Top Reasons to Have Your Photographer Photograph Your Rehearsal Dinner
Even though not all rehearsal dinners are the same, there are many benefits to having your wedding photographer photograph your rehearsal dinner. This post is not a one-size-fits-all, but if some of these reasons are important to you, it’s worth entertaining the option of inviting your photographer to your rehearsal dinner!
- This is probably the most important reason to hire your wedding photographer to photograph your rehearsal dinner. As the toasts begin, the stories shared at the rehearsal are usually a little more intimate, emotional, and raw than the ones shared at the reception. With that being said, your wedding photographer will get to know you on a whole other level. Often times, really sentimental things are shared about passed loved ones or special traditions that will happen the next day. It’s almost like we get an insider’s perspective on really important moments before we arrive on the wedding day. It allows us to know you on an even deeper level and to photograph you even more authentically!
- Speaking of toasts, this is where the emotions start flying. This is a great time for your wedding photographer to learn who the most emotional people are in your family, wedding party, and even of the two of you. This will help us be on the lookout for those sweet moments of blotting a tear on the big day or sneaking in quick hugs whenever they can!
- This also serves as a GREAT time for your family members and your bridal party to meet your wedding photographer. Don’t forget that you and your fiancé(e) know this person so well, but everyone else may not. They may be a little intimidated by the camera on the wedding day, even skittish to have candids done that morning. Letting them get to see and know your photographer at the rehearsal dinner can work out those jitters and allow them to feel as comfortable as you do! The best way to do this is to have a seat for your photographer at your bridesmaid/bridal party table. She will eat when they eat and can make conversation getting to know each of them more personally because no one likes photos of themselves eating. This will also ensure that your guests aren’t self conscious when the food is served!
- Rehearsal dinners are very intimate and contain some of the absolute sweetest moments. All these other reasons are bonuses to the fact that you get to have some of the most raw moments captured professionally to tell the full story of your wedding weekend! This can also be added into your wedding album as a spread so you can always remember the personalness of the night before you said I do.
Rehearsal dinner coverage can be added on at any time, but remember those dinners typically happen on the Friday before your wedding. If your photographer books something else that day, she may not be able to move things around in order to shoot your rehearsal dinner. If I am your photographer, I only offer portraits during the week, and oftentimes Fridays are the first to get snatched by someone trying to hire me for a portrait session so don’t wait too long to make this final decision!
Hope this was helpful and allows you to consider the idea of hiring me to be a part of your rehearsal dinner the night before your wedding!
I’m a Knoxville Wedding Photographer that loves to travel. I shoot anywhere! Click here to contact me with any questions you have about pricing or booking! If you liked what you saw above, go ahead and follow me on Facebook or Instagram to see my daily updates of the latest sessions!
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