You CAN make your Cocktail Hour

I don't know exactly how it happened, but over time Bride & Grooms have been convinced that wedding photos take a LONG time. Perhaps that's true when your siblings, cousins, aunts & uncles are MIA when we need them... but if we co-ordinate, even remotely have our act together, there is NO REASON we can't get both amazing Editorial Photojournalism & the "posed shots" for the parents/grand-parents. Here are a few tips on how you can ensure you make your cocktail hour:

• Trust your photographer. Remember, you like their work & style. If they ask you to walk around that tree holding hands...... have fun!!!
  

• Be Prepared to spend 15 mintues taking photos with your girlz/guyz & your family 30 minutes before your transportation arrives (if you only have one photographer) or 15 minutes before your transportation arrives (if their is another photographer covering your soon-to-be-spouses' side) taking your photos with your girlz/guyz & your side of the family.

LISTEN & if your photographer says FREEZE, then freeze. This is a "Freeze" photo.

• Have your photographer leave before you to head to the ceremony with the directives of photographing / distracting the Groom in the last few minutes before you arrive.

• Ditch the receiving line. If you walk out the church and either get in your car to go somewhere or walk around back, have your family follow & take all the "formal" photos right there as the Church empties... you are ahead of the game! You WILL get fed first @ your reception so plan on eating.... then visiting while everyone else is still waiting for their food/eating. If your photographer is good, they'll casually follow you around & can get shots with you at the tables too.

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• If you don't have specific place you really WANT to do photos, ask your photographer to lead the way to the reception site & STOP in a spot they can make look cool. (It helps if you tell them what you want your photos to look like... park, cool industrial, fun trendy cafe type photo, etc.. ) if you hop out fast... you could stop twice & still make the last 30 minutes of your cocktail hour.
  

Why not have a little fun & still enjoy everything you've paid for???? Trust me, I've done this once or twice ;-)