When talking to your wedding photographer, the common questions of how much coverage do I need comes up often. To help you make an informed decision, here are some key considerations and example timelines.
THINGS TO CONSIDER:
- Venue size: If your wedding spans multiple locations or is very spread out among a large property, you will need to have additional time for travel time between locations.
- Reception ending time: If you are going to be having a reception that goes later into the night and you want your photographer there for the entire duration, you will need a longer coverage amount.
EXAMPLE 8 HOUR TIMELINE: 1:00PM-9:00PM
1:00 – Detail shots + getting ready photos
**this time includes flatlay details, dress shots, bridesmaids dress reveals, first look with dad, special moments with mom
3:00- First look (can remove first look)
3:30- Wedding party photos
4:00- Some family photos
4:30- Pre ceremony down time
5:00- Ceremony start time
5:30-6:30 – Cocktail hour/remaining formal photos (bride and groom can enjoy part of the cocktail party)
6:30- Grand entrance into reception + start of dinner
7:30- Formal reception events (toasts, formal dances, cake cutting)
8:15- open dance floor
9:00- photographer coverage ends
***When you do a 10 hour timeline you can get additional time in the beginning or later coverage for grand exit at end of evening
ADDING HOURS LATER:
If you are feeling overwhelmed because you are just at the beginning of your wedding planning journey, you can always add on additional hours of coverage at any time throughout the planning process.
SITUATIONS THAT MAY NEED MORE THAN 10 HOURS:
If you are having a traditional church wedding in a different location with a block of time in between the ceremony and the reception, you may need upwards of 12 hours of coverage to cover everything.
DO YOU NEED A SECOND PHOTOGRAPHER?
Another big question when selecting your wedding day coverage is, do I need a second photographer? At the end of the day it comes down to what is important to you. Remember, your photographer can only be in one spot at a time and can only get one angle of a moment. Here are some things to consider:
- With only one photographer, most of the getting ready time will be spent with the bride meaning very minimal getting ready photos for the groom + groomsman. If you want more photos of this time, a second photographer would be necessary.
- If you have a ceremony venue that allows for cool angles, like an upstairs loft or a catholic church with a second story view, I’d highly recommend a second shooter to achieve these cool angles.
- If getting multiple angles/views of a single moment is important, a second shooter will be important. An example of this, if you want the grooms reaction, moms reaction, and the bride walking down the aisle, you would need two photographers. It can be hard to capture several different things in a matter of the 20 seconds it takes for you to walk down the aisle.
- If you want guest photos during cocktail hour but also have formal photos during cocktail hour, you would want a second photographer to focus on the cocktail hour guest experience.
