Rehearsal dinners are the ultimate prequel to wedding weekends! Having a photographer to capture the special energy of the evening may seem like just another thing to invest in, but there are so many reasons to consider it! A few of the reasons my couples are opting for rehearsal dinner photos are below!
Jitters
Haven’t had professional photos snapped since your engagement shoot or just not someone who enjoys being in front of the camera? Shake the dust off of being in front of the camera and get comfortable ahead of your big day! There are many more opportunities to take candid photos at the rehearsal dinner too so getting in front of the camera, early, often and unposed will only make the wedding day easier!
People in your bridal party may be a bit jittery about being in front of my camera too. So, this is a great time for them to meet me so that I’m not a stranger walking into the room on your big day. Everyone seems more at ease and ready to work together to make your big day all that you want it to be. Not to mention, I’ll get to know their personalities and dynamics too, so I’ll have a heads up on who may need more corralling, who is a natural helper, who is more reserved, etc. All-in-all it helps me know how to better manage your day, which is a total win!
Toasts
A lot of my brides and grooms share their wedding party gifts at the rehearsal dinner. It’s your time to toast to your wedding party, if you’d like, and not only thank them but introduce them to me 🙋🏻♀️ and also those special guests. We all need to hear about the inside joke from fourth grade and why your BFF is standing beside you on your special day! The laughs, the tears, and the toasts are unique to rehearsal dinners and so worth capturing! Undoubtedly, others will make toasts to you two too. I’ll be there to photograph your reactions, tears, and hugs.
Out-of-Town Guest Interactions
The formal photo schedule on the wedding day is planned down to the minute. There’s little time to chat with your guests on the wedding day, let alone get photos of it all. Maybe talking to that third cousin you haven’t seen in years isn’t a top priority on your wedding day, but you do want to catch up and recreate that photo from your family reunion as kids. Most of the time, couples opt for hosting out-of-town guests at the rehearsal dinner so that’s where having your photographer there makes perfect sense.
The Goodbye
The last farewell before the big wedding day is one of the most special moments of a wedding weekend. The hugging goodbye to your soon-to-be groom or bride, knowing the next time you embrace and see each other will be as you’re becoming husband and wife! Cue. The. Tears. 😭 The wedding photos may be why you hired me in the first place, but I guarantee having the goodbye images for years to come, will surely be some of the sweetest!
It’s natural and candid, romantic and intimate. The entire weekend is a celebration, not just the wedding day. As your photographer, I know that the wedding weekend flies by with little room to take every detail in. Having the photographic memories of every element of the weekend, rehearsal dinner included, helps you go back and remember all the special moments that led into your big day!
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