Pictures Before or After?
When you start thinking about your wedding photography, you have an important decision to make-- whether you and your spouse-to-be will see each other before the ceremony for group and couple shots, or wait until afterwards. Many professional photographers have strong opinions on this issue, much prefering that their couples see each other before. However, photographer preference aside, this can be a complex issue. Here is a list of personal experiences from brides on their preference:
USA Bride ArticleThere are certainly many good reasons to have your pictures together before. Everyone looks fresh, you are not worrying about getting to the reception and seeing your guests, the light tends to be better, etc. Although you do not get to see each other during the ceremony for the first time, we often set up a special "first meeting," which can be just the two of you or you and your wedding party. Here are several first meeting pictures from Renato and April's wedding, August 28, 2005.
He waits:
They embrace:
He admires:
The "dog of honor" and bridal party look on:
April and Renato have some couple time before the wedding:
Not only do we have time for a "first meeting," but there is often more time (and better light!) for a romantic couple's session, as well as some relaxed bridal portraits.
So, you can certainly see why photographers would prefer to have you two see each other before the ceremony! However, at Rathbone Images, we believe that it is not our day, it is your day. And the most important thing to us is documenting your day the way that you envision it.
Many brides and grooms love the tradition, the romance, the nervous butterflies that accompany the anticipation of waiting until you see each other for the first time in order to pledge your love in front of family and friends . . . Who are we to say that this desire is not important?
If you choose to do your formals together after the ceremony, there are still some we can do before-- for example, the bride with her bridesmaids, bride with her parents, groom with his brothers, etc. We do as many before that we can, without you two seeing each other, so that after the ceremony you can get to your reception faster. We always recommend that you have a friend (not a member of the wedding party) who can help gather the family together as well as point out the most important people to us. Although it is fairly easily to identify people like the mother of the bride, it is often more difficult to know who the groom's godmother is, or other important people.
Whether you choose to see each other before your ceremony, or not, we will help you develop a schedule of the day that works best for the two of you. It is your day, and your priorities are our priority.
-- Priscilla
Introducing Us
Here is our little family. As you know, we are Bob and Priscilla, husband and wife photography team. Here we are with our 4-year-old son at
Matthews Beach Park:
And here is our son at
Zion National Park. Bob's family lives in
Las Vegas, so we visit frequently and love to drive out to Zion to camp or go on day hikes:
Walk softly and carry a very big stick (at Matthews Beach again):
To complete our family, we also have 1 dog:
And 2 cats:
Our two cats, who we originally adopted through
PAWS, are actually brother and sister, even though they look totally different. It is likely that they have
two different fathers.
-- Priscilla
A Thank-You for Referrals
Hi Everyone,
We have really enjoyed working with each and every couple whose wedding we have photographed. By the end of this year, you should each have some pictures in the blog. As a big Thank-You, if you refer another couple to us, who then books us for their wedding, you will receive a complimentary 16x20 print of your choice from your event.
So, if you refer friends of yours, be sure to have them tell us that you sent them!
Thank you!
-- Priscilla
I blog, you blog
What fun to find ourselves mentioned in another blog! We are photographing Jeannine and Mike's wedding this summer on July 15th, and they talk about their first meeting with us in their blog, here:
Jeannine's Blog.
Jeannine and Mike seem like a really fun couple, and we are excited about photographing their wedding!
-- Priscilla
Betsy and Josh, March 11th
Betsy and Josh were a really fun, laid-back couple. We were very happy to hang out with them for the day. They got married at the
Fauntleroy Church UCC, and then had their reception right across the street at the
Hall at Fauntleroy.
The beautiful bride:
The girls:
And the happy couple:
Betsy and Josh's wedding was coordinated by their good friend Keri Sigler of
Bliss Events. She did a wonderful job taking care of all the little details and helping the bride and groom relax on their wedding day. I just loved her sense of style and her positive attitude.
And in case you are wondering who did the red and purple bouquets, it was the talented Kendra Yaples of
Loves Me Flowers.
Congratulations to Betsy and Josh! Thanks for letting us share your wedding day.
-- Priscilla
Our new website
Our new website is finally up-- yay! It has a really easy interface, so I have no excuse not to keep it updated with current photos:
Peoplearebeautiful.
2006 is picking up, and we are starting to get busy. However, before that time, we have a photography convention and tradeshow to attend in Las Vegas. I am really excited to go to some great workshops and learn a lot. The theme of the convention (put on by the Digital Wedding Forum) is "Real World Weddings." Not only do we get to attend a real wedding of DWF members, watch about 8 master photographers at work, and see some of the finished product, but we also get to go to seminars such as "You can even take great photos in New Jersey" with
Cliff Mautner and "A Can of Different, a Bottle of Fearless," with
John Michael Cooper. I'm always excited to expand my boundaries photographically, and keep getting better and better.
Last year, I soaked up so much inspiration at the convention, which I then poured into every wedding we photographed. I hope to do the same again.
I will post again soon with pictures from our March 11th wedding!
-- Priscilla
