Photo Logistics

oywiththepoodles

Hi guys,
We're trying to figure out a few day-of logistics and would love another opinion!

Our ceremony starts at 4 PM. We are getting married at an inn that doesn't have a ton of space for photos (we'll be getting married outdoors in a small garden area out back, weather permitting). The garden area will work for more standard family portraits, but we wanted to get in a few more scenic shots too. As such, we were planning to travel to a nearby coastal state park that is a 10 min drive from our venue, and doing our first look / some photos there (at ~2 PM).

My questions:

-Should we only focus on doing the pictures of just the two of us during that first look time (as opposed to all bridal party shots, parent shots, etc. too)? At first I was leaning to trying to do *everything* during that time at the state park, but then recently have heard some great stories of B&G taking an hour so to just do a relaxed photo shoot of the two of them during that time, and enjoy the time just the two of them. (This is all weather-permitting...). Not sure if that would be rude though to have bridal party have like 2 hrs to kill with their hair and makeup done before the ceremony starts. I'm planning on having the photographer take pics of me and the girls right before leaving for the first look around 2 PM.

-I'm also curious about how folks have handled small venues whether the photo spots are right near where the ceremony is? There are a few photos that I'd like to take in the garden before the ceremony, fairly close to where the ceremony will be happening (possibly some full bridal party shots in the garden before the ceremony starts, if we have time), but this means that the guests may see us/me as we're filtering in... I'm guessing this is probably something we should avoid?

-Assuming we are able to get most of our photos done before the cocktail hour, what should we do at our cocktail hour? We are hoping to attend at least part of it (that was part of the appeal of a first look), but should we just casually make our way in and go around and start thanking people for coming? Or is it weird to do that before our official "Mr. & Mrs." introduction at the reception? We were hoping to get a few shots of us playing lawn games (which will be out during the cocktail hour), but didn't know if it would look rude to have the photographer take pics of us playing games before we formally went around to welcome all guests.

Thank you!!

ILoveBeachMusic

I think two hours of first look pictures is way too long. Definitely include bridal party pictures during that time. 

No it is not weird to be at the cocktail hour before being introduced as "Mr. and Mrs." I do the game playing pics. at a time when they are open to all guests.

For what it's worth, DD did pictures before and after the ceremony a places around the city. Before pictures were probably 10 mins or so from the church. After pictures were probably 30 mins from reception venue - not positive about that since I wasn't with them.

charlotte989875

Please don't make your WP get dressed up for a few "getting ready" or dress pictures then sit around for 2 hours. I'd recommend doing most of your WP pictures done before the ceremony. 

Mid also say do any photos you want in the ceremony space after the ceremony. Have a list of the shots you want to your photographer ahead of time and they will run through them quickly so you can make it to cocktail hour. Just walk in and mingle and then you can do the "announcement" (if you're doing one) to signal the start of dinner. 

SaintPaulGal

Definitely don't make the bridal party sit around for 2 hours in hair and makeup while you do a 1-on-1 photo shoot with your almost-husband.  Maybe you could stagger the getting ready such that they are half an hour behind you?  Then you could go do the romantic first look private bonding moment thing for a bit while they finish up and then have them join you for the rest of the photos.

How about doing the photos at the ceremony location well before guests begin to arrive, then heading to the park for the first look, and then back in time to start the ceremony?  If it's only 10 minutes between the locations it's no big deal.  I think you should avoid doing staged photos in areas where guests are prior to the ceremony.  Honestly I think it would look a little self-centered to be vogueing it up instead of greeting guests if you are physically there at that time.  I'm not sure exactly why it feels that way, since I have no such impressions of someone I know is off taking photos elsewhere, but that's my gut reaction.

Is there a reason you can't be announced at cocktail hour when you show back up?  That would be my first choice.  But no, there is nothing rude about playing some lawn games and having the formal introduction later.

kjb76

Lurker here. 
Our ceremony starts at 4pm too. We are starting our pictures very early because we are doing shots in several places around the city (Detroit). They are all fairly close to each other, but we want to make sure we have time. We will be doing first look around 12:30-12:45 and we have no bridal party aside from MOH, BM, and FG. They will be coming with us for those pictures.
We will be arriving at our venue at 3pm (it is about 10 mins away from where we will be doing pictures). At that time we will do formal shots with each of our families separately (we have two photographers). We will be doing these in the bridal suite and groom's suite, respectively. 
Ceremony should be over by 4:30 and we will do combined family photos after that and then hopefully attend a portion of our cocktail hour.

ILoveBeachMusic

kjb76 said:

Lurker here. 
Our ceremony starts at 4pm too. We are starting our pictures very early because we are doing shots in several places around the city (Detroit). They are all fairly close to each other, but we want to make sure we have time. We will be doing first look around 12:30-12:45 and we have no bridal party aside from MOH, BM, and FG. They will be coming with us for those pictures.
We will be arriving at our venue at 3pm (it is about 10 mins away from where we will be doing pictures). At that time we will do formal shots with each of our families separately (we have two photographers). We will be doing these in the bridal suite and groom's suite, respectively. 
Ceremony should be over by 4:30 and we will do combined family photos after that and then hopefully attend a portion of our cocktail hour.

I feel like that is a lot of time for photos, especially with such a small wedding party. DD was married in Chicago, went around the city etc. prior to ceremony. Ceremony was at 3:00 with arrival at church@ 2:30, first look was at 1:30ish. They had plenty of pictures. Wedding party was 5 on each side, FG and RB. JMO