Maine + NH Wedding Photographer | Why You Should Spend the First 15 Minutes of Cocktail Hour with Just Your New Spouse

You did it. You said the vows, exchanged the rings, maybe ugly cried a little (it’s fine, we all do), and now—you’re officially married. The pressure’s off. The timeline chaos is behind you. The only things left are some formalities and a night full of good food, drinks, and questionable dance moves.

But before you dive into cocktail hour and get swallowed up by hugs, congratulations, and Aunt Susan’s 47th attempt at a selfie—pause. Take 15 minutes. Just you and your new spouse.

Here’s why:

That moment right after the ceremony is golden. You’re still buzzing from adrenaline, your emotions are high, and it’s one of the only times all day you can actually stop and breathe. You’ve just promised forever to each other—so why not spend a few quiet minutes actually soaking that in?

Find a spot away from the crowd. Grab a drink or a plate of appetizers (bonus points if your planner stashes them for you), kick off your shoes if you have to, and just be. Talk. Laugh. Ugly cry some more if you need to. Because this—this little window—is when it really hits you: you’re married.

Couples always tell me that those few minutes alone were some of their favorite of the entire day. It’s the calm before the party. The reality check that all that planning, stress, and chaos was worth it. You get to look at each other, say “holy crap, we did it,” and start your marriage off exactly how it should—together, in your own little world.

So yeah, the guests can wait 15 minutes. Trust me, the margaritas will still be cold, and Uncle Bob will still be telling stories by the bar. But you? You’ll have a quiet memory that’s just yours. And that’s worth every second.