What do the guests do while you take pictures??

A game sounds awesome! At my venue, nothing can start before 6:30 PM, but we got them to allow us to start our ceremony at 6:00. By 6:30 cocktail hour will begin and then reception at 7:30, so for us I think people will just be drinking and eating appetizers like you said. What time does the ceremony start? The reception? Are they in the same location?

Oh, and I've heard that some people do slide shows or have a video montage playing. If that's your style you could see if your venue or DJ have the equipment to set that up for your guests to focus on while they're feeling awkward...

Yes same location.. ceremony starts at 4 and will probably be 20 minutes.. and while we are taking pictures they will move into the reception hall. I think we are shooting for dinner and toasts to begin at 5:30.. we have alot of flexibility with the starting times and such.. I like the game idea too!

Ohhh good idea!! I'll have to check and see!

For all the weddings that I have been to photos are taken during the cocktail hour. While guests are eating and mingling, you are off with your wedding party taking pictures. Its good to get group (family) shots done right after the ceremony so that guests can enjoy the appetizers. Another idea to cut down the the photo time is to have the grooms party shots and bridal party shots taken before the ceremony, that way you can take a couple a photos right after the ceremony and then join your guests. Its entirely up to you. You could always have a photo booth for your guests to have fun in. It really all depends on the type of wedding that you want to have and where its located.

Yes our wedding is semi-formal so a photobooth or something could work!

Yeah, sounds like we have the same time frame. From what I hear, people tend to be really eager to get to the bar after the ceremony. What about a trivia game? Like a "how well do you know us" game, people can take a quiz and the winner gets some kind of prize or something. Ooh, thanks for getting me thinking about this! It has a lot of potential.

Ugh it sucks man... i wasnt in the wedding parts at my future sister in laws wedding and my BF was... and i had to sit for 45 minutes and wait. they served the guests like chamapgne and snacks but it can be frustrating for the dates hahaha!

Friends of ours did a crossword puzzle on the plates with information about them. "Joe's job, Kayla's middle name" etc. It was very cute and made a great ice breaker for the tables, without being too in-your-face. Those who just wanted to hit the bar could, and those that didn't had something to occupy themselves.

I haven't thought about games but we are going to serve appitizers. My photographer is going to do some of my pictures the week before my wedding and the rest of them will be taken the day of. So I'm hoping that doing it this way will not leave my guests to being bored and hungry.

I had not given any thought into this..

I wish I had thought of doing a game! How fun that would be? Maybe a quiz about the Bride and Groom? You'd have to find someone not included in your photos that wouldn't mind hosting it but still a great idea!

Hmm I haven't really thought it through, but since we only have 5 people in our wedding party including us I don't think pics will take that long, maybe 30 min or so. I will have my guests go into the reception area and put their gifts on the table and sign our guest book, they can have a seat and mingle a bit.

@Greyash- how about your family members? It might take more than 30 min

We are doing appitezers while we are doing pics but we are doing pics at church and hall anyways so i am guessing some will be watching and snapping pics too. our hall ( community center) has a great gazabeo and bridge on the side with lots of trees which is what we wanted in the first place lol

Maybe I'm on the odd person out, but I wouldn't like the game idea. They are adults and can surely entertain themselves for 45 minutes or so. The game idea justs make it seem like they are kids and you have to keep them busy and out of trouble ...just MHO. Then again I'm not a huge fan of games at showers either...lol

I co sign with ^Sharon's reply^ . Games during a time when folks should freely mingle amongst themselves just seems forced and can lead to awkward moments. What if the drunk Uncle ends up interacting with a person from work? Yikes!

Usually pictures are taken during the cocktail hour... they sit and chat and eat...while music plays in the background...I think as long as ppl are fed...they would be fine

I agree with Sharon and Ty W. I am not a fan of the game idea. I am having a cocktail hour and the venue that I chose has a pontoon boat so guests can take a ride on the river which is a beautiful scene. We are also going to have a photo booth for those who do not care for water. Hopefully, they will mix and mingle have cocktails and listen to some good music.

Whatever you do, make sure you have food maybe set to the side for your wedding party. Weddings i've been to, the guests have always ate. I have even seen the bands & guests dancing some of the photos were being snapped.