12:45pm vs. 3:15pm Ceremony

I would definitely go for the later ceremony. 9 bridesmaids (and a bride!) is a lot to get ready for 12.45 (and remember you need to factor in getting there, etc). I think it's likely to leave you feeling rushed and a bit stressed. Plus, a 4 hour gap is a really long time for guests, particularly if your wedding venue isn't either in a town centre or at a hotel where people are staying, so they have something to do in between.

If you get a good photographer, they should be able to work with the light available. Also, you could stagger arrival times - e.g. family arrive first, then friends, so you don't have people standing around for ages while photos are taken.

Firstly are you sure the drinks reception starts at 5.30pm for the 12.45 ceremony, that timing sounds right for the 3.15pm ceremony but not the the 12.45. I think if you double check this the venue I am guessing around 2.45 would right.

But you have not mentioned food, usually the drinks reception would follow straight after the ceremony with some sort of food around 2 hours after that. And its in this gap that the main photos are done.

You did not mention if you are getting ready at the venue or if not at the venue how far away is it.

Your plan at the moment is to get ready for 12.00 and have photos before the 3.15 ceremony but that still means that you and your bridesmaids will have to get ready at the same time as you would for a 12.45 ceremony.

Also that is still 3 hours for people to as you say ( but I don't like the idea of leaving guests wandering around for hours doing nothing while we take all our pictures,)and for a 3.15 ceremony the venue bar may not be open before the ceremony for those people to get their own drinks, and even if it was do you fancy the idea of guests drinking for 3 hours before your ceremony ?.

Your plan gets you photos in good light and also fills the gap between a 12.45 ceremony and drinks at 5.30 but as I said I think there there is a drinks time missing for the 12.45 ceremony.

My advice is to go for a 12.45 ceremony after double checking with the venue for the drinks timings for a 12.45 ceremony. Yes 9 bridesmaids is going to be fun getting ready and means an early start for you.

As for choosing a photographer, a good one will indeed be able to cope with difficult lighting but when choosing a wedding photographer go for one that can show you weddings taken at the same time of year as your wedding. Not so important for a Summer wedding but you need to see how good and if they can handle lower / difficult light weddings. Don't just go by them telling you they have shot "loads of winter weddings"

9 bridesmaids will indeed take some time to get ready and as we've experienced there will be the "Oh I dont need someone to do my haid and makeup" people. Mums especially who then on the day decide to ask for it. Or something needs to be re-done.

In 12 years 100% of grooms are on time and only 20% of brides are on time. Usually because getting ready took way longer than expected.

Personally go later. Our favourite weddings are Jewish style where once it starts its high energy from start to finish. The gap between ceremony and food can bring energy levels right down. It also means people can sort themselves out for lunch.

Thanks for the responses! I forgot to mention that the venue is also a hotel and we'll be arriving the night before. There's a "Chapel" in the building and that's where we'll do our ceremony and the reception ballroom is also in the same building so no travelling between two venues for the guests. I'll probably bring the drinks reception forward to 4pm which will also include canapés.

I went ahead and booked the 3:15pm slot. You're right, a good photographer should be able to work with any light. 12:45pm would have been too early considering I have a million people who need to get ready and people will also be flying in so everyone needs to get a good rest