Wedding Day Timeline...help! (long)

emmily429

So, after booking our photographer--deposit and everything--she told me that with the timeline we have it would be difficult to get some of the "posed" shots that I suggested.  Well, having a second shooter is definetely out of our budget ($225) but I just wanted to see what everyone else thought.  We hired her for 6 hours-- I just wanted pictures of me getting into the dress, no makeup/hair pictures, and some of my FI putting his jacket on and things of that nature.  Here is our timeline:

She will be there from 4-10pm.  (Reception starts at 8--is 10 too late to have her there until? is my FIRST question)

4:00- Be at the bridal suite at the reception site getting into my dress.
5:00-5:15 (bound to run late...I think it runs in my family's blood!) Ceremony will be 15 minutes so anywhere from 5-5:30
5:30-6:00- Guests get their placecards, mingle, sign our guestbook WHILE we are taking pictures.
6-7:00- Cocktail hour (Guests are not allowed into the reception room until 6pm.) still WHILE we are taking pictures.
7-8:00- Intro's and Dinner
8-12:00- Reception.

So, what I don't understand, and maybe it's because I am not a photographer, is isn't 1.5 hours plenty of time to get pictures taken?  We are planning on doing our family/formal pictures before the ceremony but we are NOT doing a first look.  I don't want to say anything bad about our photographer but is she just trying to get more money from me or something?  We already went over burget by using her. 

WHAT TO DO?!

Avion22

I would think it would be enough time to get photos taken, but you really need to take your photographer's word for it.   I would definitely have a list of what combinations of "family" shots you want, and have one person appointed to corral everyone and call out who is in each shot.   This will make it move more quickly.

Also...you think your ceremony is going to end at 5:15 and guests can't get into the reception hall for the cocktain hour until 6?  Are the ceremony and reception in the same place?   It kind of looks like it based on your timeline.....If so, what are your guests going to DO for 45 minutes until they are allowed into the cocktail hour?   It won't take 45 minute for people to find their placecards and sign the guest book.  Plus, those activities are usually enjoyed more when people have a drink in their hands or a cracker to nibble on, KWIM?    

I would recommend you just set your ceremony start time to 5:30, then back everything up before that.    And?  Don't plan on being late to your own wedding.  If you tell me your ceremony starts at 5 I'll be there at 4:45.  If it doesn't start till 5:30 I will be pissed.   If I then have to stand around to get into the reception hall, I'll be even more pissed.

clasic1129

I would think 1.5hrs would be enough time, but you have to assume your photographer has done this enough times that she knows what she's talking about.  I'm also going over budget with my photographer, because I love his pictures, but I know that I'll appreciate any pictures that my guests share with me too.  Could one of your bridesmaids or a family friend carry a camera to capture some of the shots you want?  I'm actually thinking of doing this for when I get my hair and makeup done, so I don't have to pay my photographer for an extra hour.

tenofcups4me

I'd ask her more specifically what her concerns are. It certainly sounds like enough time. We did pics before the ceremony for about 1.5 hours total and got everyone in that time. If I'm following right, you have some time before the ceremony and then another 1.5 hours after the ceremony for pics? Ask her what her concerns are and what she suggest and then go from there.

I know you didn't ask about this part, but I don't think your after-ceremony flow makes any sense. It will take guests about a minute to pick up their escort cards. The cocktail hour really should start immediately after the ceremony ends, not 1/2 hour later or you're going to have a lot of annoyed guests just wandering around trying to figure out what's up.

Avion22

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_wedding-day-timelinehelp-long?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:10Discussion:eaae4346-9452-42a3-8dd0-e0df67af9198Post:3f7bce72-b065-499a-8e23-0ef4f3eba3b9">Re: Wedding Day Timeline...help! (long)</a>:
[QUOTE]The only thing I'm worried about with starting our ceremony is the light available after for taking pictures. I don't want pictures of business the dark...at leasg not all of them!
Posted by emmily429[/QUOTE]

<div>You can use this <a href="http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astronomical-applications/data-services/rs-one-day-us" rel="nofollow">link</a> (clicky) to get sunset times for your city on your wedding day.  Keep in mind it doesn't get dark AT sunset, that's the time the sun dips below the horizon.  The "end of civili twilight" time is when it will start to be dark (generally, too dark to drive without headlights).   I would think you should be good for taking pictures at LEAST up until Sunset, and possibly until the end of civil twilight.</div>

lmontana

I had a similar situation.  In reality, 1.5 hours doesn't translate to 1.5 hours of actual shooting time, particularly if you are having a location shoot- i.e. moving around the venue to take photos. The actual shooting time cuts roughly in half. We are getting around some of the time constriant for posed photos by having all of the group photos of the groomsmen and groom, groom and his family, etc taken before the ceremony.  I'm also having posed photos of myself and my bridesmaids, parents, etc done before the ceremony. 

For your timeline, it may work to push back the start time of the ceremony to be right before the beginning of the cocktail hour. It depends, tho, if you were planning on attending the cocktail hour, or making an entrance into the reception after guests were seated.

emmily429

All is well now. we are doing a first look and pushing the ceremony back until 530 and starting pictures at 3. We are doing all the pictures at the same venue. We were just worried about the timing because at first we weren't going to do a FL. thanks for your feedback!