The Decline of Portrait Hour during weddings (and why I am here for it)
Couple portraits throughout their wedding day: some guided, some candid, all true versions of themselves
Over the last decade photographing weddings in Montreal, I have quietly shifted the ways in which I photograph couple portraits on their wedding day.
When I first started, wedding photography was at its peak-social media heyday, where 8, 10, All Day wedding day coverage was what was expected and the accepted standard was a minimum of one hour of couple photography, and then added hours for family portraits & wedding party portraits.
As I became more attuned to the flow of a wedding day, I started to ask myself… “Why are we doing this?” I was actively taking my couples away from their big party they had planned for over a year! It didn’t make sense to me and it didn’t speak to the multitudes we all contain on a wedding day. Many couples that come to me have been in attendance at weddings where the performative aspects of portrait hours feel exhausting, whether they have been a guest or a bridesmaid or a groomsman.
What I also hear from most couples is an anxiety of not knowing how to be in front of the camera and yet, they want to be captured as themselves. Gentle guidance can be useful, but so can accepting the natural energy of the day. If couples are present, the photographs will follow. Without much pressure to perform.
We have a wide range of feelings on a wedding day, a one hour portrait session fabricates and asks couples to perform, whereas portraits more in the moment capture something more authentic
What I started to do was divvy up the portrait time. I loved the idea of capturing couples when they’re maintaining a more reserved, dressed up, nervous and quiet part of themselves. These moments almost feel like a tribute to our history, the stillness we see in our parents and grandparents wedding albums. This starts to shift to something more visibly emotional during first look and the ceremony. And later, when couples have completed the more formal, traditional parts of their wedding day, there is a visible relaxation, the sun has set, and they have enjoyed a few cocktails at their party. These are all versions of who they are, and so too should there be portraits.
And what about the weather? The light? All of these elements are out of our control on a wedding day. I’ve had couple portrait hours scheduled in the middle of a storm — and if that’s the only time we have? Do we forgo the portraits? Embracing the natural chaos embedded in a wedding day and building flexibility in your timeline will let you relax and not worry too much about missed opportunities.
I love that the current wedding photography trends are aligned with what I have naturally been doing. I see more and more couples looking to prioritize presence so that they can attend their own wedding.
These pairings of photographs showcase portraits of the same couple at the start and during their wedding day, these are used in a small guide when I meet with new couples.
A wedding day can have all kinds of weather, if we stay rigid in a one hour time block, we miss opportunities to capture something of ourselves inside our wedding day.