Weird timeline from photographer

So, they've scheduled 2 hours straight post ceremony? Have you asked why it's only scheduled 8 versus 9?

I see a couple places where time can be streamlined. For example, you have an hour to get into your dress and walk to the first look. That seems like a lot.

I do agree that the current time post-ceremony is a LOT of time to leave guests waiting. I think they’ll start to wander and get annoyed. It looks like you have a good chunk of time before the ceremony to get most pictures in. Cocktail hour should be an hour max and that should be plenty of time to get some good shots of you two and the sunset.

(Edited after I realized I read part of the timeline wrong).

View Quoted Comment I fully believe it was a mistake on the hours.
I Think I’m mostly confused about why dinner would be starting at almost 8 pm when the ceremony starts at 5 and cocktail hour would really be 5:45-645. I definitely asked in the email I just sent her! And the 45 minutes for getting into the dress confused me as well.

View Quoted Comment If definitely confused about why I need 45 minutes to get into my dress. Unless that’s including some other photos as well. We are also getting ready at our venue and doing first look photos at our venue so I’m not sure why we’d need 15 minutes for the walking.

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Did you send her the timeline you have?

Personally, I think this looks fine. I'm confused though, is your photographer setting the time for your cocktail hour and dinner or are you? I guess I just haven't seen it to where the photographer decides. I think your photographer may have added some extra time to everything just in case, which will be really helpful for day of. Like with the dress, if you hair and makeup go long, you're not rushing to get into your dress and to get over to the first look location. It also looks like that 45 minutes for the dress is also time for the groom and groomsmen to get ready so she may have lumped those two together.

View Quoted Comment Not before she sent me This one. I’m waiting on a response from my reply to this email. I told her that cocktail hour would be like 5:45-6:45, grand entrance at 7, dinner at 715/730 depending on if we do our first dance before dinner or not.

View Quoted Comment This is just a recommended timeline. I haven’t filled out everything for dinner or cocktail hour yet because I wasn’t sure how to even go about my timeline for HAMU without knowing what time I needed to be ready for the first look photos. We fill out and finalize the timeline 2 weeks before the wedding.

I would definitely shorten the cocktail hour time

So when I went to my last alterations appointment my seamstress recommended we give ourselves an 45-hour for me to get into my dress to be safe. I wouldn't have that long of cocktail hour either that is too much time. We are having ours for just about an hour, maybe an extra 15 but I'm hoping we don't go into that 15 too much. I want to be able to have fun with my guests too.

View Quoted Comment Definitely planning on that

View Quoted Comment That’s my biggest thing rn. The cocktail hour would be like 2 hours long! I only want an hour.

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Yeah I would tell her that won't work. I find it odd that she is dictating so much of the timeline. My photographer had me tell her my time line for ceremony, cocktail hour and reception. Then she is working with me to get the timeline together.

View Quoted Comment Oh she’s not dictating at all! This is just a recommended timeline ruff draft! We will finalize a timeline 2 weeks before! She sent me this because I was trying to figure out what time I needed to start hair and makeup, which was dependent on what time I needed to be ready for our first look photos

View Quoted Comment Normally she has us her clients fill out a questionnaire (which includes their planned start time for everything) and then does the timeline from there

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Oh ok gotcha. I was super confused as to why she would be doing this lol!

I did my own timeline. My girls and MOB and MOG went thru several iterations but I started from sunset and worked backwards thru the evening. We used input from vendors to ensure we allowed enough time for family pictures or dinner being served, etc.

But I agree with the previous comments, the way this scenario plays out it's a super late dinner time and that usually doesn't go well!!

You're in charge! If you only want 1 hour of cocktail hour then only have one!

We did a first look but took all of our family photos (we didn’t have a bridal party), additional couples photos and additional group photos (college friends, etc) during our 1 hour cocktail hour. It was more than enough time. Our photographer also got the reception space photos during that time.

So this is what my photographer gave us. Everything is getting done at our venue

Groom Coverage Time: 1:00pm - 2:00pm

Photographer Notes (if any):

Finishing touches, grooms portraits and then groomsmen photos. Possibly do a few family photos from the checklist.

Bride Coverage Time: 2:00pm - 3:15pm

Photographer Notes (if any):

Matching robe photo. Detail photos, will bring invitation with a possible ring photo. Getting in to dress. Bridal portraits.

First Look Time: 3:15pm - 3:30pm

First Look Notes (if any):

First look with dad first. Both first looks over by the new waterfall.

Wedding Party Photos

Estimated Timeframe: 3:30pm - 4:00pm

Notes:

Formal and casual. Bridesmaids: Formal and casual.

Talia and Kevin's Photos

Estimated Timeframe: 4:00pm - 5:00pm

Notes:

Tour the place. Good variety of styles.

Ceremony

Estimated Timeframe: 5:30pm - 6:00pm

Family Formals

Estimated Timeframe: 6:00pm - 6:30pm

Reception

Coverage Time: 6:30pm - 9:00pm

Photographer Notes (if any):

Cocktail hour starts at 6pm. Detail photos. Set up reception lighting. Introductions-> first dance, parent dances right after. Toasts.

6:20 Check for sunset

8:45 Night Photo: Try to do a silhouette inside the tent but people may be in there doing dinner. May be able to use the cocktail area tent, too.

Will do cake cutting but no tosses. Reception ends at 11pm.