As with formal engagement portraits, the decision to take a formal wedding portrait is strictly a matter of personal preference. A formal wedding portrait offers a lasting reminder of what you looked like at this special time in your life-with the focus on you, rather than on the event. But to get you at your best, and most relaxed, the best time to do it is a few days or weeks before, or after, the wedding.

Most professional photographers, including me, will gladly do formal portraits on the day of the wedding, if that is what you desire. As the client, you get to make all the final decisions. However, as a professional, I would be remiss if I failed to make this recommendation.

Your wedding—no matter how elaborate or simple—will be like a live performance for which you, the bride and groom, are the stars. Since you are in every "scene," there will be little opportunity to give portrait shots the time they deserve. Time is the key reason for taking formal portraits before or after the wedding day. To get the best result, the photographer will take several different shots, with several different poses, sometimes from several different angles. The day of your wedding, there just isn't that kind of time.

Most photographers, including me, use different equipment to take formal portraits than the type of equipment that will be used to shoot the wedding, especially if your wedding will be shot in photojournalist style. Portrait pictures sometimes require a larger format camera on a tripod, as well as some additional lighting. Now, before you think this recommendation is to save us photographers the "hassle" of carrying extra equipment—think again. The main obstacle, again, is the extra time it would take to set up and tear down the equipment, not to mention any space restrictions.

But what if you're simply in love with the location of your wedding ceremony and/or reception, and you want to get that in the picture too? No problem. At least not for me. Please visit the section of my web site called "Environmental Portraits" for an explanation of why I like to shoot portraits "on location" and some examples of how effective this can be. Personally, I much prefer environmental portraiture to ordinary old studio or backdrop photography—but it requires time to do it justice.

On the day of your portrait, I recommend that you plan to look exactly as you will, or did, on the day of your wedding. If your portraits are taken before the wedding, it is a wonderful opportunity for a "dry run" with hair, make-up, accessories—the works. I prefer to schedule portraits a few days before the wedding, rather than after. Before the wedding, not only is everything still fresh, but it really does double as an opportunity to work out the styling "bugs."

Formal portraiture, while often taken only of the bride, can be done for both of you, together and alone. If you want a formal portrait of both of you together, you may want to schedule the photo session for after the wedding, if it is important to you that you don't see each other before the wedding. However, before you make that decision, you might enjoy reading the section of my Web site that addresses wedding traditions.

Another option is to have the portraits taken, if needed, after the day of the event. This works especially well for environmental portraits taken outside—in case the weather was less than cooperative on the day of your wedding.

Formal portraits are a wonderful addition to any wedding album and are particularly nice to frame. Just be sure to work with your photographer on scheduling and other aesthetic details, so your formal portrait catches you looking relaxed and at your best.