Wedding reception photography…now comes the fun part!

Ahh, the reception and the wedding reception photography…the planning is done, and it’s time to get the party started! That one song lyric from P!nk immediately comes to mind, “Let’s get the party started on a Saturday night; everybody’s waiting for me to arrive.” It’s perfect because it’s true. Your guests are eagerly waiting to celebrate, dance and toast you. As guests recess out of the wedding venue, they’re bubbling with excitement to congratulate the couple on their union. Guests will mingle during happy hour, chatting with friends old and new. As a photographer looking in, I’m always searching to see what hors d’oeuvres the couple has selected. I feel like it sets the tone for the entire rest of the evening.

So many decisions go into a wedding reception and (into wedding reception photography). As the photographer of the day, Amika Gair Wedding Photography strives to document and celebrate each moment during a wedding reception. Many couples take on a traditional route, with formal photos during the first twenty to thirty minutes of happy hour.

The wedding party and family may join the guests as the photos are completed, but the real party is happening at the happy hour, and that’s where everyone wants to be. There have been a couple of weddings where the formals took place before the ceremony, but that obviously can’t happen if the couple plans on doing a first look. I also recommend that couples take a beat or two before the formals take place or before heading into cocktail hour. Taking this moment to relish in what you just declared to one another and breathe before taking lots of photos with the people you love is always so powerful. This photo session doesn’t need to take long, just enough to reset and go forth.

After formals are completed it’s time to party! Let the mingling and celebrating begin. With two photographers, the secondary photographer will be photographing cocktail hour while Amika will take on the formals. This allows for the maximum amount of photos of all guests. It is always an option to add a secondary photographer.

The wedding reception will mostly consist of a photojournalistic approach to document cocktail hour, dancing and toasts. When the wedding party is introduced to the guests, it’s always fun to see how creative everyone is with their introductions. But my favorite part of the reception is the first dance for the couple. I can’t begin to explain the ecstasy seen in the first dance of a couple. It’s a moment of pure, unadulterated happiness that spills forth and washes over all the guests. It’s truly quite magical. Amika and her team always try to slip in some video of the dance because it is our absolute favorite. (Pro note? Consider taking dance lessons!)

Not a far second are the toasts and parent dances if couples choose to include that tradition. Parent dances are a close second as capturing the love between parents and children is always special. I always encourage couples to dance with both of their parents and not the traditional opposite gender. The parent dances invariably lead to guests dancing and it’s amazing to watch the heart of the reception unfold. Laughter is heard throughout and squeals from children run through and under tables. Magical.

Other traditional moments during the reception are the toasts. Another of our wedding reception photography favorites. I love hearing the heartfelt and sometimes off-the-cuff toasts that ring with adoration and the deepest respect for the couple and their embarkment into their future. My favorite part of toasts is carefully watching the couple and their reaction to the toasts. Sometimes the toaster tears up but when the words move the couple to tears that’s such a special photo for me to capture. Watching words resonate and cause emotional reactions from the couple is my favorite. It means something, and those words will stay with them.

You'll enjoy looking back at our wedding reception photography for years to come.

Document every aspect of your wedding reception with our wedding reception photography! Take a look at our Facebook page for more wedding reception photos.

Reach out today to book your wedding with Amika Gair Photography. Call Amika at 860-405-7271.