When you start building your wedding day timeline, one item to seriously consider is time for your photographer and videographer to capture untouched images of all of your spaces. This is something that not only did I not account for in our timeline four years ago, but didn’t even know to ask for.

First of all, what on earth are ‘untouched photos’? They are images of your ceremony, cocktail and reception spaces before anyone enters them. The designs are all styled, clean and in place, exactly as they were intended to be experienced for the first time. Before your guests arrive and place their sweaters, purses and drinks on the carefully styled tables, capture it. I promise, you will not regret doing this and it only takes ten to fifteen minutes per space. What are the top three reasons why I believe you should have them?

1. You deserve them & will be so glad you have them! You put so much time, energy and thought into each linen color, floral texture, favor, layout and special detail. After months of planning and dreaming, don’t you want to see everything the way you envisioned it?
2. They help tell your story. The details you incorporate are an integral part of telling the story of your day. Yes, they are part of one day in the big picture, but that day is the beginning of your next, most exciting adventure to date. When you look back on the day, the visuals will bring back all of the feelings you experienced that day. You will have the joyful opportunity to relive your day from the same perspective as your guests as they entered each part of the day for the first time.
3. Your vendors will be so grateful! While you have been dreaming of your marriage day for so long, so have we. Your vendor team has been working tirelessly to make sure that your day is everything you dreamed up. Very few people on your team will be able to see everything together and we love to see the finished product. Not only for our artistic side, but to share with other couples how we can help bring their ideas into reality as well.

I admit, these are not the only reasons people choose to have untouched images, but they are the ones that in eighty years will still matter. When you look back on your wedding day with your grandchildren, they will feel like they were there. You will still have a vivid memory in your album to spark other, more important memories. Like the way you felt looking at the altar for the first time, ripe with hope and love just before your ceremony begins. Or the environment you walked into when you saw your daddy that afternoon, just the two of you. Those spaces set a mood, enhance the joy you already have in your heart and will ignite so many memories that you won’t realize you have until you look back on the day. THAT is the real reason that untouched photos should be part of your story.

xoxo, Jenn