For the average wedding, fitting in time to take all the dreamy photos inspired by what you’ve seen online can be a struggle. The advent of the “first look” has been a great help in this matter. Now couples can get gorgeous portraits together without sacrificing their entire cocktail hour or having a large gap between the ceremony and reception. However, your time is still limited, especially for vow exchanges that occur in the afternoon. An hour or two may seem like plenty of time to get some pictures taken, but considering how important wedding photos are, brides and grooms may prefer as much time as possible to make sure everything goes perfectly. This is especially the case if the sweethearts prefer to get these portraits taken at multiple locations. In such instances, the lovebirds might want to consider taking wedding photos after they’ve tied the knot.

Southern brides will be somewhat familiar with this concept, as it’s similar to the tradition of bridal portraits, which are taken before the big day. Couples could take part in a photo shoot before the wedding as well, but most duos prefer not to see each other in their full ensembles before the ceremony. By doing a photography session after saying your “I dos,” there is a freedom of locations, with as much time as you need. If you had to compromise on the location of your vow exchange, this is your chance to have the backdrop of your dreams, from the beach to the forest, to wherever your imagination might take you. Another added benefit is that you would not have to worry about getting your dress dirty, the way you might when taking pictures before your ceremony. 

As with any decision, there are some downsides with a post-wedding photo shoot, so it’s important to weight what aspects are most important to you. Cost is certainly a factor, as you will not only have to hire your photographer for another session, but likely also pay to get hair and makeup done. Depending on how your wedding went, you may also need to have your ensembles professionally cleaned first, and if you’re preserving your dress you might have to get it cleaned after the shoot as well. Some might also simply not like the idea of taking wedding photos when it’s not the day they are exchanging vows. If it’s right for you, there is nothing wrong with the choice, but others might look back at their photos and feel like it’s a false memory. The most important thing is that every couple gets to have the wedding portraits of their dreams!