Winter Wedding & Cocktail Hour??

Take pics before and do everything else after. If you want to do pics in the same space as cocktail hour I'd say do pics, ceremony, cocktail, reception. That way you get to enjoy more of the day you're planning.

DH and I got ready together, took pics before the ceremony, and skipped the cocktail hour altogether (saves $&dollar since we didn't have to do pics after the ceremony. You will have a couple min to get you dress bustled and hang out a little while everyone gets to the reception and then you can start from there. Why pay for the cocktail hour if you already have pictures done? But some couples like being present for the cocktail hour. Its completely up to you what order you do everything. There's no written rules about it. We mixed up the processional also.

I was married in the dead of winter in January. We took our pictures outside in the 17 degree temps for about an hour before the ceremony and then took some pictures inside too. Cocktail hour, we joined the guests.

We're getting married at the end of December and doing some outside pictures. I just told my girls to wear their boots and am giving them faux fur wraps to wear to keep warm. We're doing pictures before the ceremony to get the light.

We'll do a few pictures after the ceremony as well with our family (we don't want to force our parents and grandparents out into the cold). We're going to let our wedding party join cocktail hour as soon as those pictures are done, but are thinking we'll use the remaining time to do a few last pictures of us and then just have some down time before the reception.

If I were you I would take your pictures before the ceremony and keep your cocktail hour between ceremony and reception. If you are finished with your pictures you can enjoy the hour with your guests.

Well, if you do cocktail hour before the ceremony, any chance you can start things a little later? I think that actually works better given your weekday wedding.

As for outside, I'd just suck it up for a few pictures, maybe just you and FH.

One of my BMs got married mid-December last year. They did a first look and all WP pics before the ceremony in the church where the ceremony was held. Took some family pics afterwards and called it good! I think it really depends what's important to you - if you're in LOVE with the idea of outdoor pictures, I'd say have some of just you and FH. It will be much quicker for the photographer and your WP won't freeze to death. If you don't care, don't worry about it!!

Oh and just a note: if you decide against outdoor pictures, make that VERY clear to your photographer. I was in another wedding the beginning of November last year where the photographer INSISTED on dragging the entire WP (7 BM, 7 GM, FG & RB) outside and taking posed pictures forever. All the BMs were shivering uncontrollably, FG and RB were CRYING because they were so cold, everyone's noses were bright red and running like faucets and this crazy photog insisted that we needed to take more pictures despite the bride and groom saying no we're good.

Thank everyone! I guess we will figure it out according to the venue space we decide on. This space is going to be divided up so they are setting up the ceremony on one half and then the cocktail hour happens on the other side of the wall. Then they set up the ceremony to be the reception area. Usually during the winter they send everyone upstairs to the roof but we can't do that. So yeah we can't be in the space directly after the ceremony. So the pics will have to happen earlier before they set up the ceremony. Then after the ceremony we still need the buffer time/cocktail hour so they can get the reception area ready. Geeze.... I guess we (Fiance and I) will use the time to go take solo pics on the roof. OK. Awesome... Thanks so much!