Why You Should Do Wedding Portraits the Day Before or After Your Wedding
Let’s talk about something that could make your wedding day so much easier—doing your wedding portraits before or after your big day! It’s a game-changer for anyone wanting to enjoy their wedding without all the extra stress of fitting in formal photos.
Here’s the deal: most couples want to soak in every moment of their wedding day with their friends and family. But, let’s face it—wedding days are packed. From getting ready to ceremony, to cocktail hour and dinner, it can feel like there’s barely a second to breathe. So, why not take the pressure off and knock out those portraits beforehand? Trust me, you’ll thank yourself later!
Benefits of Doing Wedding Portraits Before or After Your Wedding
More Time to Party: When you do portraits beforehand or after, you’re not sacrificing time from your wedding day to do them. More time to hang with your people, and no missing out on the fun!
Less Stress, More Fun: You’re already juggling a ton of emotions and excitement on your wedding day. By doing portraits earlier, you can breathe easy, knowing the photo stuff is already taken care of. It’s like a warm-up before the big show!
Prime Lighting & Locations: If you’re a fan of those epic golden hour photos, sunrise shoots, or even just want a more relaxed vibe, shooting outside your wedding day gives you that flexibility. For instance, we shot Tina & Austin's portraits the day before at sunrise on Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park, and it was magic. Plus, they have a killer backdrop with no crowds!
Tina & Austin’s Sunrise First Look & Cadillac Mountain Photos
The day before Tina and Austin’s wedding, we headed up to Cadillac Mountain, the first place in the U.S. to see the sunrise! Imagine being in your wedding clothes, on top of a mountain, waiting for the sun to pop out—it was wild! We had a blast with Tina and Austin (and their friends) making the morning feel like an adventure. Their first look, just as the sun peeked over the clouds, gave us all chills—seriously, it was like a movie scene. Plus, because we did it the day before their wedding, they were free to focus on the fun stuff on their actual wedding day
This is the kind of thing I’m talking about—memories that hit differently when you’re not stressed about getting all your photos in on the wedding day.
Making the Most of Your Wedding Day
The best part about doing portraits beforehand or after? It frees up your actual wedding day to be all about the moments that matter most. You can hang with your people, celebrate, and truly live in the moment. When you’ve already got the portraits out of the way, you get to enjoy every second of your wedding without worrying about squeezing in a bunch of photos.
How to Plan Portraits Before or After Your Wedding
If you're sold on this idea (and I’m sure you are), here’s how to do it:
Pick your location(s)—think about somewhere special to you or somewhere you always wanted to visit! I recommend Cadillac Mountain as it makes for the most stunning sunrise photos!
Check any permit requirements or ticket info (like Cadillac Mountain! If you are interested in Cadillac Mountain tickets are released 90 days ahead of time and book fast!)
Plan your outfits and transportation. You want to be ready to go once you hit that location.
Make sure you’ve got time—no rushing here. This is supposed to be fun!
Client Love
Tina had some kind words after we wrapped up their photos:“I could not have asked for a more perfect photographer, Jen is such a calming presence and immediately made my husband and I so comfortable. She was willing to travel to Acadia National Park, and get sunrise shots that exceeded all expectations. She is such a talented and knowledgeable photographer. She will make any vision you have come to life.”
I’m so glad I got to help them create these incredible memories!
Considering your Wedding Portraits at Cadillac Mountain? I want to be your Photographer!
Doing your portraits before or after your wedding is all about giving yourself space to enjoy your day. Less stress, more time to savor the best moments. If you want to kick off your wedding story with a bang, or just need some time to focus on your celebration, this is the move. Let’s chat about how we can make this happen for you!
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