HELP! Winter Wedding Question!

I would just try taking as many pictures before as I could. Unless you really want to wait until the ceremony to see each other I would recommend doing the first look if you are expecting a lot of family pictures. That is what we are going to do in order to make sure cocktail hour really stays an hour! Plus I don't want to feel rushed getting great pictures of me and FH.

FutureMrsT- you do have a good point. But the one thing I want to keep traditional is the "First Look". I will keep that in mind though! Thanks

Just do your "first look" earlier, that way you have time for pictures.

Date twin! (I think there are 4 of us on here now!)

I agree, a first look will help you get most of your photos done sooner, so you don't feel rushed to take pictures before sunset. But based on the timeline from your coordinator, that would work as well!

We have a 3pm start time as well. I'm the next week, so light is something I am so worried about! I think we are going to just do a first look so we can get all the pictures in and not have to worry about light. Though I would really like the first time he sees me to be when I walk down the aisle! If I go that way we will take the bridal party ones before the ceremony.

Date Triplet!!!!

We are getting married at 4pm. We are having a very short ceremony with wintery cocktails immediately following and our reception at 5:30pm. Originally, we were going to get married at 3pm because of limited daylight but then decided to get our pictures done BEFORE the ceremony. I know, I know, apparently it's bad luck ... I don't think so. I kinda like the idea of us having a private moment together before I walk down the isle. We will also get some taken again after the ceremony, but we won't be rushed. Will there be snow where you are? I am in Canada so we are almost guaranteed snow.

My ceremony was at 5 and we did a first look and outdoor pictures before it was around 2:40 when we started and finished around 4. Our family pics were after the ceremony, indoors and were not impacted by the light at all. Honestly, Speak with your photographer about light and photos and let the DOC worry about something else.

Hey winter brides!! We are having a 4 p.m. ceremony, but are going to do a lot of our pictures before the wedding, starting around 1:30 and being done by 3:30 so we can go hide from the guests. This also means that, besides having a few moments together, we will be able to get pictures around our venue (a historic mansion) without having to move the guests around.

Wow so many date twins! How awesome! I would really like for my FH's first time he sees me to be at the ceremony however, I may have to compromise for the first look pictures so its not a mess to have pictures done. The whole wedding planning process isnt going very traditional. I was there when he purchased the ring. Due to a delay in the ring being made, he hasnt proposed yet. We've booked the venue, I purchase his ring (with him present) AND I've bought my dress haha! I guess at this point we are on a roll!

No snow where I live. Southern California hardly has winter haha! Now I've jinxed it and January 16th will be the day California is out of drought lol!

No don't jinx us! I'm in San Diego, so we know the past couple years have been amazing January weather =) And we weren't traditional either (my e-ring was custom made also, and it took 3 months, so FH "officially" proposed after a lot of our vendors were booked!)

We are doing what Emmy did, 5pm ceremony but doing first look and the other photos as early as possible.

@Catherine. I hope that didnt jinx it ahhh! I looked on Pinterest at First look photos and they are cute! We may have to result to this. I may have to convince FH...

OP, the only individual who can answer this question is your photographer. Each photographer has their own way of practicing their craft. Get in touch with them right away and ask if they can get the specific shots you want in an hour. Be specific in what you're asking them to do -- list out the shots you want. If they say they can do it, get it in writing. If you haven't contracted with a photographer yet, this issue is something you need to address when you're interviewing potential candidates. Let them know what shots you want, and if they say they can accommodate you in that narrow window of time, have them add it to your contract before you sign. A simple handwritten amendment -- initialed by both the client and the business owner -- is enough.

We did almost all pictures beforehand, very few after. 5pm ceremony with sunset right around 5:15.

Congrats on booking your venue! I know you were stressed about budget (it is SO dang expensive around here) so I'm glad you found somewhere. Honestly I would just go with what your venue coordinator says, or google sunset time on the day of your wedding and count backwards in your head. We are not doing a first look either and so we have to allot more time for photos. Once you think you know what time sounds good to you, just bounce that off your photographer for confirmation.

Saturday the sun is to set at 9:06 pm, and I have us "taking off" for sunset photos at 8:50, our photog is going to grab us and pull us from whatever we are doing in order to capture that. Since its only going to be FH and I, it shouldn't be too hard to wrangle us and fire off the needed shots, especially since we don't want them overly posed.

But it also depends on how many bridal party shots you want and how large yours is as well as how many shots with immediate family. IMO, it sounds a bit tight (depending on the reception start time). Is there a reason why you can't move the ceremony up to 2pm or so?

Yep, did our pictures before too.

I'm so glad that we did a first look before the ceremony because my "aisle" was too far away for me to have seen my husband's reaction. I got to see it up close and personal with an intimate first look.

@Lizzyshan thanks!!! I was extremely stressed about a venue.

I spoke with FH about the "First Look photos". He said no.. His reasoning was that it wouldnt make him excited for the actual ceremony since everything would be done by then. Sooo I will probably resort to moving the ceremony time to 2pm. But i will definitely ask my photographer for her opinion. Thanks everyone for the input!!