Buy this and others on Etsy.com by: Laura Drayton Creative
The first look: it’s a big stressor for some couples. Should it happen before the ceremony? Superstition says no but timeliness says absolutely. For many couples, the first look happens before the ceremony in order to keep time. You don’t want your guests to wait for hours between the ceremony and the reception for the wedding party to get pictures taken, so it only seems logical to make that all happen before guests even arrive, right? How long is too long for the guests to wait anyway? Sometimes waiting is inevitable. If you’re the kind of bride that dreamed of the first look happening at the head of the aisle, don’t give up so quickly on your dream! Here’s a little idea for a great time-passing activity to keep your guests occupied long enough for your pictures to happen between the ceremony and the reception.
Create a list of items, people, and situations. These can be included in your ceremony programs for the down time following, or they can be handed out at the reception. Buy disposable cameras in bulk to hand out along with the cards or set in baskets around the cocktail area. Congratulations! You’ve created a photo scavenger hunt for your guests! The best part about this is that guests are able to take the cameras with them to have the photos printed for their personal enjoyment, or you can collect the cameras at the end of the night to have photos printed and uploaded along with your professional photos. It’s like having a wedding full of photographers! The best part is that they’ll be candid shots of things that guests enjoyed most about your wedding day.
Of course, not everyone will want to participate in your scavenger hunt fun, but there’s always the cocktail hour! For summer weddings, it might be beneficial to set up some oversized lawn games as well, just to be safe. Really, what matters is that you’re getting the wedding you’ve dreamed of while entertaining your guests as best as possible.