Wedding Photography and Videography Forum

How much time for formal pics?

Exactly how much time did everyone set aside after the ceremony for formals? If you're a happily Married Mrs. would you have changed anything about how you did your formals & how much time it took? Such as you wished you had more time/could have used less time?

Here's my problem...Our ceremony & reception sites are only 4 minutes of driving time away from each other. If we go with our original time plan, with one hour of formal photog time, we will have almost a whole hour that guests will be at the reception before the bridal party arrives. IMO, it seems like too large of a gap. I'd rather have less of a time frame.

Time Plan:
Ceremony 4:30-5:00 (straight to pictures afterwards)
Guests arrive @ Reception by 5:15
Formal Bridal Party pictures: 5:00-6:00 (1 hour reccomended by our photog)
Bridal Party arrives @ Reception 6:05

OR is this COMPLETELY fine and I'm over thinking it??

Re: How much time for formal pics?

  • fallbride1109fallbride1109 member
    5000 Comments Fifth Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited December 2011
    Most brides and grooms provide a cocktail hour for their guests to mingle and have drinks and apps while the family takes their pictures.  It is not uncommon and an hour is not too much time, as long as food and drinks are provided.

    We probably spent 30-45 minutes on family/bridal party pictures and then took another 20 minutes for bride and groom photos after the ceremony (during the cocktail hour).  So probably an hour and a half total.

    You can also take family and wedding party pictures before the ceremony even if you don't want to see one another (you with your BP and parents, him with his GMs and parents, etc.)  This will cut down considerably on the time that is needed after the ceremony.  I suggest discussing your concerns with your photographer.
  • edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_photos-video_much-time-formal-pics?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:30Discussion:95ff069d-e0a3-4f7a-b90b-740a063bc5cePost:e9adc0b7-f665-470a-9a97-d0ea52aca4b7">Re: How much time for formal pics?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Most brides and grooms provide a cocktail hour for their guests to mingle and have drinks and apps while the family takes their pictures.  It is not uncommon and an hour is not too much time, as long as food and drinks are provided. We probably spent 30-45 minutes on family/bridal party pictures and then took another 20 minutes for bride and groom photos after the ceremony (during the cocktail hour).  So probably an hour and a half total. You can also take family and wedding party pictures before the ceremony even if you don't want to see one another (you with your BP and parents, him with his GMs and parents, etc.)  This will cut down considerably on the time that is needed after the ceremony.  I suggest discussing your concerns with your photographer.
    Posted by stephiehall[/QUOTE]

    Stephanie, do you happen to have a day-of-timeline? I couldn't find one on your Bio.
  • fallbride1109fallbride1109 member
    5000 Comments Fifth Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited December 2011
    I have one -- but we did a reveal (where we see each other before hand).  This is the shortened version:

    9:00am - Rise and shine/breakfast
    10:00-Noon - Girls shower/relax
    Noon - Lunch delivered
    1:00pm - MUA arrives
    2:00pm - Flowers arrive
    1:00-4:00 - Girls Get ready
    4:00pm - Photographer arrives/bride gets dressed (*my photog actually got there around 3:30 and started shooting)
    4:30pm - Reveal (*this was closer to 5:00)
    5:00pm - Bridal party/family pictures (*these actually started closer to 5:30 and ended a little after 6:00)
    6:00pm - Sign Ketubah/return to respective rooms
    6:00pm - Photographer shoots details
    7:00pm - Ceremony
    7:30pm - Cocktails for guests/Bride and Groom pictures
    8:15pm - Bride and groom announced/first dance
    8:20pm - Welcome
    8:30pm - Dinner served
    9:00pm - Dance floor opens
    9:30pm - Toasts/cake
    10:30pm - Bouquet/garter
    11:15pm - Last dance for guests
    11:20pm - Private last dance for bride/groom
    11:30pm - Exit
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