It’s Not About the Pictures – Chapter 11 of It’s Not About the Wedding
Obviously, there is something to be said for indelibly capturing the events of this wonderful day in photographs and/or video. Just keep in mind that you may only end up pulling out that photo album or cuing up that video on one or two occasions in your lifetime. Pictures are a fun, important way to look back, but the most important moments from that day – the look in the eyes of your betrothed – the pure bliss of that first married kiss – will be burned into your memory forever.
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Many couples elect to have the bulk of their formal pictures taken during the very small window of time between the wedding and the reception. They choose this time because the bride and groom are often not allowed to see each other prior to the wedding ceremony, and the entire wedding party and extended family are wearing their Sunday best. While this makes perfect sense, it can become the first post-wedding stressor quickly. Trying to corral seven cousins and 10 nieces and nephews into the family photos can be a little like herding cats. Taking scores of photographs of dozens of different groups of people can also be quite time-consuming. I have been to receptions where the bride and groom, and their wedding party and families, did not arrive for more than an hour.
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If you have a large wedding party, it may be wise to consider taking as many photographs as possible before the ceremony. If the bride and groom are quarantined, you can still take scores of photos of just the bride with all of the extended family, followed by the groom. The actual “just married” pictures with both the bride and groom can still take place immediately following the ceremony.
I love wedding pictures that bring out the personality of the bride and groom, not just show what they were wearing and who was there that day. Ask your photographer to get creative and try to capture the feel of the day. There are no rules that state which poses or configurations you are required to get pictures of! Have fun with it!
As an added bonus, wedding photos can serve other purposes as well! I read about one wedding where the bride’s and groom’s family and friends were literally lunging across the aisle at each other multiple times during the ceremony, which led to real fights with flying chairs and overturned tables at the reception. Some of the wedding guests actually ordered prints of the wedding photos as evidence in assault cases!
Assuming your wedding is a bit more restrained, it is important to try to remain calm and savor the moment! Especially if you are taking photographs immediately after the ceremony, don’t lose sight of the fact that you are now married! This is supposed to be the fun part. When you do look back at these photographs, you’re going to want to see true joy, laughter, and excitement on your face – not a fake, forced smile that attempts to hide your stressful frustration or impatience. Now is the time to relax and go with the flow. Nothing that happens from this point out – whether it goes according to plan or not – can change the fact that you are now married to the love of your life, and that is kind of the point of all of this!
Little Drops of Nectar 
yes, the only picture from my wedding I kept (with the bride in it) was the one with her CHEWING my ass after the smoke alarm went off. This important event would sum up this short “marriage” very well. Weren’t you there?