How To Keep Your Guests Happy While You’re Taking Wedding Photos
Last time, we discussed how to encourage your guests to put their phones down during your wedding so they can be present and in the moment. But what about when you’re off taking photos with your photographer? In this post, we’ll provide you with some ideas for how to keep your guests happy while you’re taking wedding photos.
GAMES
There are a million different games and activities you can set up to keep your guests occupied while you’re away. I’ll list a few of our favorites below. Keep in mind, the names for some of these games change regionally, so you might know them as something else.
~ Corn hole
~ Giant Jenga
~ Shuffleboard
~ Foosball
~ Ladder golf
~ Spike ball
~ Beersbee (pictured below)
One of our couples even brought in a Big Buck Hunter arcade game for their wedding reception!
FOOD AND DRINK STATIONS (AND MORE)
We’ve seen all sorts of unique “build your own (fill in the blank)” stations during cocktail hours over the years. From a “roll your own cigar” bar to a “make your own martini” bar, and a “have a poet write you a poem” station to a “create your own brick oven pizza” station.
Think about what you like to do in your free time and incorporate it into your wedding day. If it feels too overwhelming, ask your wedding planner to help you with it!
PHOTOBOOTH
This has been a go-to for couples for years. But usually, the photo booth isn’t ready until later in the evening, during the dance party. Consider paying for a couple extra hours so that your guests can use your photo booth while you’re out having your professional photos taken.
DO A FIRST LOOK
Finally, consider doing a “first look.” This is where you and your husband-or-wife-to-be come together for a private moment before the ceremony. This way, you can take (most) of your wedding photos ahead of time, so you’ll be able to attend your cocktail hour and your guests won’t be standing around wondering where you are.
The first look is still considered to be a non-traditional way of doing things, but it’s become a more popular option in recent years.
KEEP THE FAMILY PHOTO LIST SHORT
Even if you do a first look, you’ll likely still have to take your family photos after the ceremony. Lots of couples try to get all of their family portraits taken before the ceremony, but all it takes is one key family member not showing up on time, and the photos have to be moved to after the ceremony.
The best way to quickly and efficiently take all of your family photos so that you can get to your cocktail hour, is to keep the list short and sweet. A great way of doing this is keeping it to just immediate family. When all aunts and uncles and cousins and significant others are included, this portion of the day can run a bit long.
Thanks so much for taking the time to read our post on how to keep your guests happy while you’re taking wedding photos! As always, feel free to reach out directly if you have any questions for us. Cheers!
