Time Between Ceremony and Reception

jamier88

I met with my photographer last night and now I am worried I will not have enought time in between the ceremony and reception. The ceremony is at 3:30 and the cocktail hour starts at 7:00pm and travel time to get from one place to the other is roughly 30 min depending on traffic. I thought I had scheduled plenty of time to do pictures in between and not miss 1 minute of cocktain hour. Now my photographer says it will be tight. We are not doing the receiving line after the ceremony. How much time did have in between? Did it end up being enough time?

Laurms15

That seems like plenty of time. Try and take some bridal shots and some shots with your parents before ceremony. But then if the ceremony is an hour you are done at 4:30 and it takes 30min to get there leaving you 1.5 hours for pictures (and 30min of extra time because things run late) that seems like a lot of time to me.

Our ceremony was at 3pm we had a recieving line so we didn't finish that until after 4:30 then we had a 20min drive and cocktails started at 6pm. We got all of our shots and had time to still be at cocktail hour.

And if you miss 15/20min its ok you still have time to enjoy the food.

Lola Minnie

I had a similar time frame and was fine! We had alot of time to take photos in between.  I had 3pm & 730pm with almost an hour travel time.  Don't worry, you will be fine!

maddie7

My ceremony is at 330 and cocktail is 630, it will have to work!

uppereastgirl

Seriously?  We had a Catholic ceremony (not mass, and no receiving line) at 3:00, and our reception (twenty minute drive from church) started at 4:30.  We missed like 30 minutes of our hour and a half cocktail hour (our bridal party missed less).  Our photographer grabbed my husband and I again during the reception to take photos in the good sunset light. 

But then, our photographer liked simple, natural poses (as did we), so it was really quick to take photos -- and we got plenty of photos done before the church (my husband and I didn't see each other before, but we got photos of me and the BMs and me and my family, and my husband and his GMs and him and his family taken beforehand).  Can you do this?

I'm surprised a professional photographer would want that much time for photos -- is he really slow?  Really into elaborate poses that take a long time to set up?  I don't think I've ever had to do photos for that long when I've been in a wedding.  But really, that is more than enough time to get lots of photos, and extending the time more just so you can take photos would be rude to your guests who will be all dressed up with no place to go.

[Deleted User]

My photographer actually suggested the 3pm ceremony and 7pm cocktail (with about an hour travel time) saying that would be pleanty of time - plus we're doing a receiving line and are not seeing each other before the ceremony.

You're fine!

Peacefield

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_time-between-ceremony-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:c7ec614d-1a94-4b54-aa5f-de24ecf65379Post:d6bf5cbe-9174-4163-93cc-831497faa267">Re: Time Between Ceremony and Reception</a>:
[QUOTE]is he really slow?  [/QUOTE]

That's what I was asking myself as I read the original post.  We want some nice portraits and know you have to allow time for them, but this seems more than necessary and certainly isn't tight.  You should talk with them and see what the can do to ensure you get what you want and don't have to sacrifice time at your own party.