Maine & NH Wedding Photographer // Dear Wedding Party: Please Don’t Be Drunk or Hungover Until After the Ceremony

Signed, Your Photographer Who Has Seen Some Shit

Hey wedding party—I say this with love, caffeine, and probably a camera slung across both shoulders:

Please don’t show up to the wedding hungover.
Or worse… still drunk.

I know, I know. You’re here to have a good time. You’re celebrating your best friend’s big day. And you absolutelydeserve to party. But here’s the thing—there’s a time and place for shots. And it’s not 9:15am in the getting ready suite.

As someone who’s photographed a whole lotta weddings and lived to tell the tales, let me just paint a few scenes I’ve witnessed:

• A groomsman passed out cold on the hotel bed while I’m trying to get the classic “everyone putting on their jackets” shot.

• Bridesmaids yelling at the bride’s father to get to the hotel all while trying not to throw up.

• A maid of honor crying in the bathroom, not from emotions—but from the tequila she thought was a good idea the night before.

• The bride? Lost in the parking lot trying to find her way to the venue. Unfortunately, I shit you not.

Listen. You don’t want your wedding album to include “that time your best man dry heaved into a decorative fern.”

Here’s why it matters:

• The couple needs you. You’re not just here for the matching outfits and group photos. You’re here to support them—emotionally, physically, and sometimes even logistically (hello, boutonniere pinning).

• Photos don’t lie. Puffy eyes, clammy skin, and thousand-yard stares? Yeah, that’ll live forever in the gallery.

• The timeline is tight. If we’re holding up hair & makeup or delaying portraits because half the crew needs Pedialyte and a nap, that throws everything off.

So what do you do instead?

• Hydrate. Eat. Sleep. You know, the basics.

• If you want to go out the night before? Cool. Just be responsible.

• Save the full send for after the ceremony. The dance floor is your moment. Go wild. Just wait until you’ve done your job as a functional, fabulous member of the wedding party.

And for the couple reading this:
Don’t be afraid to lay down the law ahead of time. Set expectations. Tell your people, “Hey, I love you. But I need you upright, sober-ish, and camera-ready until I say 'I do.' After that? Go feral.”

I’ll be there documenting it all—from the sweet first looks to the chaotic late-night dance moves. But please… let’s all keep it together through the “I do’s,” yeah?