Photos during cocktail hour?

I don't follow. That sounds perfect - you have an hour for cocktail hour and need an hour for family and wedding party photos. Why would you need to push family photos to before the ceremony? You certainly can if you want to, but I don't understand what the issue is, unless it's just a matter of preference and you want others to weigh in?

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I just don't if it's rushing things. Also, if my wedding party wanted to spend cocktail hour with s/o. I guess I'm just over thinking this all. Lol I'm new to this wedding planning.

We had a first look as well. We did wedding party photos before the ceremony because we wanted to join our own cocktail hour. Our family photos only took 10-15 minutes though.

Don't worry about it, we all overthink things. Remember that he point of cocktail hour is to entertain your guests while you're taking pictures. That said, if you want to be able to join your guests for part of the cocktail hour and you can work it out with your schedule, go for it! Are you and your FH comfortable with the idea of doing a first look and seeing each other before the wedding ceremony? Keep in mind that you and everybody else would have to be ready for pictures earlier than you would otherwise be, so you and your bridesmaids would have to start getting ready earlier.

View Quoted Comment We are doing the same thing, wedding party before the ceremony and family after. Our photographer is using the extra time to either take more couple photos, have us go in for cocktail hour, or try and eat SOMETHING haha

We will be taking photos during our first look with just us and the bridal party, then photos after the ceremony with just us and family and wedding party, then more photos during sunset and at nighttime. Maybe ask one of your wedding party’s S/O to bring them a drink during the cocktail hour so they’ll be present when you’re taking pictures. It’s your day, you get to dictate where you need your wedding party and at what time. If you push all family pictures before your ceremony, you’ll need to be ready 1.5 hours before your ceremony, pending how big your family is.

Personally I'm going to aim for photos beforehand, I want to spend cocktail hour with FH and guests

We are not doing a first look (mothers orders) so we are taking as many other shots before the ceremony as we can ie. bridal party photos and immediate family photos. Right after the ceremony we will be doing extended family photos and then it'll just be the 2 of us. We will be missing the entire cocktail hour which isn't a big deal to me although I thought it might be a nice time to just have a moment together and maybe a bite. I'm not a big picture person so I don't really think it'll take the full hour but what do I know...

Nobody else has commented this but a half hour for each seems a little long to me unless you have a HUGE family? My photographer said family pictures will take 10-15 mins quick snaps..

Otherwise I think since you are doing a first look, you have plenty of time for the cocktail hour to do family and bridal party.

I would just do them after, it seems like you'll have time during cocktail hour?

We had our first look AND our wedding party AND family photos before our wedding. If you can swing it and get up super early, I highly recommend it. You can maximize time spent with all your guests, instead of being pulled everywhere.