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Dedicated April 2019

Logistics and getting ready photos

AnonPoster1234, on January 5, 2018 at 4:31 PM Posted in Etiquette and Advice 0 14

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I'm deciding between a few photo packages and want to talk logistics and getting ready photos.

I'll be getting married at New York Botanical Gardens, which is in the Bronx. The hotel block where me and other guests (including VIPs) will be staying is in midtown manhattan, and it can be a 30 minute drive between the two. There is a bridal suite in the gardens, but it's not huge, and the coordinator there doesn't recommend doing full hair and makeup there - just putting on the dress.

So my rough plan is to do pro hair and makeup at the hotel, along with any of my BMs, mom, and FMIL who want it done, then head up to gardens and use the bridal suite to get my dress on. I figured we'd have the photog meet us at the botanical gardens and do the "putting on the dress photos", and then head into our first look and BP & family photos (FI has two sisters who are BMs, I'm an only child) before the ceremony. But my question are - are "getting ready" photos kind of stupid if we're already ready when the photographer gets there? It was suggested the photog meets us at the hotel, does getting ready photos, and then travels to the venue with us, but then it just feels like of the 9 hours I'm paying them to be there, they're spending 30 minutes in the car.

I don't really "get" getting ready photos TBH. I'm really not a fan of posed moments. Like pretending to all look surprised or impressed or whatever, and I feel like if we miss the actual "getting ready" portion we'll just end up with a photoshoot of pretending to get ready lol. My MOH also has suggested getting ready outfits already, and while I think those are kind of silly anyway, I think they're extra silly if it's just a weird photo prop.

IDK - am I overthinking this? I can choose between a 6, 9, and 10 hour package, and I don't want to pay up for more hours to capture this getting ready thing if it ends up being more transportation. I'd rather get more pics of my girls looking their best. Ceremony/Reception is 6 hours, so I'm leaning towards the 9, but the coordinator who comes with the venue suggested if I want lots of getting ready photos I should go with the 10. If I do the 6 I wouldn't get the last few hours of the ceremony and I'd do no getting ready photos.

Any thoughts?

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14 Comments

Latest activity by ScareBear, on January 7, 2018 at 5:45 AM

Savvy October 2018
Valerie · on January 5, 2018 at 4:43 PM
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I think either way works. It's not going to be posed during your getting ready photos, and someday you may want to think back on this special moments with your BP. On the other hand, you would still have getting ready photos of you getting into your dress at the Gardens. So, technically you could save money. If there's enough time, just have your special alone moments getting ready at the hotel and have all the bridesmaids get dressed at the gardens with you, then the photographer can get those shots!
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Dedicated April 2019
AnonPoster1234 · on January 5, 2018 at 4:51 PM
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I know what you mean, I just don't want to add an extra hour if 30 min of that is in the car, but if we don't add it it would make getting ready photos at the hotel AND getting in a first look / family & BP pics in tight. I honestly don't want to do ANY photos during cocktail hour if I can avoid it.
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Master May 2017
JerseyGirl · on January 5, 2018 at 4:55 PM
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Our venue was 45 minutes from where I got ready. I had my hair and makeup done at home and then used the bridal suite at the venue to put my dress on. That’s where I had my “getting ready” photos. They came our great. I knew I didn’t want pics of me getting my hair done and makeup done so I didn’t want to waste the almost hour of travel time. Seemed ridiculous to pay a few hundred to have pictures with my hair being curled and such.
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Savvy October 2018
Valerie · on January 5, 2018 at 4:56 PM
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Can you try to find a different photographer that will work for less than 6 hours? If you're not concerned about getting ready photos or ceremony photos, then just have them there for the reception only! And you can always recreate first look pics and do the family and bridal party pics at the reception
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Dedicated April 2019
AnonPoster1234 · on January 5, 2018 at 4:57 PM
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My thoughts exactly!!
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Master May 2017
JerseyGirl · on January 5, 2018 at 5:02 PM
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Besides do you want to frame and hang pictures where you don’t look your best? We used the time and had our photog stay til the end. She got one of my favorite shots after most had left. She actually took it on her way out the door.
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Dedicated April 2019
AnonPoster1234 · on January 5, 2018 at 5:03 PM
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I want ceremony photos and a first look and I don't want to spend any time taking photos during my cocktail hour and reception (taking time out to do family and bridal party pics sounds like my nightmare, sorry). I'm just not sure if I'm concerned with getting ready photos (honestly haven't decided haha).
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Master July 2018
Cuoghi · on January 5, 2018 at 7:48 PM
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I still don't get the point of getting ready photos. I'm doing more photo time with just us and then the reception. In 15 years I'm 99% sure I wont care about a photo of me getting my makeup put on.
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January 2019
MOB So Cal · on January 5, 2018 at 8:55 PM
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Daughter is choosing to skip "getting ready" photos. Photography will start at the venue with dress hanging above the staircase shots, then B putting the dress on in the (relatively small) venue bridal suite. From there, more than an hour for first look, wedding party pics, immediate family, etc. Once the ceremony is over, there should only be a group shot of all attendees as the B&G come back up the aisle, and a few large family shots, then everyone enjoys cocktail hour. D does not care about "cute, posed, getting ready in matching robe" shots at all.
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Expert October 2015
Rachel Langerhans · on January 5, 2018 at 9:31 PM
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It’s not stupid to have the getting ready photos taken towards the end of that when you’re mostly ready, that’s actually how/when they are often taken (just a few shots of the dress/accessories, you touching up your makeup, getting into your dress, the guys fixing tuxes, etc.).

You can stick with the 6 hour package (if that’s enough as far as travel time, time between ceremony and reception, etc.) and have the end of getting ready, first look, ceremony, formals, reception highlights, and the beginning of dancing. People often think they need the entire reception but they really don’t. Drinking and dancing usually starts to look very similar after a while.
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Dedicated May 2018
Audra · on January 6, 2018 at 11:14 PM
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I'm not doing any getting ready photos. My hair is being done at the salon, then w are hanging out at my mom's just a mile away from our venue to do everything else except put my dress on (I will do that once I get to the venue). But I also don't have any bridesmaids to worry about either.
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Dedicated April 2019
AnonPoster1234 · on January 7, 2018 at 12:20 AM
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Ceremony and reception are in same place.
Only thing I'm worried about - how do I fit in cake cutting?
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Expert October 2015
Rachel Langerhans · on January 7, 2018 at 1:33 AM
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That’s a reception highlight so it’s somewhat earlier in the night, the photographer can still capture that without having to stay through the end of the reception
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Savvy September 2020
ScareBear · on January 7, 2018 at 5:45 AM
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Pay for the photos you know you really want. Almost, if not everyone you're getting ready with will have a camera phone right? And maybe someone has a digital camera. Just take a few fun pics with those. They likely won't be the same quality as the rest of your photos but they will be free and you won't be paying someone to sit in traffic.
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