One of the most popular questions I get asked is how long do you need for the location photos (photos in between ceremony and reception)… It actually depends on a few things.

What time you are planning on marrying.  What time you want your reception to start.

Where you would like to go for photographs?  Do you require a lot of travel time or is everything you want fairly close by?

I guess in short the average is between 45 – 90 minutes depending on the above answers.

There are a few things to think about when planning where you want your location photographs, apart from the ceremony and reception timing. I like my couples to try and really think about why they are choosing the location they are. Does it have a special meaning?  Is it where he proposed? Is it just because it is close to the venue?

When scouting for locations, look for subject matter that can be used. Trees, long dirt roads, beach, rocks, vineyards, national park, side streets that are quiet and so on. Are any of these places really busy at the time of your location photos? Beaches in summer can be very busy around that time but if you choose a beach thats a little out of the way it may suit better.

I am a big fan of using props…whether we bring props ourselves or ones that are already available. Parks with swings, a main street with colourful shop fronts, these are all things to think about when looking for locations. Talk to your photographer about this, they may have some ideas.