time to kick back and live a little
The reception
Approximate time:
2-4 hours
Here we are at the final instalment of wedding photography planning, and what is likely the final part of your wedding day. It's time to unwind, hang out, and quite possibly (hopefully?) have a party to remember. For the most part, this is the simplest time for the photographer planning-wise. They'll usually just hang around like a fly on the wall. Even so, as always, there are just a few things to keep in mind:
1) light up
It's amazing what just a little bit of lighting can do. Wedding planners know all about this, as do most DJ's. A splash of colour, a burst from a fog machine (just check on the smoke detector situation first), and a little ambiance can go a long way toward making a dusty old hall feel like an energetic and modern space. Someone who knows what they're doing with light can work wonders. Even so, you do want to start with a good foundation, and sometimes what started as a dusty old hall will still bear a passing resemblance to a dusty old hall in some of the photos. But I also think it’s important for the photos to be reflect both a magical and an accurate representation of the day. It’s a delicate balance that I pride myself in achieving at every wedding.
If you're thinking that you can't afford an upscale reception venue, don't be afraid to think outside the box when it comes to decor. Anything from a barn, to a field, to a tent, to whatever you would personally find interesting can become a beautiful and magical place with the right lighting and the right people. It's your day, after all, and if you have a crazy idea, don't be afraid to run with it! Within reason...I suspect that an underwater reception might be tricky.
If you’re thinking “Stringing up another more set of hanging lights might be tacky.” I assure you, I have never seen too many hanging and/or fairy lights at a reception. More if more, if you ask me 🤣
And if you’re tight on lighting ideas or budget, I have quite an arsenal of video lights that I’ll occasionally bring to a reception that I think might be a little sparse. If I’m going to be there anyway, and it’ll help my photos, I’m more than happy to, so just let me know! The green / pink photo is using some light bars I just happened to have in the trunk and didn’t even plan to set up!
2) heads up
There are usually only a few one-off moments to be captured during a reception: the entrance, the speeches, first dances, bouquet toss, and cake cutting. Aside from those moments, your photographer is just going to busy themselves looking for great candid moments. Just make sure the photographer is aware that these moments are coming up, and if there is anything else specifically special to you that might be going on.
While the bouquet is half way through its arc in the air, you don't want to suddenly realize that the photographer is still snapping shots of great aunt Agnes cutting a rug on the dance floor. It's pretty easy to lose track of people at some receptions, so please be intentional about making sure your favourite moments are going to be captured. I always ask for a detailed breakdown of the schedule of the reception, but I am well aware that a party is often difficult to keep on track, so it’s no big deal if things get shuffled around, as long as I’m made aware.
Likewise, if something unexpected is going on that you want captured, and the photographer isn't on the spot, don't just fire off some blurry iPhone shots to ‘not bug us’ - feel free to grab the photographer and point them in the right direction. They might not have noticed that your father has taken it upon himself to build a 6' tall, 'architecturally sound' replica of the Empire State Building out of wedding cupcakes, which you know from experience is about to become a tumbling Jenga tower catastrophe.
It’s happened more times than I can count that I’ve heard whispers in the crowd “It’s time for the surprise!” and I think “WHAT SURPRISE??” Sure, surprise everyone else at the reception, but please, don’t keep any secrets from your photographer!
3) live it up
I hate to be the one to have to remind you of this, but here goes: this is your only wedding reception, so have a good time. This is the end of the busiest, craziest, happiest, fullest, most wonderful (but only if you followed all my advice - kidding!) day of your life. At the end of it all, it's only going to be what you make of it. If you decide you're bored or tired or frustrated at this point, you're not going to have a great time, and there will lots of photos of you not having a great time.
However, if you decide that you want to dance like a maniac with your significant other, eat all the frosting off one side of the cake, and then loudly regale your friends with a story about the most embarrassing moment of your day so that everyone in the room can hear what you're saying whether they want to or not, you go right ahead! Wear the wedding cake topper as a hat, and finish that bottle of wine from table 3 without asking. Dance like a 5 year old with a 5 year old. Or just sit in the corner and chat with the three friends you haven't seen in years. It's up to you. Do whatever is going to make you happy on this day. After all, you aren't going to have a lot of other days in the future that are fully catered, pre-organized, and professionally styled and photographed for posterity.
