FAQ:
When should I tell my hair and makeup team to arrive/start?
We would not be able to answer this as it would be based on how many staff members they are bringing and how many people they are performing services on. Your best bet is to tell them what time you need to be FINISHED and then ask them what time they recommend arriving. In general, we find hair and makeup to be the main reason weddings run late. Therefore, we recommend having your hair and makeup arrive 15-30 minutes before they suggest to as a buffer for things like touch-ups.
What if I don’t plan to do a first look?
Unless there is a gap between the ceremony and cocktail hour, you will then need to take all of your couple portraits, family photos and bridal party photos after the ceremony for around 45 minutes. You will most likely not be able to attend cocktail hour as you will still need those last 15 minutes to have your dress bustled and line-up for reception entrances. Keep in mind without a first look, your number of portraits will be somewhat limited.
I have extra things I want in my timeline, how do I account for it?
If you want to do things like first look with Dad or with bridesmaids, a Katuba signing, marriage license signing, private prayer, pre-ceremony vow exchange, parent gift exchange, or anything else that may take time in your timelines, generally book at least 15 minutes for each.
How long do portraits take?
We recommend an hour for couples- but at a minimum 20 minutes. Bridal parties usually takes about 3-4 minutes per bridal party member. So, if you have a bridal party of 8 people, expect to spend around a half an hour on photos. If you have a large bridal party (say 8 bridesmaids and 8 groomsmen) it can take up to an hour. You know your bridal party the best. Are there any children that make take time to pose? Babies that may need time to calm down? Will your bridal party cooperate and be at locations on time? Consider factors like these when scheduling time. For family, we recommend around 30 minutes to account for posing time. If you have very large families, extending cousins, aunts and uncles, spouses, etc it could take up to an hour.
When should service end?
That’s completely up to you. Most couples have us leave after cake cutting. If you plan on a bouquet toss, expect us to need to stay about 15 minutes past cake. Some couples have us leave after speeches if they don’t care about getting dancing or cake documented. Some couples have us stay until the very last song. If you plan on doing a sparkler exit anything that happens at the end of the reception, consider it will take about 20 minutes to get everyone outside, so your end time should be 30 minutes past the reception end time.
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