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Pennsylvania-Philadelphia

photos and timeline

How much time is everyone allowing for photos? Which ones before and which ones after? I have my photographer from 3 til 9pm for a Friday ceremony at 5 and cocktail hr is at 6:30 with dinner at 7:30. We were going to do a "first look" at Core Creek Park (Langhorne) at the gazebo beforehand. The Church is in Bensalem and the reception is on Street Road in Southampton. I figure 20-30 minutes to get from place to place. I do have a videograher who will be at the reception until the end. Photographer is scheduled for 6 hrs only. I only want a cake cutting photo and first dances. I think we can get that in before 9pm. I hope.

Re: photos and timeline

  • edited December 2011
    Are you sure you don't want the photog until the end? Some of my favorite pics are from the dancing and from the sparkler send off at the end. 

    I had my photog for 10-11 hours.
  • angel33284angel33284 member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    You don't have time to do any of what you want. Unless you want to be fully dressed when the photog gets there and you want to slip the cocktail hour.

    300-330 getting dressed
    330-345 just tio get people organized and into the limo
    345-400 travel time to core creek park
    400-410 first look (no bridal party shots)
    410-440 travel to church (remember that the church usually wants the groomsmen there to seat guests, so you can't just show up at 5 PM)

    So that leaves you 10 minutes for a first look.

    500-530 ceremony
    530-545 getting organized to get back in limo (assuming no receiving line, bubble send-off, or photos at the church)
    545-615 travel to the hall
    615-630 freshen up makeup
    630-730 photos or cocktail hour

    I think you should add at least one hour at the beginning of the day and have the photog come at 2.

  • Bean32Bean32 member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I would definitely try to have your photographer add another hour or two. We had ours from 2-10. Our ceremony started at 6, reception started at 7:30, and we got the cake in around 9:15. We did all of our pictures before the ceremony and had no travel time, as everything was at one place. We did have some down time before the ceremony, but it was nice to not feel rushed and to be able to have a glass of champagne and some snacks with my bridal party to chill out. Based on my experience, I think you will really struggle to get everything to fit into 6 hours. If you're stressed and rushed, your pictures will probably show that. I would talk to your photographer about adding an hour or two onto your time.
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  • Bean32Bean32 member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Oh - and I didn't mind having the photographer leave shortly after the cake cutting. He and his second got in pictures of us with all of our guest tables and also a bunch of pictures of us dancing once the dancefloor opened. By the time he left (45 minutes after dancing started), we were all sweaty from dancing and not looking our best anyway. The pictures from friends' cameras will definitely be enough to capture the rest of the night.
    BabyFetus Ticker BabyFruit Ticker
  • edited December 2011
    Bean.... that was my EXACT thought about the reception. I think there will be enough cameras around for pictures of people dancing. I guess when I think of a pro photographer, I am more focused on the family portraits and the pre-reception shots that we would frame and hang. The group pictures with everyone and beers in hand wil be on Facebook the next day anyhow.

    I am not doing the "getting ready"  shots. There is no limo (everyone is in their own cars) and the bridal party is my two sisters, his brother and best friend. The guest count is under 100. Currently 80. The Church isn't requiring the groomsmen to seat guests. But that reminds me that I haven't thought of who is escorting who....ok I wil make that a separate post because I am not sure how that usually works.

    ok, now I am a little worried that I won't get in a first dance and cake cutting by 9 ...and eat some dinner. Hmmmm....maybe I should add an hour and start at 2:30 and go until 9:30???
  • edited December 2011
    I also only had 2 bridesmaids and 2 groomsmen and we were able to do a lot in a short amount of time.  That being said, we didn't have a lot of travel.  I was also on a tight budget and we only had our photographer for four hours.  We also did not do a first look. And no getting ready pictures.  Our venue was a short walk through old city from the hotel.

    This was my timeline, maybe it will help to think about your schedule because you also have a small bridal party.
    2:40: groomsmen left for venue.
    2:50: photographer arrived
    3:00: photography began at hotel and we walked to the venue stopping at 2 sites in old city for pics with bridesmaids and my parents
    3:50: arrived at venue.
    3:50-4:20: photog took pictures with groom and groomsmen
    4:30-4:50ish ceremony
    4:50-5:30: portraits during cocktail hour
    6pm toasts then first dances
    photog was done at 7pm

    It was a tight schedule but I am really happy with the photos (you can see my photos! post below).  All of our friends got great pics of the rest of the reception so I wasn't worried about missing out on that.

    I hope this is helpful. Good luck!
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
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