How much photography coverage do you actually need on your wedding day? Most traditional weddings usually need between 8 and 10 hours of photography coverage to get everything. But there are definitely some things to consider when thinking about your own wedding photography timeline:
Are you wanting to do a first look (all photos before the ceremony) or an aisle reveal (all photos after the ceremony during cocktail hour)?
You can click HERE to read my post about pros and cons of each. Typically with a first look we start photos about 4 hours before the ceremony. With an aisle reveal we start photos about 3 hours before the ceremony, but I recommend an extended 90 minute cocktail hour.
Where is your ceremony and how long will it last?
With a ceremony at the venue, those take about 30 minutes or less. With an off-site/church ceremony, we need to calculate travel time to and from and the length of the ceremony. Ceremonies with a full mass usually take about 60-90 minutes start to finish.
Are you planning a special exit?
Many couples don’t typically need us photographers to stay the entire reception. For receptions without an exit (or if we do a staged exit with just the wedding party), I only need to stay at the reception for about 3 hours to get photos of all the events and a good chunk of dancing. If you are planning a special exit with a vintage car or sparklers with all the guests, then let’s plan on extending my coverage until the end!
Download my free guide of 4 different ideal wedding photography timeline options for your wedding day ➡️CLICK HERE
