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Just Said Yes November 2021

Sunset Stressed

Sarah, on July 28, 2021 at 2:55 PM Posted in Planning 0 5

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Hello!!

I’m getting married November 19th in New England. The estimated sunset time is 4:18pm. I really don’t want to do a first look and right now we have our church mass ceremony to start at 3pm. Estimating that will take an hour. Then our reception(cocktail hour) to begin at 5pm. I’m stressed about not having enough light to get pictures done. Now if I move up my mass time to 2:30, it would give me more time: however I feel bad making guests wait. The church is 15 minutes away from the hotel, and we are providing transportation from the hotel to the venue which is another 15 minutes away. So that time gap gives them time to check in and get settled. But adding another half hour to their wait stresses me out. Any advice??

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5 Comments

Latest activity by Gabby, on August 4, 2021 at 1:55 PM

Super October 2022
Jessi · on July 28, 2021 at 3:12 PM
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Can your photographer grab separate photos of like groomsmen, bridesmaids, you with your parents, him with his, etc. before the ceremony? That way after the ceremony you guys only have to take pictures with each other and group photos which cuts down on some of the time?
I guess I'm confused about where your shuttle is going. Are guests going straight from the church to the reception venue or are they being shuttled to the hotel then to the venue? Can you tack an extra 15 or 30 minutes on to your cocktail hour? As long as people have things to do it won't be miserable for them to be at cocktail hour a little longer.
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Expert September 2021
Marianne · on July 28, 2021 at 3:33 PM
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From my understanding, cocktail hours are supposed to serve as guest entertainment while photos are being finished, so if your reception venue is 15 minutes from the church, your cocktail hour should really start by 4:30pm. Your photographer will know best how much time it'll take to get all the photos you want, but I agree with Jessi about trying to knock out as many as you can before the ceremony. Most church weddings I've been to had the larger group photos taken first inside the church, then dismissed the groups until it was just the wedding party left, so if you want wedding party and/or couple photos taken outside, I'd definitely bump up both ceremony and cocktail hour start times.
Here's how I'd plan the ceremony part of your timeline:
TBD-2:00 - separate photos outside (bride and her parents, groom and his parents, etc. - your photographer will know how to arrange this block of time)
2:00-2:30 - hide while guests are arriving
2:30-3:30 - ceremony
3:30-3:45 - large group photos inside church
3:45-4:00 - guest transportation to venue
4:00-5:00 - cocktail hour
3:45-4:15 - wedding party and couple photos outside church
4:15-4:30 - wedding party transportation to venue
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Just Said Yes November 2021
Sarah · on July 28, 2021 at 5:39 PM
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Thank you! I’m trying to see if moving up my cocktail hour is a possibility with the venue. Then I’d feel less guilty about moving the wedding time up. We’re getting married in a church and then the time in between was for people to check into the hotel (which is 15 minutes from the church) then we are providing transportation from the hotel to the venue (which is 15 mins away)
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Devoted October 2021
Ariel · on July 28, 2021 at 6:00 PM
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Talk to your photographer. They likely have a suggestions.
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Beginner October 2021
Gabby · on August 4, 2021 at 1:55 PM
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Do what will make you less stressed! I understand not wanting guests to wait, but people understand. We are having a mass ceremony at 2:30pm and having out cocktail hour start at 5pm. On our website we are just providing places for people to check out in the meantime (wine tasting room, hang at the hotel which has lounge-y type areas, but know a lot of people will maybe go back to their hotel to freshen up or whatnot!
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