Getting Ready Timeline

SoonToBeSmith0512

Hi!

I am trying to work through the wedding morning getting ready/photography timeline in order to nail down timing for the photographer and transportation company. I'm hoping for some feedback on my general outline to make sure I'm not totally missing anything/not leaving enough time/leaving too much time/etc. 

Let me know your thoughts!

Some important details -

-Between BM's, moms, and sisters, (and me) there will be 10 women getting hair done with 2 stylists; 5 will also be getting makeup done, but that's a separate stylist so we can overlap. All of this will be done at the hotel where we're getting ready. 
-We will not be doing a first look, so we're trying to get as much of the girls only/guys only pics done pre-ceremony so we can focus on full WP + B/G during cocktail hour.
-The church is 30 min away from the reception, and doors for cocktail hour will open 30 min after ceremony end-time so there will be no gap; cocktail hour will technically be an hour and a half long.

Timeline -

9:00 AM - WP starts arriving at respective hotel rooms
1:00 PM - Groomsmen pre-wedding pics ("getting ready" + portraits)
1:45 PM - Groomsmen leave for church
1:45 PM - BM pre-wedding pics ("getting ready" + portraits + detail shots)
3:30 PM - BM leave for church
4:30 PM - Ceremony
5:00 PM - Ceremony ends, WP/family pics at altar
7:00 PM - WP arrives at reception

charlotte989875

SoonToBeSmith0512 said:

Hi!

I am trying to work through the wedding morning getting ready/photography timeline in order to nail down timing for the photographer and transportation company. I'm hoping for some feedback on my general outline to make sure I'm not totally missing anything/not leaving enough time/leaving too much time/etc. 

Let me know your thoughts!

Some important details -

-Between BM's, moms, and sisters, (and me) there will be 10 women getting hair done with 2 stylists; 5 will also be getting makeup done, but that's a separate stylist so we can overlap. All of this will be done at the hotel where we're getting ready. 
-We will not be doing a first look, so we're trying to get as much of the girls only/guys only pics done pre-ceremony so we can focus on full WP + B/G during cocktail hour.
-The church is 30 min away from the reception, and doors for cocktail hour will open 30 min after ceremony end-time so there will be no gap; cocktail hour will technically be an hour and a half long.

Timeline -

9:00 AM - WP starts arriving at respective hotel rooms
1:00 PM - Groomsmen pre-wedding pics ("getting ready" + portraits)
1:45 PM - Groomsmen leave for church
1:45 PM - BM pre-wedding pics ("getting ready" + portraits + detail shots)
3:30 PM - BM leave for church
4:30 PM - Ceremony
5:00 PM - Ceremony ends, WP/family pics at altar
7:00 PM - WP arrives at reception

Why are the groomsmen at the church, or having to leave for the church, so much earlier than the bridesmaids? It seems odd that they're leaving for the church while the bridesmaids are just getting ready. If the church is only 30 minutes away, why are they getting there at roughly 2:15 for a 4:30 ceremony?

Is your photographer solo, or do they have a second shooter? We had a second shooter so they GM and the BM all got ready at roughly the same time (we started a little earlier, and they left slightly earlier because they got ready at a house instead of the hotel), and we all met at the church 30 minutes before it started. 

levioosa

So you have a two hour gap between the end of the ceremony and when they reception begins/you show up to the reception? That’s not okay. Cocktail hour should be an hour, hour and a half max. 

MairePoppy

That's a long time for the gm to be waiting around at the church. They should arrive 30 to 45 minutes before the ceremony. Could the groom provide snacks and a place to relax after pics?

eileenrob

Ditto others that the GM arrival at church seems too far before the ceremony begins.

@levioosa  what I got from the OP was it’s a 30min drive from ceremony to reception and an hour and a half cocktail hour...so I guess 5-5:30 guests get from ceremony to reception and 5:30-7 cocktail hour...so no gap.  (Personally an hour and a half is pushing it for a cocktail hr...it better be multiple stations, plenty of passed hors d’ouvres, tons of seating and full open bar.) But I don’t believe there’s a gap.

levioosa

eileenrob said:

Ditto others that the GM arrival at church seems too far before the ceremony begins.

@levioosa  what I got from the OP was it’s a 30min drive from ceremony to reception and an hour and a half cocktail hour...so I guess 5-5:30 guests get from ceremony to reception and 5:30-7 cocktail hour...so no gap.  (Personally an hour and a half is pushing it for a cocktail hr...it better be multiple stations, plenty of passed hors d’ouvres, tons of seating and full open bar.) But I don’t believe there’s a gap.

Ah. That makes sense. But I agree, 90 minutes is pushing it. I also think 30 minutes away is starting to push it, but it’s still doable. 

SoonToBeSmith0512

There is no gap. Full open bar, stations and plenty of passed hors d'voures as well as a 12 piece band, and they'll have access to their tables and chairs. I think the guests will be set while they wait!

The GM are arriving to the church so early because we have a single H2 hummer, so it will still need to drive 30 minutes back to the hotel and then another 30 minutes to take us to the church. So while the guys won't get there until 2:15-2:30 (depending on if they leave right on time or need a few minutes to gather their things), the girls won't get to the church until 3:45-4:00. I'd be hesitant to leave any less cushion.

The church has a lounge-like room for the guys with a large TV, X-Box, etc. and my FI will be providing snacks and drinks, so they'll be OK to hang out there and relax for a bit. 

Girls and guys will both start getting ready around 9 (starting with breakfast/mimosas/beer for the guys), the girls just have the extra hour while the guys are driven to the church and the limo comes back for us. 

Thoughts on the amount of time I have allotted for getting ready and the pictures? I'm mostly concerned with whether or not the time for getting ready and photos seems suitable for the size of groups.

Edit: We have a single shooter for photographs. 

flantastic

SoonToBeSmith0512 said:

There is no gap. Full open bar, stations and plenty of passed hors d'voures as well as a 12 piece band, and they'll have access to their tables and chairs. I think the guests will be set while they wait!

The GM are arriving to the church so early because we have a single H2 hummer, so it will still need to drive 30 minutes back to the hotel and then another 30 minutes to take us to the church. So while the guys won't get there until 2:15-2:30 (depending on if they leave right on time or need a few minutes to gather their things), the girls won't get to the church until 3:45-4:00. I'd be hesitant to leave any less cushion.

The church has a lounge-like room for the guys with a large TV, X-Box, etc. and my FI will be providing snacks and drinks, so they'll be OK to hang out there and relax for a bit. 

Girls and guys will both start getting ready around 9 (starting with breakfast/mimosas/beer for the guys), the girls just have the extra hour while the guys are driven to the church and the limo comes back for us. 

Thoughts on the amount of time I have allotted for getting ready and the pictures? I'm mostly concerned with whether or not the time for getting ready and photos seems suitable for the size of groups.

I would rather drive myself than kill time merely because of a school bus limo schedule, just saying. But if the guys think they'll have fun at church, whatever. It's just not necessary in any way (the limo trip or the early roll call). That's a long time to ask their SOs to do without them for no actual reason, but it's not wrong, per se.

You really don't need that many pictures. What you have is fine. Also, if it takes your group more than nearly 5 hours to get ready, Lord help you.

MyNameIsNot

flantastic said:

SoonToBeSmith0512 said:

There is no gap. Full open bar, stations and plenty of passed hors d'voures as well as a 12 piece band, and they'll have access to their tables and chairs. I think the guests will be set while they wait!

The GM are arriving to the church so early because we have a single H2 hummer, so it will still need to drive 30 minutes back to the hotel and then another 30 minutes to take us to the church. So while the guys won't get there until 2:15-2:30 (depending on if they leave right on time or need a few minutes to gather their things), the girls won't get to the church until 3:45-4:00. I'd be hesitant to leave any less cushion.

The church has a lounge-like room for the guys with a large TV, X-Box, etc. and my FI will be providing snacks and drinks, so they'll be OK to hang out there and relax for a bit. 

Girls and guys will both start getting ready around 9 (starting with breakfast/mimosas/beer for the guys), the girls just have the extra hour while the guys are driven to the church and the limo comes back for us. 

Thoughts on the amount of time I have allotted for getting ready and the pictures? I'm mostly concerned with whether or not the time for getting ready and photos seems suitable for the size of groups.

I would rather drive myself than kill time merely because of a school bus limo schedule, just saying. But if the guys think they'll have fun at church, whatever. It's just not necessary in any way (the limo trip or the early roll call). That's a long time to ask their SOs to do without them for no actual reason, but it's not wrong, per se.

You really don't need that many pictures. What you have is fine. Also, if it takes your group more than nearly 5 hours to get ready, Lord help you.

10 ladies have their hair done by 2 stylists, they're going to need 5 hours. That's not to say that the moms or whoever goes first won't be done by 11 and have time to go do whatever else before photos start, but I wouldn't leave less than 1 hour per hair. 

On the pre-ceremony pics, 45 minutes is enough time for each group. You really can push down the BM pics to start at 2:30 or 2:45. Nearly 2 hours is overkill. 

eileenrob

SoonToBeSmith0512 said:

There is no gap. Full open bar, stations and plenty of passed hors d'voures as well as a 12 piece band, and they'll have access to their tables and chairs. I think the guests will be set while they wait!

The GM are arriving to the church so early because we have a single H2 hummer, so it will still need to drive 30 minutes back to the hotel and then another 30 minutes to take us to the church. So while the guys won't get there until 2:15-2:30 (depending on if they leave right on time or need a few minutes to gather their things), the girls won't get to the church until 3:45-4:00. I'd be hesitant to leave any less cushion.

The church has a lounge-like room for the guys with a large TV, X-Box, etc. and my FI will be providing snacks and drinks, so they'll be OK to hang out there and relax for a bit. 

Girls and guys will both start getting ready around 9 (starting with breakfast/mimosas/beer for the guys), the girls just have the extra hour while the guys are driven to the church and the limo comes back for us. 

Thoughts on the amount of time I have allotted for getting ready and the pictures? I'm mostly concerned with whether or not the time for getting ready and photos seems suitable for the size of groups.

Edit: We have a single shooter for photographs. 

My mom, two sisters and I used one hair and one MU stylist for my wedding and my sister’s.  Each service took somewhere between 30-60min.  They took about 3 hours each for us to all be complete.  

10 women getting hair done by two stylists (so five each) shouldn’t take more than 5 hours.  I recommend you get yourself towards the beginning, just bc you may feel anxious if things are suddenly rolling forward and you’re in a stylist chair.

ETA spelling 

southernbelle0915

I'm going to suggest something that may sound really different to you, but I think it will simplify your plan immensely. Just consider it... A Hummer H2 Limo holds 19 people. Based on your posts, you have 7 or fewer BMs. I'm guessing your DH has 7 or fewer GMs. So total, there are 16 people (including you and your FI) in the wedding party. Since you don't want to see your FI before the ceremony, I am going to suggest that the BMs, GMs, and groom all take the limo to the ceremony venue at the same time. You get a special car for you, your MOH, and your mom. This way, you can save money on transport rental time, everyone arrives at the ceremony venue at same time, you don't have to see your FI before the ceremony, and you'll have a few minutes of special time with your MOH and mom (and more room for your dress in the car). 

The guys will need about an hour to get ready. Tops. Starting their day at 9am for a 4:30pm wedding is crazy.

Here's what I'd do (assuming you'll get a special car for yourself):

9:30 - BMs arrive at hotel/stylists & MUA arrive and set up their stations
10:00-2:00 - stylists do hair for 10 and MUA does make-up for 5 (estimating just under an hour for each)
12:00 - serve lunch to BMs
1:30 - photographer arrives at bridal suite and takes detail pics (dress, shoes, accessories, etc.), old/blue/borrowed/new exchange pics, and candid getting ready pics.
1:45 - GMs arrive at hotel
2:00 - dresses on (photographer leaves while women change)
2:00 - photographer goes to GMs suite and takes detail pics (cuff links, etc.) and candid getting ready/hanging out pics
2:30 - photographer back to bridal suite for bride getting into dress and polished group bridal party photos
2:30 - suits/tuxes on and boutonnieres pinned
3:00 - photographer back to GM suite for polished group GM party photos
3:30 - groom, GMs and BMs in the limo/bride, MOH and mom in their car
3:45/4:00 - wedding party arrives at church, groups go to their own waiting rooms to pee, freshen up, have a couple snacks and wait for ceremony
4:30 - ceremony
5:00-5:45 - WP/family photos at altar
5:45 - family leaves to join cocktail hour
5:45-6:15 - B&G photos
6:15 - WP to limo for ride to reception venue
5:30-7 cocktail hour for guests
7:00 - B&G/WP intros
7:15 - spotlight dances
7:30 - dinner (table visits for B&G)
8:30 - cake cutting
9:00-end - party

SoonToBeSmith0512

southernbelle0915 said:

I'm going to suggest something that may sound really different to you, but I think it will simplify your plan immensely. Just consider it... A Hummer H2 Limo holds 19 people. Based on your posts, you have 7 or fewer BMs. I'm guessing your DH has 7 or fewer GMs. So total, there are 16 people (including you and your FI) in the wedding party. Since you don't want to see your FI before the ceremony, I am going to suggest that the BMs, GMs, and groom all take the limo to the ceremony venue at the same time. You get a special car for you, your MOH, and your mom. This way, you can save money on transport rental time, everyone arrives at the ceremony venue at same time, you don't have to see your FI before the ceremony, and you'll have a few minutes of special time with your MOH and mom (and more room for your dress in the car). 

The guys will need about an hour to get ready. Tops. Starting their day at 9am for a 4:30pm wedding is crazy.

Here's what I'd do (assuming you'll get a special car for yourself):

9:30 - BMs arrive at hotel/stylists & MUA arrive and set up their stations
10:00-2:00 - stylists do hair for 10 and MUA does make-up for 5 (estimating just under an hour for each)
12:00 - serve lunch to BMs
1:30 - photographer arrives at bridal suite and takes detail pics (dress, shoes, accessories, etc.), old/blue/borrowed/new exchange pics, and candid getting ready pics.
1:45 - GMs arrive at hotel
2:00 - dresses on (photographer leaves while women change)
2:00 - photographer goes to GMs suite and takes detail pics (cuff links, etc.) and candid getting ready/hanging out pics
2:30 - photographer back to bridal suite for bride getting into dress and polished group bridal party photos
2:30 - suits/tuxes on and boutonnieres pinned
3:00 - photographer back to GM suite for polished group GM party photos
3:30 - groom, GMs and BMs in the limo/bride, MOH and mom in their car
3:45/4:00 - wedding party arrives at church, groups go to their own waiting rooms to pee, freshen up, have a couple snacks and wait for ceremony
4:30 - ceremony
5:00-5:45 - WP/family photos at altar
5:45 - family leaves to join cocktail hour
5:45-6:15 - B&G photos
6:15 - WP to limo for ride to reception venue
5:30-7 cocktail hour for guests
7:00 - B&G/WP intros
7:15 - spotlight dances
7:30 - dinner (table visits for B&G)
8:30 - cake cutting
9:00-end - party

This is actually very interesting and something I never would have thought of! Unfortunately there’s a 6 hour transportation minimum, but even cost savings aside I may do just this for simplicity sake!

PrettyGirlLost

MairePoppy said:

That's a long time for the gm to be waiting around at the church. They should arrive 30 to 45 minutes before the ceremony. Could the groom provide snacks and a place to relax after pics?

Lunch should be provided for everyone, and if not please be sure to give your WP time to go eat- and send them off to do so with your blessing.