Chapter 10: The Reception
The ceremony is over, the portraits have been taken, and now comes the reception: the food, the drinks, the dancing, the celebrating, the time when the couple can relax and start to enjoy their life as newlyweds. While everyone else is enjoying the festivities, you are busier than ever. One important factor in making the reception photography go as smooth as possible is to have a detailed timeline so that you can be in place to capture the key moments. Work with the couple and the wedding planner or event coordinator so that you are kept in the loop on any and all changes to the plan. If you are expecting a garter and bouquet toss, but instead it’s time for the cake cutting, you will be left scrambling to get into position. Oftentimes, the DJ is also involved in the schedule, so be sure to communicate with him as well so that you do not miss any important moments.
the venue
The reception venue can vary greatly from wedding to wedding, but a few things are at every reception. And, you can be sure that a lot of time and energy went into picking the right centerpieces, the color scheme, the food, and the decorations. The best time for you to capture these details is before the guests arrive. The timing might be tough, especially if you still need to take portraits, but this is why many weddings have a cocktail or social hour before the main room is opened ...
