How Many Hours of Wedding Photography Do I Need?

Choosing a wedding package can be overwhelming, and this is a common concern for engaged couples. Four-hour, eight-hour, ten-hour, half-day, full-day, and all-day slots are all available, among many others. The question is, though, what does this mean. To what extent do "full day" and "all day" policies vary from one another? This seemingly simple enquiry can become quite involved very quickly.

If you need assistance on your wedding photos, check out our photographic packages and services at Wild Romantic Photography.

In the heat of wedding preparations, you may find yourself pondering issues you have never considered before. You are all of a sudden supposed to become an expert on everything having to do with events, from recognising which flowers are in season to being aware of how much money to budget. Because the issue "Wait... how many hours do we need to book our photographer for?" is bound to come up at some point, we figured now would be a good time to offer you with a resource you may refer to in preparation. Please read on for a detailed description of the wedding photography services we provide.

Understanding the meaning of "continuous" coverage is the first step in analysing the photography coverage. Unless you and your photographer have discussed and agreed upon a separate plan, your wedding will not be photographed in stages. If you choose an 8-hour package, for instance, they won't start taking pictures at noon, stop for an hour between 4 and 7 p.m., and then start taking pictures again at 8 p.m. As an alternative, they'll just take care of the photos for the whole eight hours.

If the packages your photographer is offering clearly indicate the number of hours of coverage, you will know exactly what you are getting. If you purchase a plan for 8 hours, you will be covered for the full 8 hours. But what precisely does it imply when your photographer talks about "half a day coverage" or "full day coverage"? Each photographer will have their own unique take on what these terms mean to them. Some individuals regard eight hours to constitute full day coverage, while others think that twelve is more appropriate. Even though it is fairly vague, the phrase "all day" coverage gives you the feeling that you are getting more.

Getting Ready Photos (general time allotted 1-2 Hr)

We have found that the vast majority of our engaged couples are interested in having images made of them during the morning and early afternoon of their all-day coverage. It depends on a few factors whether this part of the day's programme will take you an hour or two. It should take you around an hour to accomplish your sole goal of snapping photographs of the bride getting ready. Assuming you catch the bride just as she's finishing up with her makeup and hair, as well as any endearing interludes (like pictures of her best friends in the beautiful robes you gave them), the bride will have about an hour to get dressed, put on her veil, her shoes, and any jewellery she might have forgotten.

Our experience has shown us that the vast majority of our clients prefer clean, uncluttered backgrounds in their images. If you have four or more bridesmaids and you want shots of everyone getting ready from start to finish, including everything that was previously covered, you should budget at least two hours for this part of the day. You might save yourself up to 30 minutes of time on your wedding day if you have your photographer show up while you're finishing up your hair styling. It takes the males less than twenty minutes to get ready from head to toe on average, therefore their time is nearly always factored into the total amount of time that we spend on the ladies, so I purposefully left them out of the calculations.

It's also a great chance for me to photograph the venue's floral arrangements, centrepieces, and other decorations for the reception. However, if you employ a freelance wedding photographer, they may need extra time to cover all of these exact aspects because they can't be in two places at once. You might need to get there early so you can capture the details of the venue, the bride and her attendants getting ready, and the groom and his buddies. We save our couples time and effort by working as a team to do several of these tasks at once.

Have a look at the various wedding photography we offer.

Getting Ready

Makeup and hairdos take place during this time of day. Most of your time will be spent with family and friends, including those in your bridal party. If you'd like, you can even have a few cocktails. This time of day is typically one of the more chill times because you are spending quality time with individuals that matter to you.

From the photographer's perspective, the getting ready part of the wedding day offers a lot of great photo ops that the happy couple will cherish forever. Gift-giving is typical at this time of day, and the ensuing pictures often catch heartwarming exchanges between the recipients. We will also take the artistic shots that we have planned of your wedding details during this time (wedding dress, rings, shoes, etc.). You'll have some time for bridal photographs after you're all done getting ready. All of these pictures taken together will make your wedding story that much more compelling.

Pre- Ceremony Photos (general time allotted 1-2 Hr)

The bridal party, the groom's party, the immediate family, the officiant, the first prayer, the bridal portrait, and the groom's portrait are all included in this category of photographs. Depending on your plans for the day, you may want to take a mixture of many of these shots. If you wanted to snap pictures of the bridal party together before the ceremony, now is your chance.

In general, the more individuals in the bridal party, and if the bride or groom wants separate photographs with each member of the bridal party in addition to the group shots, the longer these can take. If the bride and groom also want individual portraits with all of the wedding party members, this might add even more time to the process. Even if your bridal party is on the smaller side, these shouldn't take more than a half an hour to complete (with four bridesmaids or groomsmen or fewer).

Depending on the number of participants and the desired aesthetic, a group portrait with five people or more can take anywhere from thirty to forty-five minutes to complete. Depending on how much you have to rearrange things (if at all), rearranging a large group (eight people or more) could take anywhere from forty-five minutes to an hour, what with all the possible permutations and permutation permutations you'll want to try out. First impressions don't take too much time if you don't have to drive too far; normally, it just takes about ten to fifteen minutes. Despite this, it's not impossible to fit in a few couple portraits at this time. Our suggestion is to always do some couple photos immediately following the event, providing that the lighting is good and you are on schedule to wrap up in that time frame.

Twenty to thirty minutes of this time should be dedicated to taking the couple's photos, depending on how mobile you are and how much you want the guests to see you. It's also a popular time for couples to have their photos taken together as the bride and groom. Again, this will depend on the locations you choose as well as the amount of time spent walking from one spot to the next, changing postures, and actually taking the shots; nonetheless, you should aim to set aside at least 15–30 minutes for these as well. A lot of couples, like you, aim to knock out as many of these tasks as they can before the wedding. Because of this, it is highly recommended that you take the time before the ceremony to determine which photographs you would like to take. The next part will focus on the significance of family photos.

The Ceremony

The significance of the ceremony should be obvious: it is at this time that the bride and groom pledge to live the rest of their lives together. In many ways, this is the most important part of your wedding.

Your photographer will see your ceremony as the main attraction because the events that take place there are unique and unforgettable. Each couple, for example, could do well to consider the option of having a "unplugged wedding." An unplugged wedding is one in which the ceremony itself is not documented in any way by photography or video. There have been far too many wedding photos destroyed by the flash of a camera phone or by an inattentive visitor who stepped in front of the photographer to shoot a blurry one with their mobile phone for me to even begin to estimate the number of times this has happened. Even if everyone remains sitting during the ceremony, pictures will be ruined by guests with their arms and hands lifted in the air, hoping to snap the perfect shot that will win an award.

In Between Time (general time allotted  15-30 min.)

There will always be a lull in the action between the time you take your pre-ceremony photos and the time the ceremony begins, no matter how well you plan ahead. This holds true even if you didn't take many pictures in the lead-up to the ceremony. The time between the group shots and the ceremony might range from 15 to 30 minutes, depending on how busy the day is. There is always a short pause after the group photos before the bride and groom head to the altar (lol). This time is great for a number of reasons: first, it allows guests to arrive, second, it allows us wedding photographers to get set up for the ceremony and game plan, and third, it allows you to make any final modifications to your gown, hair, or cosmetics.

Most of the couples we've worked with have a ceremony that lasts between twenty and thirty minutes. This is the simplest section of the ceremony, and usually no one other than the officiant, the bride and groom, and any children present will speak. If you plan on having special readings read by family members, hymns sung by church members, etc., you'll need to allow for this extra time. You should also think about whether or whether you want a sand ceremony or a knot-tying ceremony, both of which add extra time to this part of your wedding day.

In need of a Yarra Valley wedding photographer? Don't bother looking any further! It's all taken care of by Wild Romantic Photography.

Recessional & post-ceremony in-between time (general time allotted 10-30 min.)

Weddingwire.com says that the average number of guests is 120, so plan on spending between 5 and 10 minutes on the recessional. It can take up to twenty minutes for the bride and groom to greet their guests, depending on whether they plan to shake hands and/or hug each guest individually, or if they plan to release guests one by one after greeting them. To reiterate, between the ceremony and the reception, there is usually a five- to ten-minute window in which the bride and groom can go back to their original seats without anyone feeling like they were forgotten. Everyone who needs to be in the family portrait with you can be there at this time.

Post Ceremony Family Photos (general time allotted 30-60 min.)

Assuming an average wedding size of 120 guests, it will take around half an hour to get through all of the family photo possibilities that you will probably want to have taken at your wedding. However, there are a few significant outliers to this rule. If you are determined to perform the bare minimum to create these photo pairings, you should be able to do it in around twenty minutes with proper coordination and a game plan. Depending on the size of your family, these can easily take up to an hour or more if you want to include just about every member of the family you can think of, some of the non-family guests, and many possible combos with the same or different people. These are great if you want to invite as many individuals as possible from your own and extended families, as well as those of your guests who aren't related to you. The average wedding that Jenny and I have attended or participated in lasts approximately half an hour, so this is about right.

Reception: (general allotted time 3-4 Hr)

A celebration is in order, so let's get it going! After the wedding party has been presented, the bride and groom will often start their first dance (total time 5-10 minutes). If you want to do a mother-son dance in addition to the father-daughter dance, you might want to add five to ten minutes to the total amount of time you have available for dancing at some point during the evening.

Besides, you've undoubtedly built up an appetite by now. For the wedding reception meal, allocate twenty to forty minutes, depending on whether you will be served courses or allowed to help yourself from a buffet. There is also the option of providing meal bars, which have grown in popularity as of late. Couples can customise their omelettes and fajitas to their tastes at these bars. It's a lot of amusement to carry out these tasks. Imagine you ate for twenty minutes after dancing for ten. I'm curious about how you're feeling right now.

With a high degree of certainty, you have only 2.5 hours of your authorised 8 hours of coverage left. Wedding customs such as the shoe game, the garter toss, and the cutting of the cake are all great ways to celebrate the end of the reception. The cake-cutting ceremony can be scheduled for the final 15 minutes. It's high time you get up off your seat and started dancing and meeting new people. Coverage of your reception will typically last between 1.75 and 2 hours, including both formal and informal events.

Just the Basic Coverage

Even if you only have six hours to do the bare minimum, you'd be surprised at how quickly that time goes by between greeting guests, running around, and actually getting married. Small, intimate weddings where the ceremony and reception will take place in the same place and won't go on for too long should choose this choice.

Organising the wedding of your dreams but concerned that you might miss some of the action? Never fear, because you can put your trust in Wild Romantic Photography .

Coverage for the entire wedding day for 6 Hr

Since this is the photographer's most affordable option, a common misconception is that only low-income couples should consider purchasing it. For intimate ceremonies like elopements, a six-hr coverage package should be sufficient. Since there won't be as many guests to keep track of and photograph, a small wedding can end quickly. But the wedding and its subsequent celebration need to be in the same place for the 6-hr coverage to operate.

Some Things to Ponder On

• Due to the limited time frame, it is highly improbable that any photographs or video recordings of the event's preparations or its execution down to the minute will be captured.
• With only six hours of coverage, the night will end rather quickly; therefore, it is highly unlikely that many photographs will be taken during the reception once the dancing begins. However, all the major moments in the event will be covered.

Medium Length Coverage

The most popular option offers moderate protection for a period of about 8 hours. This schedule allows married couples to try a variety of activities together. With 8 hours at your disposal, you won't have to rush through picture ops before, during, or after the ceremony or the reception. There are only a few scenarios in which I would suggest my clients hire me for more than the originally agreed upon number of hours: when they want every part of the day to be covered in full, when everything is taking place in a different location, or when they have a special send-off at the end of the night!

8 Hr of Wedding Day Coverage

With those additional two hr, your photographer can record everything from your final touches in the bridal suite to the first dances after supper. An 8-hr package should be plenty for weddings with 100 to 150 guests, and the extra two hours can be useful for ceremonies of any size.

Some Things to Ponder On

• We advise getting at least eight hr of coverage if a first look is a must for you.
• This plan, despite it may seem extravagant, is ideal for weddings where the ceremony and reception will be held in the same location. You don't want to waste 30 or 40 minutes having the photographer pack up their gear and drive to (and set back up at) a second site if they only have time to get a few getting ready, detail, and dance shots in the extra two hours. The photographer will have plenty of time to take all the necessary shots during the additional two hours.

Full-day Coverage

A full day's worth of coverage, in my opinion, is 10 hours or more. The less rushed and more natural your photos will be, the more likely you are to cherish them. Alternatively, if everything is happening in a number of distinct locations. It releases us from the confines of a confined time frame, enabling us the freedom to go anywhere our hearts want or to simply unwind.

10 Hr of Wedding Day Coverage

You don't want to feel pressured to take the pictures that everyone on Pinterest wants to see on your wedding day, do you? Considering this, ten hr of coverage appears to be a reasonable expectation. There will be plenty of time for the photographers to capture the first look, as well as the entire day's worth of preparations and details (if you want to do one). All the guests won't feel rushed, and they'll be able to take their time getting to know one another and enjoying the food and entertainment at the reception because the wedding party and family photos will be taken first. If you're looking for a professional wedding photographer in Mornington Peninsula area, go no further than Wild Romantic.

Some Things to Ponder On

• You need to engage a photographer for at least 10 hr to cover the event, as the ceremony and reception will take place in various locations. Thus, the photographer can go on to the next location knowing that all necessary shots have been taken.
• Is it your desire to make an impressive first impression? Ten hr is probably not enough time to have a photographer present all the way through the reception, even if you're willing to forsake coverage during the event's early hours.

12 Hr of Wedding Day Coverage

There are a number of situations in which you and your significant other could benefit from having coverage for twelve hours. When dealing with a large wedding party, this level of security is not only appropriate, but essential.

Some Things to Ponder On

• The standard amount of time for wedding coverage is 12 hr if you are expecting a large number of guests. Why? Capturing and holding the attention of a group of people who are in the mood to party can be difficult (as can finding and collecting the appropriate people at the right time!).
• Without images documenting the design aspects, it would be a shame if none of the Pinterest-worthy inspiration ideas were put into action. Therefore, if you want your wedding to include the signs, cocktails, and lounges that people always imagine, you should have coverage for a whole 12 hr.

What Other Factors Influence the Time You Will Need for Wedding Photography?

We just learned that, on average, it takes between eight and twelve hours to photograph a wedding. But there are additional aspects that can influence how much time you'll need. How many people will be at your wedding party? How large are their families, on average? How many variations on the camera's settings will be required for the pictures? (Will we get married in the church, or in the reception hall?) Should you carve out time for driving, or can you just wing it? (What venue do you recommend for the party?)

The amount of guests and the combined size of both families will have a significant impact on how many hours you'll need to employ a photographer for. The time estimates presented here are based on the "average" size of a wedding party, which takes into account three relatives from each family (parents, 1-2 siblings and grandparents).

Every wedding day is special in its own unique way. Your wedding day will be special because of the many personal touches, traditions, and rituals you include into it (just think how boring it would be if every wedding was the same)! The above details are based entirely on my nine years of experience as a wedding photographer.

Unfortunately, your wedding photographer is not a magician and cannot create more time for you on the big day. Remember this, thank you. Don't make the mistake the stepsisters in Cinderella did and try to fit the glass slipper onto your too-big feet by having all the important activities take place in a venue that's too small. Neither calm nor relaxation is appropriate for a wedding day, but this will only add to the bride and groom's tension and anger.

Book with us,  Wild Romantic Photography, if you'd like to have experienced photographers capture your wedding day.

Conclusion

Choosing a wedding package can be overwhelming, and this is a common concern for engaged couples. Some individuals regard eight hours to constitute full day coverage, while others think that twelve is more appropriate. If you purchase a plan for 8 hours, you will be covered for the full 8 hours. If you have four or more bridesmaids and you want shots of everyone getting ready from start to finish, you should budget at least two hours for this part of the day. You might save yourself up to 30 minutes of time if your photographer shows up while you're finishing up your hair styling.

Getting ready offers a lot of great photo ops that the happy couple will cherish forever. This time of day is typically one of the more chill times because you are spending quality time with individuals that matter to you. If you wanted to snap pictures of the bridal party together before the ceremony, now is your chance. The significance of the ceremony should be obvious. A lot of couples aim to knock out as many of these tasks as they can before the wedding.

It is highly recommended that you take the time before the ceremony to determine which photographs you would like to take. The next part will focus on the significance of family photos. The time between the group photos and the ceremony might range from 15 to 30 minutes, depending on how busy the day is. Most of the couples have a ceremony that lasts between twenty and thirty minutes. This is the simplest section of the ceremony - no one other than the officiant, the bride and groom, and any children present will speak.

If you are determined to perform the bare minimum to create these photo pairings, you should be able to do it in around twenty minutes. The average wedding that Jenny and I have attended or participated in lasts approximately half an hour. For the wedding reception meal, allocate twenty to forty minutes, depending on whether you will be served courses or allowed to help yourself from a buffet. For intimate ceremonies, a six-hr coverage package should be sufficient. The most popular option offers moderate protection for a period of about 8 hours.

With 8 hours at your disposal, you won't have to rush through picture ops before, during, or after the ceremony or reception. An 8-hr package should be plenty for weddings with 100 to 150 guests, and the extra two hours can be useful for ceremonies of any size. You need to engage a photographer for at least 10 hr to cover the event, as the ceremony and reception will take place in various locations. The standard amount of time for wedding coverage is 12 hours if you are expecting a large number of guests. On average, it takes between eight and twelve hours to photograph a wedding.

How many people will be at your wedding party? How large are their families, on average? The amount of guests and combined size of both families will have a significant impact on how many hours you'll need to employ a photographer for. The time estimates presented here are based on the "average" size of a wedding party. Book with us, Wild Romantic Photography, if you'd like to have experienced photographers capture your wedding day.

Content Summary

• Understanding the meaning of "continuous" coverage is the first step in analysing the photography coverage.
• If the packages your photographer is offering clearly indicate the number of hours of coverage, you will know exactly what you are getting.
• It depends on a few factors whether this part of the day's programme will take you an hour or two.
• You might need to get there early so you can capture the details of the venue, the bride and her attendants getting ready, and the groom and his buddies.
• Our suggestion is to always do some couple photos immediately following the event, providing that the lighting is good and you are on schedule to wrap up in that time frame.
• Because of this, it is highly recommended that you take the time before the ceremony to determine which photographs you would like to take.
• If you are determined to perform the bare minimum to create these photo pairings, you should be able to do it in around twenty minutes with proper coordination and a game plan.
• Depending on the size of your family, these can easily take up to an hour or more if you want to include just about every member of the family you can think of, some of the non-family guests, and many possible combos with the same or different people.
• Wedding customs such as the shoe game, the garter toss, and the cutting of the cake are all great ways to celebrate the end of the reception.
• Small, intimate weddings where the ceremony and reception will take place in the same place and won't go on for too long should choose this choice.
• Coverage for the entire wedding day for 6 Hr Since this is the photographer's most affordable option, a common misconception is that only low-income couples should consider purchasing it.
• 8 Hr of Wedding Day Coverage With those additional two hr, your photographer can record everything from your final touches in the bridal suite to the first dances after supper.
• Your wedding day will be special because of the many personal touches, traditions, and rituals you include into it (just think how boring it would be if every wedding was the same)!
• Don't make the mistake the stepsisters in Cinderella did and try to fit the glass slipper onto your too-big feet by having all the important activities take place in a venue that's too small.
• Book with us, Wild Romantic Photography, if you'd like to have experienced photographers capture your wedding day.