How long before wedding should they be ready?

[samckitt]

How long before the wedding should the wedding party be ready? The bride & the Groom does not want to see each other before the wedding, so I will have to only do their pictures separately, then to the together ones afterwards. What is a general timeframe that I sould allow before the ceremony itself to do these pics?

Thanks,
Scot

[subtle_spectre]

I don't subscribe to the notion that there is some set rule. However, I tell my clients I will not do "posed" or group shots while guests are arriving, or even might arrive, if the shots are in view of the guests. This usually forces them to be ready and have these shots done at least 45minutes prior to wedding start.

[DaveG]

Originally Posted by samckitt

How long before the wedding should the wedding party be ready? The bride & the Groom does not want to see each other before the wedding, so I will have to only do their pictures separately, then to the together ones afterwards. What is a general timeframe that I sould allow before the ceremony itself to do these pics?

Thanks,
Scot

For my weddings I tell the bride that I'd arrive at where she's dressing an hour and a half before the ceremony, assuming that it's a short drive to the church. If it's longer then I factor that in.

I shoot portraits of the bride, the bride with her bridesmaids and then the parents with the bride. Flower girls and general candids complete the pre-game shoot. I don't mess with the groom before the wedding. Generally I've found that they want no part of me before the church, and I point out that if they want both bride AND groom covered before the wedding it will cost them more and one of them will have to ready at least an hour before the would have with no pictures. That usually kills the groom shots quite effectively. It's not that the groom is ignored (although it's close!), it's that I get better results from him and his guys after the ceremony.

It doesn't take me an hour and a half to shoot the pre wedding stuff at the bride's location and I've told that. I've told her that if we do this right she'll look at her watch as I leave 45 minutes before the church stuff, and will say, "Why did he come so early?". Meanwhile she can have a drink of water and perhaps enjoy the process of her day as well as the results. In any case I'm off to the church to have a chat with the minister.

I do explain to the bride why it's so important that she be ready at the designated time. I point out that I'm there for the next six hours so I'm not stamping my feet and doing the "wounded artiste" crap. But the person who's enraged is her, as she's going to start to feel that her day is getting away from her. I also do have some time in this plan if there is a glitch of some sort.

[tim]

It doesn't matter how much time the bride has, they take up as much time as is available. Set them a deadline to keep if they want photos right after they're prepared, and let them work it out themselvs. I rarely do formal or posed photos between then getting ready and the ceremony, brides usually just run out of time, even with my advice about planning their time and my reminders on the day.

[PIXI_666]

I don't give any deadlines i just try and let it all flow (Even if it doesn't!) you have to be prepared for that.
I don't understand one part of your message though? The B&G see each other before the wedding for photo's? I have never heard of that happening in Australia...is this an American practice

Del

[WhatEyeSee]

PIXI

if you are refering to Dave - what he means is photos of the bride and her ladies alone, and then photos of the groom and his men along before the wedding...but not bride & groom together pre wedding. No this is not an American practice...well for the most traditional ones...I am sure now a days w/ new religions and different weddings, there may be some who see each other, but not our customary types of weddings.

[PIXI_666]

ohhhhh ok i get ya!

Yes lol i usually am very rushed with these times, and sometimes i generally just don't get those shots BUT you can do all of this after the ceremony.

My most recent wedding was sooo laid back....until everyone started getting dressed then BAM it all went so fast that the bride almost passed out from stress...so there was absolutely no time, and i asked a few times but because she was my friend she sort of forgot and got me doing other jobs instead hahaha!

But i dont think its NECESSARY...after the ceremony would be fine and then they have the grooms and the bridesmaids that can make silly faces and make them laugh etc. at the ones that are getting photographed at the time.

At my wedding...i was the one making everyone laugh because i KNEW 60% of my bridal party weren't smilers and being a photographer myself i made them laugh to make it easier for my photographer....i pretended to do thigns to my photographer that he didn't know about hehe poor guy! But it worked!
Ok i got off track there...haha

Del

[tim]

Sometimes the B&G see each other before the wedding here... maybe 1/3 of the time. It's getting more popular, it means the B&G can go straight from the ceremony to the reception, rather than spending 2 hours having their photo taken while guests get bored.

[Zepher]

I don't want to sound sexist, but it seems that the Bride usually isn't ready until she is about to go down the aisle.
The Groomsmen and Groom are usually ready 45 minutes before the wedding starts.
I think I have shot almost if not more than 500 weddings so far.

[WhatEyeSee]

that is not sexist - just a fact!! LOL - besides...more primping goes into the ladies then the men.

[PIXI_666]

That's true Zepher (And speaking from experience here) BUUUUT what you boys don't realise is we have a lot to do so that we can look beautiful for our future husband's!!! This was my timetable for my wedding...

7:30am start (Got up 5:30am was tooe xcited to sleep so very tired by 8am!)

Go to venue check if all is good, drop off last minute things

Shower - 20 minutes (Washing hair included)

Hair for 6 bridesmaids - 9 hrs
Hair for MYSELF - 2hrs
Hair for flower girls (3) - 3hrs (And mind you i did all the flower girls hair!!)

LUNCH - throw down throat!

Makeup for everyone - 4hrs

We did our own flowers - 3hrs

Photograph's for myself which everyoen told me every 5 minutes "Put that bloody camera down" - 45 minutes

Getting dressed took me at least 45 minutes in itself!!

And then finishing touches - 25 minutes

Then you cry so more makeup hassles!
Then someone ruins your hair because they got so caught up in the moment that your tiara or veil or hair fall off or get wrecked lol - 20 more minutes....

So you see...you boys just get dressed, i dont even know if you shower? LMAO but your ready in 4 minuts flat!!! END OF STORY women all over the world win this argument hands down

Del - former bridezilla... (ok i wasnt a bridezilla...maybe just for 10 minutes!)

[Zepher]

Oh, I know it takes the ladies a long time since they do so much.

[BLINN]

I tell my brides to be ready least two hours before the start of the ceremony for photos. I also do some of the groom and his boys before the event as well. But, like Tim said they do what they want anyway...so....like Del said, you have to be ready for what ever they throw your way.