Time line for our wedding day

Maybe you can compromise? An hour of photos off site and then join your guests for cocktail hour and have the photographer do your candid stuff there.

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Totally with you on that! You can read so many books, blogs, articles that all say different things and you just have to pick one and hope for the best!

Knowing that some of our family/guests that are notoriously early AND late, I'll have to "pick my poison" with this for sure haha.

View quoted message My comment was more towards how things usually go here and all the weddings I’ve been to. Things may be different where you are, and people may take the invite time as when the doors open, not when the ceremony starts. I guess it would depend on how weddings normally go where you are.

And yeah foguring our a timeline is stressful. I think I’m going to aim for our ceremony to start maybe 5-10 minutes after the invite time? That way anyone cutting it close with time have a few extra minutes, and our guests who show up early won’t be waiting forever. It’s so hard to figure out what timing is best.

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Hi Emma,

Thank you for the feedback, I'll definitely look into updating that time!

View quoted message I just noticed that the ceremony invite time is 4pm but the ceremony actually starts at 4:30. I don’t know about you but whenever I’m invited to a wedding I know to show up a good 10-15 mins before the time that’s listed. That would mean a good portion of people will be sitting around for 40-45 mins before the ceremony starts.

To me as a guest to a wedding I would be way more annoyed at that then a 2 hour long cocktail hour.

Girl, I've been stuck at cocktail hours that have lasted like, 3.5 hours and we got by just fine. It's just a lot more time to mingle and drink lol. Don't stress too much about what your guests will be doing; they'll be just fine.

We're doing our photos pre-ceremony with a first look and all of the "staged" photos done beforehand.

Our photographer actually sent us her photo timeline, which has helped me build our entire day-of timeline. This isn't set in stone, but if we have to change anything, then we have a better idea of how to move stuff around! I also used the examples from the website "Practical Wedding".

Timeline

I also agree with Brides here that, guests will expect some time between the ceremony and reception for pictures.

Speaking from experience as a guest, a 'cocktail hour' that exceeds 2 hours isn't optimal, unless you have loads of food, entertainment and let your guests know that they can leave the venue and come back for your grand entrance.

No one will notice the extra 30 minutes. especially when they are socializing. take into account too that travelling can have traffic, getting your wedding party into the bus/limo. all takes time.

we are doing 3 hours in between. but that gives people time to go check into the hotel. then get to the reception.

check with your photographer. they are VERY well versed in this. I originally wanted a later wedding and it was my photographer and coordinator that said give yourself that extra time. better to have a bit more cocktail hour, then be late to your reception/dinner starting.

Just here to say I agree with Stephanie and Casey! Especially because it is only a couple hours for the guests but it's your only chance to get wedding photo's!!! Take as many as you can!

I agree 100% with Stephanie!

It is your day, and however long you guys want to spend taking pictures you should! Guests should expect a cocktail hour to be a little longer especially if you haven't taken pictures before the ceremony.

2 hours isn't bad to waste especially to get the pictures done for the 2 9f you. Everyone will be enjoying their time and catching up with others. Keep that time for your husband to have alone.

Two hours isn’t really that long when you break it down. Are you planning to have any family/friends photos at the site after the ceremony? Estimate 30 minutes for that, plus all the people wanting to say congratulations and chat. Travel time to the second location - 15 minutes each way? There’s an hour gone right there.

You can always ask your photographer how much time he would recommend.

Dont worry! People expect a wait in between cocktail hour and the reception! Mine will be 2.5-3 hours and I'm going to a wedding this weekend where the wait is 5 hours! It's your day and if your FH wants 2 hours for photos then take 2 hours for photos! You cant please everyone but you will want as many photos as you can get from your day to look back on! The wedding is about YOU TWO and not trying to perfectly please every guest. Trust me if you ate going offsite for photos you will need AT LEAST 2 hours! They time goes by super quick when trying to set up people for photos and actually taking them!