests laughed or a song they liked was coming on. So I would get some beautiful shots, then hurry them back to the party and prioritize shots of them actually enjoying the reception together.

And then I started getting more people saying they weren’t even worried about getting lots of “pretty” shots in nature. That they wanted to just kinda go with it.

And I LOVED it.

I was like oh yup we for sure can do some stunning shots in 10 min.

And it’s not that other photographers are like moving crazy slow and needed that whole hour.

It’s just the absolute insane amount of shots of couples in beautiful golden light off in the field next to the venue they were taking. Like, I think after 30-40 pics, we get it. 😭 (and again guilty of this, so not judging at all haha).

Less Posing, More Party.

Ok, so what seems to work best (after trying a few different things) is to have short photo moments carved out throughout the day.

So, for getting ready, you mainly flow through the day, but if something is cute or the light is right, we pause and get the shot.

It allows for more organic shots that make sense in the full gallery’s story. (This could start me on a whole thing about gallery layouts, but we won’t go into that right now.)

I love getting a few freshly married couples’ shots right after the ceremony, before family photos. The smiles are huge; no one else has even had a chance to talk to you.

I just tell my couples to keeeep walking away from the crowd so you can have that moment to yourself. I’m just like in the bushes getting some shots.

But then, after that moment, I love to direct a few shots. You are both so happy, and the expressions are just so real. There is such a glow people have right after they get married. Like the way your man looks at you in that moment is also so crazy to see.

After that, I just like to get shots that flow into the evening. As long as you make a point to come together as often as you can through the reception, you’ll have so many beautiful shots interacting with guests, dancing, laughing, and kissing. And that’s what you’ll really wanna look back on in 15 years.