I’m going to add a few posts that I hope can help couples with their wedding planning.  Here’s a common question we get:

"How much time do I need for photos?"

First, some general items to keep in mind:

Getting Ready

• Allow 60 minutes if you already have hair/make-up done and are ready to get in your dress when we arrive (30 minutes for the getting ready and 30 minutes for bridal and family/bridal girls portraits).
• Allow 90 minutes if you want more of hair/make-up (60 getting ready/30 portraits).
• Allow 2 hours if you want more hair/make-up plus more fashiony/alone portraits or a separate but nearby location for your portraits (60 getting ready/60 portraits).

Group Shots

• We do recommend the extended family photos be done at the ceremony location, especially if time is an issue.  Trying to coordinate large groups of distant family members to travel to/park/show-up for photos is a big time-eater, and it can be quite stressful for anyone who might be older, handicapped, or have babies/young children with them.  A normal amount of family group pictures should take about 20 minutes (shooting will take about 10, finding people will take the other 10). 
• If you prefer to have the family photos done elsewhere, I have seen it work well if the couple rents a bus/limo to take everyone to the location(s) and makes sure the amount of walking required will not be too stressful to any of the family members.
• Creative, alternative location shots for either you as a couple alone or you and the bridal party can really add to the collection of photos.  Allow 30-40 minutes.  Doing this with or without bridal party depends somewhat on how comfortable you are having them watch you be shot as a couple.  We do think you get more initimate shots when it’s just you and the photographers, so it can often be planned that we shoot you with the bridal party first, then they go on to the cocktail party and we keep shooting you as a couple.
• If the ceremony is at a church, we recommend doing family shots outside or in a different part of the church (the pews, for instance), as you will have so many pics of the alter from the ceremony that it can get  repetitive in the album.
• Photographers all like to work in different ways with/without shot lists.  We prefer them and like to work up a plan ahead of time of who we are shooting where.

Receiving Lines

• Receiving lines can be wonderful if you allow time for them.  It’s your first chance to greet your guests and you are spending that "just married" high with your family/friends vs. your photographer…which is a good thing.  We’ll still be shooting you and capturing that feeling, but it will be candid instead of a posed group shot.  Our experience is that most take about 45-60 minutes. You can then do the family photos directly after the receiving line.

Cocktail Party

• You need to go into your planning thinking about whether you want to be at your own cocktail party.  A lot of the time, you are shooting the bridal party and couples portraits during that time…especially if you want to do a separate location for the shoot.  Some couples elect to see each other before-hand, although I find that about 90% of our couples do not.  It’s just something to consider and if enough time is allowed between the ceremony and announcements, we can work with you to get you to all or part of that cocktail party.

Photographer’s Departure

• We see two schools of thought here – one school has us stay until an hour after the cake is cut.  This allows for about an hour of real dancing after the formal traditions are over and guests are starting to really relax.  The second is where we stay til the end and this is where the alcohol has kicked in and some great moments happen…I’ll say no more…

10-Minute Couple’s Shoot

• Stealing away for a special couple’s shoot in the evening after all the traditions are done is something we love to do as it can make for a great additional set of portraits for you.  You’re often more relaxed and I think the fact that it’s usually nighttime can make for some fun and dare I say… "sexy" …photos.  Multiple portrait sessions/locations makes for an interesting album too.  This shoot is often very loose…we check in with you at the planned time and if you are having too much fun to leave your party for a few minutes, we just don’t do it…there’s no pressure.

Below are three generic versions of a timeline that I often help couples create and the photo package that goes best with them (time of day can be adjusted based on your details):

6 Hour Photo Package–this is a good package if you don’t want getting ready shots, you are having the ceremony/reception at the same place, you don’t want a receiving line, and you are okay if we leave after the cake is cut.

3:30   We always want to be at the ceremony location 30 minutes before.
4:00  Ceremony
4:45  Ceremony ends/family group photos (30 minutes)
5:00  Cocktail Party (you are there at the end)
5:15 Couple/Bridal Party shoot (30-40 minutes)
6:30   Announcements, First Dance, Parent Dances, Toasts, Blessing
7:00    Dinner
8:30  Cake
9:00    Boquet/Garter/Any other special events
9:15    10-minute Couple Shoot
9:30   We depart

8-Hour Photo Package – this is good if you want to add getting ready shots but still want us to leave before the end of the night.  A receiving line OR a multiple location could fit in here if you push cocktails/dinner out 30-45 minutes.

2:00  Getting ready – Bride should have hair/make-up done and be ready to just do a little touch-up make-up/hair and put on the dress (second shooter is covering the same things with the groom… sans dress)
2:30  Bride alone portraits, Bride with  bridal party girls and her family portraits (same w/groom)
3:30 We arrive at church
4:00 Ceremony
4:45 Ceremony ends/family group photos (20 minutes because we already shot the bride and groom alone with their families/bridal parties)
5:15 Couple/Bridal Party Shoot (30-40 minutes)
5:30 Cocktail Party (you are there at the end)
6:30 Announcement, dances, toasts, blessings
7:00 Dinner
8:30 Cake
9:00 Boquet/Garter/Other Special Traditions and Events
9:30 10-minute Couple Shoot
10:00 We depart

12-Hour Photo Package–this includes time for more getting ready, more portrait shooting, a receiving line, a longer ceremony, more distance between locations, an opportunity for the bride/groom to attend the cocktail party, and full coverage of the reception til the end.

11:00 Getting Ready – includes make-up, hair, and is much more leisurely, more details (although we will always shoot the dress).
1:00 Bride alone portraits – much more time to make more fashiony/variety of portraits
1:45 Family/bridal party girls with bride
2:30 We arrive at church
3:00 Ceremony
4:00 Receiving Line
4:45  Family Portraits (20 minutes)
5:15 Bridal and Couple Portraits (30-40 minutes)
5:30 Cocktail Party (you are there for half)
6:30 Announcements, dances, toasts, blessing
7:00 Dinner
8:30 Cake
9:00 Boquet/Garter/Other Special Traditions and Events
9:30 10-minute Couple Shoot
11:00 We depart

I hope that helps with your planning!  Please let me know if there are any questions you have and stay tuned for some other topics!