This is the part where you can both really relax and have fun with your friends and family. Don’t worry about anything after the ceremony other than hugging everyone and (most importantly) giving each other a huge squeeze. You did it! You’re married!

I love this part of the day. It’s really relaxed, you’re having a good old catch up with your friends and family and I can get those relaxed shots that you’ve booked me for.

Have a think about if you want entertainment at this point. It’s not necessary at all but can also be a lovely little add on to the day. I’ve seen all different kinds go down well from lawn games (giant Jenga is always a crowd pleaser) to close up magicians and caricaturists. If you’ve got a lot of kids coming to your wedding then I’ve seen a few days where they’ve booked a balloon artist or kids magician and set up a separate room for the kids to run riot in.

Photo tip – leave a nice bit of time between your ceremony and sitting down for your meal. This way you get plenty of time to spend with your guests and enjoy your day as well as giving you a chance to sneak off for some couple’s portraits and have some family photographs too. 

At some point I’ll steal you both away for ten minutes or so which I’ll talk more about in the next guide.