Is 2 hours for cocktail "hour" too long?

jm465 · July 2014

We've run into a bit of a problem planning our timeline for the big day. Our ceremony is 30mins max and our photographer would like a 1.5-2 hour block for photos (family, bridal party and bride/groom) right after the ceremony. We were originally planning for a 1 hour cocktail but didn't really think about the pictures until now! And we aren't in love with the idea of doing a first look.

We will be having an open bar as well as lots of served appetizers and live music. There are a few different areas for guests, including an outdoor space, with ample seating. There is no travel time in-between the ceremony and reception as everything is at one location. Is 2 hours too long??

chibiyui · July 2014

Yes. Two hours is too long. Can you do family portraits, bridal party portraits before the ceremony?

southernbelle0915 · July 2014

Knottie56564987 said:

We've run into a bit of a problem planning our timeline for the big day. Our ceremony is 30mins max and our photographer would like a 1.5-2 hour block for photos (family, bridal party and bride/groom) right after the ceremony. We were originally planning for a 1 hour cocktail but didn't really think about the pictures until now! And we aren't in love with the idea of doing a first look. We will be having an open bar as well as lots of served appetizers and live music. There are a few different areas for guests, including an outdoor space, with ample seating. There is no travel time in-between the ceremony and reception as everything is at one location. Is 2 hours too long??

You definitely do not need 2 hours of photos. If you don't want to see your FI before the wedding, do all your photos with just you, just your family, just the girls, just the guys, etc. before the wedding. Then after the wedding, all you have left are family formals, whole-WP formals and B&G.

I wouldn't seriously side-eye a 2 hour cocktail hour. I think 90 minutes is pushing it. People are there to see and spend time with you - not to wait while you get the perfect pose in some other location.

StitelME · July 2014

I agree. 2 hours is way too long. I think the photographer is being a bit greedy for time if they are requesting that much. You would think a wedding photographer would be used to what I believe is pretty standard timing for this.

I would find a way to do pictures like family portraits, etc. earlier if possible or maybe shorten any list of "must-have" photos you've given the photographer that you would like during that cocktail hour time frame.

OliveOilsMom · July 2014

H & I did not have a first look. Our photos still took under an hour. Do as many photos as you can prior to the ceremony. You and the BM, FI and the GM, you alone, FI alone, you & your family, FI and his family. It will greatly reduce the amount of photos you need after the ceremony.

2 hours is too long for cocktail hour, even if you are properly hosting your guests. Tell your photog that they can only have an hour of your time because you are starting the reception at Y time.

STARMOON44 · July 2014

2 hours is too long. Tell your photographer he or she gets one hour, you want a list if photos that can be taken in that time and that's it. The hired help don't get to dictate how you host your guests. Can you imagine the horror of the dowager Dutchess on hearing this?

JaxInBlue · July 2014

For me, yes, two hours is too much and 90 minutes is pushing it. The easiest way to cut down pictures after the ceremony without the first look would be to do family and attendant pictures before the ceremony, and spend the hour after the ceremony getting a few additional family pictures and pictures of you and your new spouse. Ideally, you can work with your photog to get a specific list of pictures worked out ahead of time, and structure way pictures are taken to be as efficient as possible from there.

MNVegas · July 2014

For me it would be. I really don't want to hang around for two hours waiting for you. I'm a little surprised that your photographer thinks he will need two hours for after ceremony pics. That seems long to me. Try to get as many pics done ahead of the ceremony and then finish up after the ceremony but don't make your guests wait for two hours.

bunnyprincess2014 · July 2014

Yes, I think two hours is too long as well. People are going to become restless and antsy, and may feel annoyed that your pictures take precedence over guests comfort and enjoyment. Even if you do not want to do a first look, you can get a lot of your pictures done before the ceremony, so one hour should be sufficient to do the rest where both you and your groom are needed.

theartistformerlyknownas · July 2014

Yes, it's too long. Do bridal party and family before the ceremony. Ideally you'll have two shooters so one shoots your side while the other is with your FI's side. If your photographer can't get all the pictures you need of you two together afterward in an hour, you need a new photographer. We told ours we had an hour and she laughed and said she wouldn't need nearly that long; more like 30, MAYBE 45 minutes.

KatieinBkln · July 2014

I think 2 hours is officially too long. Personally, I probably wouldn't even notice how long the cocktail hour was, provided there were plenty of appetizers and cocktails, but older guests (as a rule) don't necessarily have the stamina to A. wait that long to eat real food, and B. wait around to see YOU! Families with kids might have similar issues, especially if they have to leave on the early side to get the kids to bed.

daria24 · July 2014

I have been to one wedding with a 90 minute cocktail hour because that is how long it took the venue to overturn the room between the ceremony& reception. There was amble food and alcohol, a photo booth, but barely any seating. Everyone was very antsy after one hour. By 90 minutes people were downright grumpy.

Two hours is much too long.

annathy03 · July 2014

2 hours is way too long- and there are lots of photos you can do beforehand without a first look:

You + your parents

You + bridesmaids

You + your siblings

You + each bridesmaid

Him + his parents

Him + groomsmen

Him + each groomsmen

Him + his siblings

Then all you have to do after are the group shots (you two with all parents, with his, with yours, family shot, and bridal party shots) before moving to your romantics. The group photos really don't take that long provided the people in them know to hang back for a few minutes.

holyguacamole79 · July 2014

Agree with PPs. We didn't do a first look, either. We took all pictures that did not require me + DH to be together before the ceremony, and did all our other pics afterwards. We took less than 30 minutes.

PrettyGirlLost · July 2014

Knottie56564987 said:

We've run into a bit of a problem planning our timeline for the big day. Our ceremony is 30mins max and our photographer would like a 1.5-2 hour block for photos (family, bridal party and bride/groom) right after the ceremony. We were originally planning for a 1 hour cocktail but didn't really think about the pictures until now! And we aren't in love with the idea of doing a first look. We will be having an open bar as well as lots of served appetizers and live music. There are a few different areas for guests, including an outdoor space, with ample seating. There is no travel time in-between the ceremony and reception as everything is at one location. Is 2 hours too long??

I want a gold plated toilet, but we don't always get what we want. . . just say no to your photog!

Take bridal pics with your BM's and Groom pics with his GM's separately and before the ceremony. Then afterwards, take the group shots and keep that time to no more than 1.5 hours. You do not need to take a ton of portraits after the ceremony. . . you can do those at the reception.

Your guests will not appreciate waiting around for you for 2 hours, nor waiting for 2+ hours to be seated to eat dinner, no matter if you host them the entire time you are taking pictures.

ashleyep · July 2014

Ultimately the photographer will make it work with whatever you give her. Mine suggested a first look, and I refused to do it. So she suggested keeping our formal photos to under 10 - 10 photos with our bridal party, family etc (and I have a big family, it will be mayhem). She likes at least 40 minutes for photos of just the couple and she's probably not going to get it - we have maybe an hour and 15 minutes at most to do photos (depending on how long the ceremony takes/how long the drive to the reception is).

You could push it to 90, but that's still a bit long. You need to just tell your photographer she's not going to have 2 hours, sorry.

Do what you can before hand - I can do a photo with my bridesmaids before hand and he can do one with groomsmen beforehand. That's 2/10 that I can get out of the way. We just don't really have anywhere to do them.

sarawifenow · July 2014

I would seriously side eye a 2 hour cocktail hour. This would actually cause me to leave the reception earlier.

jm465 · July 2014

Thank you for the advice!! The last few weddings we've been too have been cocktail receptions so I honestly couldn't remember how long the cocktail hour runs during a traditional timeline. I also think 2 hours is too long, but thought I would check to see if maybe we had missed something

. Nor do I particularly want to spend that long taking pictures when I could be celebrating with eveyone!

We will defintely have a pre-arranged list given to the photog and do as many photos beforehand.

Thanks again!

mysticl · July 2014

My wedding venue strictly prohibited pre-ceremony photography. We still managed to attend part of our cocktail hour. You just need to make sure everyone is present and do them in a order that keeps people from wandering off and having to be chased down. That way you can move from shot to shot without a ton of time in between.

BMoreBride6 · July 2014

mysticl said:

My wedding venue strictly prohibited pre-ceremony photography. We still managed to attend part of our cocktail hour. You just need to make sure everyone is present and do them in a order that keeps people from wandering off and having to be chased down. That way you can move from shot to shot without a ton of time in between.

Out of curiosity, why was that? You weren't allowed on the grounds before ceremony time? Never seen that before

mysticl · July 2014

BMoreBride6 said:

mysticl said:

My wedding venue strictly prohibited pre-ceremony photography. We still managed to attend part of our cocktail hour. You just need to make sure everyone is present and do them in a order that keeps people from wandering off and having to be chased down. That way you can move from shot to shot without a ton of time in between.

Out of curiosity, why was that? You weren't allowed on the grounds before ceremony time? Never seen that before

Military Chapel. Weddings were on Saturdays from noon to one or two to three. If you had the noon wedding you and your guests could arrive no earlier than 11:15 and you had to be out by 1:45. If you had the 2pm wedding you and your guests could arrive no earlier than 1:15 and had to be out by 3:45. This meant if there were 2 weddings booked that day you were going to overlap being in the chapel together. They also preferred you did not do a receiving line because of the time constraints. We did do one since our ceremony did not take the full hour, so it was able to take place during our allotted ceremony time. Very strict decorating policies as well. But, hey, it was free.

Viczaesar · July 2014

Yes, 2 hours is too long.

wrigleyville · July 2014

We had the same stipulations in Vegas (no access to the chapel before the wedding and very limited time afterward).

Our photographer took photos of us on the Strip and on the chapel grounds before the ceremony, and then we did our group pics and "romantics" after the ceremony. I think it took 30 minutes, tops. The guests had barely dug into the appetizers and such when we arrived at the reception.

We did a First Look, but we didn't do any full group shots or "romantics" until after the ceremony.

misshart00 · July 2014

Yes. And if you're planning on two hours, it could easily turn to 3.

offensivekitten2 · July 2014

Way way too long. An hour tops of standing around like a schmuck, or I'm gone.

slothiegal · July 2014

KatieinBkln said:

I think 2 hours is officially too long. Personally, I probably wouldn't even notice how long the cocktail hour was, provided there were plenty of appetizers and cocktails, but older guests (as a rule) don't necessarily have the stamina to A. wait that long to eat real food, and B. wait around to see YOU! Families with kids might have similar issues, especially if they have to leave on the early side to get the kids to bed.

SIB

Shit, I don't have the stamina to wait. A friend has already offered to bring me some food from cocktail hour so I can snack between photos. It's a pretty universal opinion that I am not so much fun to be around when hungry.

traditionallyuntraditional · July 2014

Yes it's too long. Do all of the non-couple shots before the wedding.

wmam35 · July 2014

My step brother's wedding had a cocktail hour that ended up being about 2 hours, and I can tell you with certainty that people were angry. Not annoyed, not miffed, but angry. This wedding was 6 or 7 years ago too, and it still gets mentioned. Don't let something like that be what everyone talks about years after your wedding. I would firmly tell your photographer that you will only have one hour available after the wedding. If you really don't want to do a first look, make sure to do whatever photos you can before hand.

RebeccaFlower · July 2014

Make really good lists! Seriously, you don't need a thousand pictures of yourself. You don't want your home to be a shrine of yourselves, so you don't need that many. I'm glad you agree that two hours definitely is too long.

melbenso · July 2014

That's a lot of time for pictures after the ceremony. We did full family pictures in about 15 minutes (individual family pics before the ceremony), full wedding party pictures in about 20 minutes (separate side wedding party pics before the ceremony), and pictures of just DH and I for about 20 minutes after the ceremony. Pictures were taken in two different locations on our venue property, one inside and one outside, in less than an hour.

Our cocktail hour still ran about an hour and 15 minutes because of some issues bustling my dress - one of the loops fell off and we had to track down a safety pin (and I felt bad about those 15 minutes).

Two hours is too long for cocktail hour, even if it is well hosted. But I'm more confused about why your photographer thinks he/she will need that long for pictures. Sounds like you need to sit down with him/her and do some photo planning.

huskypuppy14 · July 2014

I wish this cocktail hour was longer- said no one ever.

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