Tips for Your Wedding Reception

Tips for Your Wedding Reception

July 19, 2023

The Reception

You’ve done it! Woohoo! You’re married, and it’s time to celebrate. As photographers, we love to capture the essence and excitement of this part of your day. Here are a few things we like to focus on:

Embrace Candid Moments: While we’re happy to take formal group shots during the reception, we really focus on genuine emotions and reactions during this time. We’re ready for the spontaneous laughter, tears of joy, and heartfelt embraces. These moments truly tell the story of your night, and you and your guests will love looking back on these moments for years to come.

Focus on Details & Decor: Your wedding reception is the culmination of your carefully chosen details and decor that reflect your style and personality. We always capture the intricate details, from the table settings and centerpieces to the cake, seating chart, and other decor. These photos tell the full story of your wedding day and serve as a reminder of the thought and effort that you put into your special day.

Here are the usual reception events we’ll always be sure to capture:

Grand entrance

Dinner

Toasts

First dance

Parent dances

Bouquet toss

Garter toss

Cake cutting

Party time

Grand exit

Reception Lighting Tips

We are natural light photographers, but once the sun goes down, we put on our flashes and are ready to perfectly capture your reception. We want to be as discreet as possible, so we never bring lots of light stands or gear.

We have mastered our speedlite flashes and can create beautiful reception photos.

It’s always a good idea to add some ambient lighting to your reception space, as it really sets the party mood and atmosphere for this part of your big day. Here are some lighting ideas:

• String/bistro lighting

• White or colored uplighting (usually provided by your DJ)

• Candles

• Lanterns

• Chandeliers

The Exit

Some couples end the night with dancing, and some want an extravagant exit. Either way is perfect.

There are so many ways to do a special exit. Some of our faves are: sparkler exit, confetti exit, fireworks, or streamers.

Since Colorado can be so dry, there’s a decent chance sparklers won’t be allowed at your venue, but there are so many other creative ideas, and we’re always happy to help.

Whether we are there to capture the last moments or not, we suggest that once your reception room clears out, you do a last dance with your husband or wife without anyone else in the room. It’s such a romantic way to close out a perfect day.

Tips for Your Wedding Reception