Sneaking Out for Sunset Photos? Here’s What Happens to Your Reception
By DJ Nate Burgoyne
You’re getting married in Hawaiʻi, and you want those sunset photos. But then the worry kicks in: if the two of you leave in the middle of your own wedding reception, what are your guests supposed to do? Does the whole room just sit there and go flat until you come back?
It doesn’t have to go that way. I want to share what I’ve seen at our weddings, when sunset photos usually happen, and what I do on the mic so your guests know exactly what’s going on while you’re gone.
You’re usually not going far
When you do sunset photos, you’re almost always doing them right at the same venue as your reception. You’re not driving somewhere else. Your reception is on the beach or at a venue by the beach, and the two of you basically sneak out with your photographer, get your photos, and come back.
That’s good news for your guests, because you’re not really leaving the party. You’re just stepping away from it for a little while.
Cocktail hour is the natural spot
If your sunset photos land during cocktail hour, that’s a natural time for it. Your guests are already mingling, grabbing drinks, and catching up, so you slipping away doesn’t interrupt anything.
Whether that works for you depends on the time of year. Sunset is earlier in the winter than it is in the summer, so the same timeline can line up with cocktail hour one month and fall in the middle of your reception another month.
If it’s mid-reception, I let everyone know
If your sunset photos fall in the middle of the reception, I jump on the microphone and tell everyone what’s happening. I’ll say something like this:
“Aloha friends, we’re gonna take a brief intermission and let our newlyweds go grab some sunset photos. If you’d like to join, head over to the beach as well and enjoy the sunset, you’re welcome to do so. It’s a beautiful sunset. We’re gonna take about a 20-minute break.”
That way your guests aren’t sitting there wondering where you went. They know they have a little break, and they know about how long it is. They can go to the bar, hit the photo booth, relax for a bit, or walk down and enjoy the sunset themselves.
Timing sunset photos at your wedding reception
Sunset photos need exact timing on your timeline, and that’s something to work out with your coordinator. The sunset isn’t going to move for your schedule, so your schedule has to be built around it.
One thing I’d really watch is what you put right before your sunset photos. Don’t put long toasts there. If someone is giving a toast and it runs long, nobody is going to cut them off. Nobody cuts off a toaster. So if your toasts are scheduled right before you’re supposed to head out, and one of them goes long, your sunset timing slips with it.
I don’t shoot photos, and I won’t tell you to skip the sunset
To be clear, I’m your DJ and MC, not your photographer, so I’m not the one taking your sunset photos. And I’m never going to tell you to skip them. If sunset photos matter to you, we’ll plan around them. My part is helping your timeline work and making sure your guests know what’s going on while you’re out there.
Talk with the Frobaby Productions DJ team
If you’re planning your Oʻahu reception and want sunset photos without leaving your guests guessing, the Frobaby Productions DJ team would love to hear about your plans. We’re super transparent about our pricing, and you can see all of our packages at pricing.frobabyproductions.com. If you’d like to talk it through, grab a zero-pressure, ask-me-anything chat with the Frobaby Productions DJ team at chat.frobabyproductions.com.
When should you take sunset photos at a wedding reception?
Cocktail hour is a natural time for it, because your guests are already mingling. It depends on the time of year, since sunset is earlier in the winter than in the summer, so work out the exact timing with your coordinator.
How long is the break for sunset photos during a reception?
When sunset photos fall in the middle of the reception, I announce a brief intermission of about 20 minutes, so your guests know how long you’ll be gone.
What do guests do while the couple takes sunset photos?
I let everyone know what’s happening. Guests can go to the bar, hit the photo booth, relax for a bit, or walk down to the beach and enjoy the sunset themselves.
Do you leave the venue for sunset photos?
Usually not. Sunset photos are almost always at the same venue as your reception, on the beach or at a venue by the beach. You sneak out with your photographer and come back.
Should toasts go right before sunset photos?
Avoid putting long toasts right before. Nobody cuts off a toaster, so if a toast runs long, your sunset timing slips with it.
Should we skip sunset photos to keep the party going?
I’ll never tell you to skip them. If sunset photos matter to you, we plan around them, and I make sure your guests know what’s going on while you’re out.