When you plan your wedding day, fair consideration goes to your wedding photographer.
It’s very important you pick the right one for you in terms of style and most importantly trust.
However, this is a question that I have from many couples:
How long do i need a wedding photographer?
I’m a wedding photographer based in Beckenham and I cover Bromley and Kent. After tens and tens of weddings I know now what to expect from a weddings in terms of schedule.
To answer this question, it’s essential that you think about what you want to capture. Picking too few hours could mean missing out on pictures that you will treasure for a lifetime. Differently from other aspects of your wedding day, I believe you should treat your wedding photos as an investment for the future.
At the end of the day, your wedding memories are the ones saved in your photos.
I’ve listed here some samples of wedding packages to give you an idea and help you with your decision:
6 hours wedding package
This kind of package is ideal if you don’t want the preparation photos, there might be enough time for the first dance depending on the wedding schedule, and you don’t bother about the party shots which follow.
So, generally, a 6 hours wedding package doesn’t include the “getting ready” photos and the details that come with it. With this, I mean the make-up, the dress, the flowers, the shoes for example. To mention some candid shots, think about the moments of the bride with her bridesmaids in their dressing gown, the bride’s mum, her sister/s and the bride’s father reaction. It all conveys the excitement prior to the ceremony.
Instead, if you prefer to cover the getting ready bit, the photography coverage will end right after the ceremony and the group shots.
This kind of package is ideal if the ceremony and the reception are taking place in the same venue, as it would save travelling time to the photographer.
Here is an example for you
2:00 Ceremony details and Guests arriving at the venue
2:30 Ceremony
3:00 Greetings
3:30 After Ceremony Drinks
4:00 Family Group Shots
4:30 Couple Portrait Session
5:00 Reception starts
6:30 Speeches
7:00 Cake Cutting
7:30 Drinks and cake
8:00 First Dance
8 hours package
This package is ideal for weddings where the ceremony and the reception are in the same place, but you want the getting ready photos or the party shots after the first dance. For the getting ready photos, I would recommend at least 2 hours including the travelling time to the ceremony venue.
12:00 Getting ready photos
2:00 Ceremony details and Guests arriving at the venue
2:30 Ceremony
3:00 Greetings
3:30 After Ceremony Drinks
4:00 Family Group Shots
4:30 Couple Portrait Session
5:00 Reception starts
6:30 Speeches
7:00 Cake Cutting
7:30 Drinks and cake
8:00 First Dance and some party shots
10 hours package
Recommended if the ceremony and the reception are in different locations or you want the photographer to stay for more party shots on the dance floor, and you want everything captured from start to finish.
10 hours is definitely a wide window of time to comfortably capture details and candid moments before and after the core of your wedding. If you are looking for a complete investment in your wedding photographs, then, I’ll definitely suggest booking a whole day package containing every single aspect of your special day. Here, a sample schedule. This is why I generally offer a 6 hour and a 10 hour package only since with the second option there is more flexibility and therefore everything is much more relaxed. Fitting too much in too little time would mean stretching your day and on your wedding, this is definitely not good!
11:00 Getting ready photos
13:00 Photographer departs to arrive at the ceremony venue
2:00 Ceremony details and Guests arriving at the ceremony venue
2:30 Ceremony
3:00 Greetings
4:00 Arrival at the reception venue
4:30 Drinks and Canapés
5:00 Family Group Shots
5:30 Couple Portrait Session
6:00 Reception starts
7:30 Speeches
8:00 Cake Cutting
8:30 Drinks and cake
9:00 First Dance
9:30 Party Shots
11:00 Photographer departs
I hope this post helps you in deciding how long you need to book your wedding photographer. As it is a very special day, it is worth taking some time to understand what is important for you. Here are some photos for you to enjoy! For more info about my work, visit my website
