Day of Timeline - How Long for Pictures?

We are also not doing a first look. I plan on having every photo that I'm not in (Groom/Groomsmen, Groom/Family, etc.) taken before the ceremony to save time after. I'm thinking it will take no more than 30 mins prior to the ceremony and no more than 30 mins after the ceremony.

I definitely don't think you're giving yourself enough time. We're doing a first look for logistic reasons because our ceremony isn't until 5, and we didn't want people waiting until 9 for dinner. This is my timeline that has been approved by my DOC and photographer:

12:00 PM: Photographer arrives

1:00 PM: Bride/ Bridesmaid/ Mom Robe Pics

1:15 PM: Bride and Bridesmaid separate to dress

1:45 PM: Dad’s First Look/ Pictures with Mom & Dad

2:00 PM: Bridesmaids first look

2:15 PM: Bride Portraits/ Bridesmaid pictures

3:00 PM: First Look

3:30 PM: Bride & Groom Portraits

4:45 PM: Bride & Groom’s pictures end

5:00 PM: Ceremony

5:30 PM: Family Portraits

6:00 PM: Bridal Party Photos/ Any missing Portraits (with veil off)

6:30 PM: Cocktail Hour Begins

7:15 PM: Bridal Party Pick Up/ drop off

7:30 PM: Bridal Party Entrance/ Dad Speech

7:45 PM: Dinner Served/ Speeches

We're expecting to do 2-2.5 hours of pictures of JUST my FH and I. If you want to do any bridal party or family pictures, you'll need more time. My photographer said that this could be tight still.

We have 45 for bridal party shoot and 1 and a half hours of FH and I. 20 min of family at church.

FH is completely against a first look so this has been a big stressor for me as well! Piggybacking on this thread because we don't even have our ceremony/reception locations locked in yet and this could make a difference!

All pictures will be taken prior to the ceremony. Our ceremony start time is 6:00. When I spoke to our photographer a couple of months ago on a tentative timeline, she estimated that the first look would occur around 2:30-3:00 with all pictures (including family) completed by 5:30. She prefers to give the bridal party 30 minutes to rest and relax prior to the ceremony.

Oh my goodness, I couldn't handle 2 hours of photographs of myself. We're scheduling an hour before the wedding for bride & groom pics (in reality an hour and a half, since we know guests may start arriving up to a half hour early), and we'll snap a handful afterward I'm sure. Maybe an hour and a half total (no bridal party for us).

My photographers recommended at least one hour for photos. I am actually meeting with them for our final consultation in a few hours. Since FH and I are having a more traditional wedding and won't be doing a first look we are going to try and take bridal party shots prior to ceremony i.e. all the girls and all the boys. Then after the ceremony we have an hour for group photos while the guests enjoy cocktail hour.

Really depends on the size of your BP and family. I would get BP pics out of the way before the ceremony so you're less crunched after.

FH and I decided not to do a first look. Our ceremony and reception are at the same venue (with plenty of spots for pictures) and our "together" photos will be done during cocktail hour. We only have a best man and MOH, so that makes group pictures a bit easier and quicker.

We have talked extensively with our photographers about how to make this work. These were their key points:

-Prior to the ceremony, we will do all our separate photos (FH getting ready with his best man, dad and brothers... me getting ready.. me with my parents and MOH... me with flower girl etc)

-"Cocktail hour" will actually be 1.5 hours. We have plenty of apps, an open bar and a great dj to make this easy on guests. Also, we are getting married at a huge historic site with lots of areas for guests to wander around

-Our 1.5 hours of photos together will be very organized and our photographers will know ahead of time what combinations of people we want in pics (i.e me and FH with his parents, me and FH with both sets of parents, etc)

ETA: If we had more than an MOH and BM, or if we weren't able to have our photographers for 12 hours (which allows us lots of time for pictures before the ceremony) we would reconsider this plan. But I think this will work for us, and our photographers are on board.

We haven't nailed down our time line yet but there is no possible way we will take pictures for 2-3hrs! It is our day to celebrate and that does not sound fun!

We're doing a first look mostly because of this article -> http://thechansons.com/?p=6281

This is our timeline with a first look and 7 hours of photography.

1:45 pm - Photographer arrives/bridal portraits/groom and groomsmen preparations

2:00 pm - First look

2:20 pm - Bride and groom pictures

2:30 pm - Bridal party pictures

2:50 pm - Immediate family pictures

3:25 pm - Extended family pictures

3:45 pm - Fake bride and bridesmaid getting ready pictures

4:00 pm - Location and detail shots

4:15 pm - Ceremony starts

4:45 pm - Ceremony ends

5:00 pm - Reception starts

8:42 pm - Bride and groom leave

8:45 pm - Photographers leave

Following! This is a great conversation to have on hand!

I haven't officially booked a photographer yet, but I did talk to one about doing a day (or week) after shoot instead of an engagement shoot. That way, FH and I can do our wedding portraits without using up time day of, and we'll probably be more relaxed then, too. FH is very adamant that he doesn't want to do a first look (once I explained what a first look was, lol), and since he hasn't made very many requests at all, I'm trying to accommodate!

We're not having a first look, mostly because our ceremony is at 11:30 am and we can't start any earlier than we already are. My photographer wants to start taking photos that don't include my FH or the groomsmen or his family, around 10. (She'll start doing detail shots and getting-ready shots earlier than that.) She plans to take pictures of the guys and probably FH with his family after that. So she'll have all the formals that don't require both of us finished before the ceremony. Then we'll hopefully only need about a half an hour after that because my cocktail hour is only from 12-12:30. I don't want to be late because my reception ends at 4.

So she is planning for 1.5 hours of formals before the ceremony and half an hour after. She has a second shooter but she prefers to do the formals and details herself.

All great comments, thank you for the input ladies! I didn't even think about having the family photos done before the ceremony, genius idea! My ceremony and reception are at the same venue so no worrying about transfer time. As another Stacy said, I really don't want my evening to be filled with taking staged pictures - sure, I want a few nice photos but I would much rather prefer candid shots which capture the moment of me and my fiance having fun with my family and friends! The good news is that I have two photographers so I could talk with them about designating one photographer for the groom's side and one for the bride's side to knock out all of the family photos.

I have nothing against first looks, it's just not for my fiance and I. We wanted to share the excitement of seeing each other for the first time with all of our guests. Everyone's got their own preferences and opinions