What time did/will your photographer show up?

I still have no idea when I want her to arrive. Our ceremony is at 4PM, and we only have her for 6 hours, unless we find more money in our budget. I want glamour shots of just my dress (not me in it) because it's so detailed and it's on my must have list. I assume I'll get into the gown right when she's done with those, so maybe 90 mins before the ceremony?

Honestly, that seems like a very tight timeline. As someone who has been there/done that, neither DH or I could believe how much time pictures actually took. Our photographer showed up at 3, she did detail shots, a few pics of me getting in my dress and opening gift from DH, then we left the hotel at 4:15 (10 minute drive) and then took pictures at the venue from 4:30 until 6pm (we did a first look). We somehow managed to get NO pics of DH getting ready, and very few detail shots...so few that my photographer actually is doing a "mini shoot" for me next weekend to fill in the gaps of what I wanted done. We felt a bit rushed to leave the hotel and then at the end before the ceremony started and did not get all the bridal party pics done before the wedding like we hoped. We took about 15 mins. more bridal party pics after the ceremony, and then spent the other 45 minutes taking bride and groom portraits. It seems like a LONG time that we took pictures, but I never considered the extra time it takes herding family/bridal party, walking to different picture locations, etc. it really added up quickly. You will honestly not regret the extra time if you can afford it!

Hi Kim0423. IMO, the best details of any dress are taken when the bride is in it. A dress was made for a body, not a hanger. Curves, shadow, highlights ... all that needs to be considered with detail shots.

@kathleen why wouldn't the bride go last to get her hair and makeup done? If any of my girls are late, they can do their own hair and makeup. 2 of them actually ARE doing their own hair and makeup. The others and my MOH are getting their makeup done by my MUA at the same hotel I'll be at. My mother will already be there, my FMIL lives with me, so she'll be there, and my MOH is going to stay the night with me. The other 2 girls.... If they're late then they obviously won't be in the pictures. Their fault and their problem. Not mine. My dress has built in boning and I'm having a piece of my deceased father's cost sewen inside, so yes. I want pictures of my dress without me in it. My only concern in the morning and making sure BOTH photographers have enough time to walk around to get all the shots they (and I) need. We have our main photographer for 8 hours and the other for 7. The other was going to come at 2 for the first look and family/BP pictures, but I think they should both come at 1 and the second photographer can leave an hour early since not much happens at the end of the night.

Mine will arrive at 12:00 pm.

Your plan sounds solid AlexisM082! It has just been my experience that when a bride is last in line for hair and MU, any delays snowball into rush/missed photo opps. I just try to minimize those as much as possible beforehand. Having the bride done before anyone else is a good way to start.