Guests Portraits at the Reception Hall

This image was taken at the Mendez Wedding a few years back.  They purchased an add on to my Wedding Package called Portraits at the Reception.  It's great, because for one low fee you can treat your guests to studio quality portraits during your reception.  There is no sitting fee at all. Imagine guests from out of town mingling with folks they haven't seen in years and being able to get a great quality shots together.  It's an opportunity that may never happen again.  

The only caveat is that some reception halls have this prohibited in their contract.  You sometimes may have to negotiate this point and make it clear to them that no cash is exchanging hands on site and that their facility is not being used by the photographer to make extra cash.  I understand that some photographers will have a register going to charge the guests.  This will NOT happen with SBV Photography.  This is simply a complimentary service courtesy of the bride and groom.  

Many facilities have no problem with this at all.  It's just something to look for when picking out your hall.  I'd be glad to assist you in securing this service at your reception hall.

And The Band Played On

As you consider the entertainment for your wedding reception and pour over the many DJ's available to you, give live entertainment a shot.  Can a band play every single request that your guests might throw at them?  I'm sure they might try and come up short.  What they do bring to the table is a memorable, personality driven delivery of music and revelry.  Look for a group with a good front person, a flexible set list and you will be able to provide a unique night of entertainment for your guests.  Give it some thought.

Proper Technique: The Bouquet Toss

Okay, gather around brides. Today we are going to talk proper technique for a bouquet toss. Here is an example of what can go wrong and what we can do to avoid this mishap.

Problem: Bride throws her bouquet up and hits a light fixture or the ceiling and it fall to the ground where a bridesmaid has to pick it up.

Solution: Ask your photographer to huddle with you beforehand and pick an area with high clearance. Toss behind and out.

I also ask brides to take it slow and tease the crowd by looking behind her a few times before throwing the bouquet. This builds excitement and also give me a a couple of opportunities for some some nice shots of the bride with her female guests waiting in anticipation. I will then step to the side and capture bride, bouquet and crowd in one shot.

Bonus tip for grooms: You know that garter you want to hurl like a fast ball in the world series? It is as light as a feather. It's not going to go far. Stay fairly close to the guys and give a light toss to keep it airborne for a little while.