Once the excitement died down, many of our guests headed to cocktail hour while we took our formals. Our photographer, Valerie, suggested we not do photos at the altar. She advised that in her experience, they tend to appear overly stiff. We went back to Wren’s courtyard area, which was the perfect backdrop.
We started with our adorable niece and flower girl, who now thinks I’m a princess because of the wedding. Isn’t that sweet? Our next photo was with my new in-laws…
…and then Mr. Hawk’s immediate family.
Momma and Daddy Hawk were up next…
…and Sissy Hawk jumped in.
I am so glad that we chose to do our formals outside, because the light streaming through the trees was just lovely for our newly combined Hawk family photo.
Although we chose not to take individual shots with each part of the family in attendance, we did a giant group shot of my side family…
…as well as Mr. Hawk’s.
This kept our formals short and sweet, and allowed us to head straight to cocktail hour! But before we did, I asked Valerie to take one last photo: a shot of new rings!
Are you planning on doing a lot of formals? Or would you like to keep it short and sweet?
All photos by Valerie Demo Photography
Miss a Hawk recap? Don’t fret! Catch up here:
We review our planning journey
We rehearse and welcome our guests
The girls get pretty
I share my bridal details
Mr. Hawk becomes a groom
Our first look
We take photos at Crim Dell Bridge
We explore campus for more photography
The groomsmen ham it up
The bridal party channels their inner model
The entire wedding party regroups
My last moments as a Miss
Welcome to our wedding ceremony
The bridal party procession
Miss Hawk’s walk down the aisle
We’re married!
We were surrounded by love during our impromptu receiving line
GORGEOUS pics !!
And a wonderful setting… LOVE the fence, the historical building in the background and the great greenery.
The idea of focussing on “Family” photos is something you’ll really appreciate in the future as the years go by…
Mr TTR and I are eloping, so our Day Of Photos will be all about the 2 of us… and the incredible scenic location we’ll be at.
You’ve got me thinking… maybe we need to schedule a family photo session for sometime after we get back home.
Short and sweet is the name of the game! I’m totally hoping to do the same kind of game plan you did, leaving just casual family portraits for after the ceremony so our guests don’t wait too long for us at the reception! Your photos are so fresh and fun–your photographer definitely had the right idea of doing them outside!
Beautiful photos! I made up a list for family formals.. and boy, did we stick to it. It helped things go by so much faster!
Wow! Such a stunning color combination!Beautiful inspiration! xo
Awww love your formals Hawk. I agree that this is a much better backdrop than the altar! So beautiful!
Mrs. Hawk, Richmond, VA Age and Occupation: 26, Finance Fiance's Age and Occupation: 30, District Supervisor Engagement Date: March 13, 2011 Wedding Date: May 2012 Venue: The Chapel of the Sir Christopher Wren Building, 2007 Legacy Hall About Me: I’m an Arizona-born girl who has spent the majority of my life living below the Mason-Dixon line. The South has definitely earned a special place in my heart (alongside my Virginia born and bred fiance, of course!). We are planning a traditional Christian ceremony at my alma mater in historic Williamsburg, Virginia, followed by a rocking reception filled with Southern cooking and vintage/shabby chic details. When we’re not wedding planning, we enjoy spending time with our three dogs, going for runs together, watching plenty of football (or baseball depending on the season), and sampling new wine.
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