how long do you typically have to do formals?

emeraldrose

So how long do you typically take to do all the formals including family, bridal party and b/g? Depending on the wedding I take about 45 min (I do small weddings). Well my bride is getting married at 5:30 wedding is supposed to be about 15 min. and then there's a cocktail hour while we do pics but dinner is supposed to start at 6:30 which is only going to give me about 30-40 minutes of real shooting time and we are downtown so we were going to do some city shots, but we're not going to have enough time to walk ANYWHERE and get photos with that short amount of time.

SO I was wondering what organizational skills you guys use, how long you take, if you're ever later then they planned...

thanks

Shima

Usually I get the couple to reserve 30 minutes of formals (it takes time to organize lots of family after all) and then 30-40 minutes of time for just them (and maybe the bridal party too, but usually only for the first 10 minutes of that time). It's not always an ideal world though, so in your case you should talk to the couple and see if they can push back times of anything to allow for photos.

Kinkajou

I did some downtown shots for the one and only wedding I did... I think we took about 45 minutes for them and used 4 or 5 different spots all within a block or two of each other. I did a bunch of scouting before the wedding so that I knew exactly which spots I wanted to shoot in, what types of shots in each, and in what order.

I think it worked out pretty well because I had spent the time beforehand to figure everything out, so we were able to move quickly through it and still manage to get some decent shots

emeraldrose

Thanks guys, I think what I'm going to do is do some on that block (it's market street, so def. has possibilities) that I already have ideas for that will look good as night shots and ask if we can meet up the next morning before the honeymoon to do some daytime shots. I already know their wedding coordinator has made it clear to them that they're on a schedule and the "food won't be as good if it comes out later than expected" so we'll see. I'll be talking to her later this week.

FedererPhoto

Formals? I tell my clients to schedule 5 minutes per grouping. If they don't schedule the time, it's not my fault they don't get the images. They always schedule the time (and, after looking critically, realize a lot of their initial lists are duplicate images anyway).

So, normally, about 30-45 minutes.

I then get time with just them, or just them and the bridal party...normally like 15-30 minutes... but I'll take however much I can get without turning the day into a day 'about' the photos.. (but honestly, after an hour, you really hit diminishing returns)