Wedding Timeline help

Thanks everyone for the help, my mom came to visit and we finally figured everything out. I thought cocktail hour meant you needed hors d'oeuvres so we will be doing a cocktail hour now with drinks and a fruit tray. The ceremony will be at 3pm we plan to leave by 4pm with dinner being served at approximately 5:30pm. That give us an 1.5 hours for photos and the guests will need to travel so it should work out perfectly!

Our ceremony is at 4pm and will last approx 30 minutes, but we are having our ceremony and reception at the same venue. We will be having a cocktail hour from 4:30-5:30pm, guests will then be asked to be seated, we will do our entrances, first dance and then dinner is served at 6pm.

We are also doing a first look so that we have more than an hour to take all of our photos. Our photographer told us we should allot 30 minutes per group for photos (30 mins for bridal party, 3 mins for family and 30 minutes for bride and groom).

Personally i think if you don't want to have a cocktail hour, you should move your ceremony back until at least 3:30pm, that way you will still have time for photos in between and your guests wont have to wait as long until dinner. Or do a first look so you can take your pictures beforehand and start your ceremony at 4pm.

Our ceremony was at 330. We got up and were at the hair salon for 9. I was back in my hotel room for 1030 and started makeup immediately. I was ready and dressed by 1pm so that the photographer could take photos of us getting ready. We had our first look at 145 and then had family photos at 2. We finished by 3 and were ready to go right for 330. The ceremony ended at 350. We then hopped on a bus to go and do our photos and were back at 5, with our grand entrance at 6. While we were at photos we held a cocktail hour. You don't have to do this, especially with having your reception in a different spot than your ceremony. The first look really helped with the jitters and for timeline constraints. I would recommended it!

If you're not having a cocktail hour, I'm assuming you're expecting your guests to arrive at the reception venue around 5pm, you and your FH may or may not want to be there to socialize before everyone sits down for dinner, so you'd have about an hour and 15 for pictures. If you run off to do the pictures right away and don't talk to any of your guest post-ceremony, you'll have lots of time for pictures.

I personally like the idea of a "first look" picture. We're utilizing our photographer for 2 hours before the ceremony to do pictures so we won't feel rushed.

Sounds like more than enough time to me! Is it going to be in the same place? Taking photos in between shouldnt take overly long. Are you taking photos near where your ceremony is? The guests usually like to go home and change quick and then are generally ready to eat!

You should have plenty of time as I have a very similar timeline. We don’t have a fist look but our ceremony also starts at 3 and reception at 5:30 dinner at 6. If you already have your list of “must have” shots between the ceremony and reception ask your photographer how long they think it will take (and include how many people for those shots). They will tell you if it’s enough time or not.

As for your guests they will be able to entertain themselves for about an hour and socialize before dinner begins.

My Fiance and I decided to do first look for our wedding! Our ceremony and reception are both taking place at the same location so we are meeting for photos at 2 pm, ceremony is at 4 pm, with cocktail reception around 4:30-5 pm and dinner at 6:30 pm. Our photographer recommended the first look photos so that we don't miss out on the awesome hor d'eovres lined up at cocktail hour! I made a timeline for all of our wedding party and parents using the timeline our photographer gave us as a draft as well as the timeline our coordinator at the venue has put together! I merged the two together and still have room for any last minute additions or time changes.

It all sounds like it would be okay, but I definitely suggest talking to your photographer! My photographer and I are working together on my timeline because she has been to say more weddings than I have and knows what works best

They're usually more than willing to help and give input for these things because it makes their lives way easier o the big day