Picking Your Wedding Photography Package: Tips for Determining the Ideal Number of Hours to Book Your Wedding Photographer
- alyssawalkerphotog
- Jan 20, 2024
- 2 min read
Have you found yourself asking, "How many hours should I book my wedding photographer for?" If so, this post is for you!
Hey there, how's wedding planning going? Are you having the most fun, fulfilling journey putting together your perfect dream day, or are you kind of freaking out and already a little over it? Whether you're one or the other, or a lovely in-between, I wanted to offer you some help as you trudge along.
The number one question I get from couples who are ready to book with me is, "How many hours should I book you for?" I understand why this is such a common question; this is likely your first time planning a wedding, so how are you to know what's enough? A lot of wedding photographers price out their packages based on an hourly rate. And while this isn't all that goes into the job for a wedding photographer (I talk more about this here), it's still the most crucial part of their job as far as capturing the entirety of your day goes.
No single wedding is the same: maybe you want those cute flatlays with your rings and wedding invitations, or maybe details don't matter to you as much, maybe you don't want any getting ready shots or maybe you want your photographer there first thing in the morning to capture every moment of the day. I can keep throwing examples out there, but I'm sure you get the point; there will always be unique aspects to your day that you should take into consideration while figuring out how long to book your photographer for.
The most helpful tips I give to my couples who are determining the amount of hours they'd like to book are listed below:
Use Your Schedule as Your Guideline
This part is kind of a no-brainer - it's only useful advice if you have at least a tentative schedule going. Say you already know your ceremony will start at 4PM, cocktail hour from 5-6PM, and reception from 6-10PM. Here you already have 6hours of coverage needed. Most photographers (such as myself) like to arrive at least 2 hours before the ceremony begins. Why 2 whole hours before? I'll answer that in the next point,
Make a List of Your "Wants"
Do you want:
Detail shots? (the rings, shoes, dress hanging, invitations, perfume & cologne)
Bride getting ready
Groom getting ready
Bride and groom hanging out with their bridal parties before the ceremony
First look with one another or a first look with the bride and her bridal party
If you answered yes to any of these, I suggest giving your photographer at least 2 hours before the set ceremony time. If you consider yourself someone who loves having a candid moment captured, this is where we'll really shine. So much goes on before the ceremony (like, SO MUCH), which makes it an important moment, helping capturing your day in full. However, when only given 1-2 hours, sometimes we photographers find ourselves in a race against time.
From personal experience, the days that I had 3-4hours of time to shoot before the couple's ceremony began were some of the best weddings I've shot. I had time to think creatively and set up better shots, capturing precious moments with the parents of the bride and/or groom, with the bridal parties, or getting beautiful solo shots of just the bride or just the groom. Additionally, giving your photographer that extra cushion of time is helpful for you just in case anything is behind schedule. If a photographer arrives with only 1-2hours to get in all your shots before the ceremony, but the bride is still in hair and makeup for the majority of those 2 hours, that leaves little to no room for the many photo opportunities that they could have had.
Playing on our "4-10PM" wedding day schedule, this would already put you at 10-8 hours of wedding coverage needed.
Having said all that (and you having read all that - thank you, btw), I've shot plenty of weddings that had me arrive just before the ceremony's start time. This is typically for a couple that doesn't prioritize detail shots and doesn't have a bridal party. And, while I just campaigned for extra hours before the ceremony, I still make sure the wedding gets captured just as beautifully when I'm asked to show up at or around the ceremony start time.
Playing on our "4-10PM" wedding day schedule, this would mean you'd need 6-7 hours of wedding coverage.
Where Are You Getting Ready?
If you want your wedding photographer to capture this part of your wedding, you should also take the location into consideration. Are you getting ready at an Airbnb that might be a 20min drive from the ceremony location? If so, you should consider this extra travel time in your package.
Is Your Ceremony Close to the Reception Location?
Similar to above, if your reception is taking place somewhere different than your ceremony, it's crucial to add this travel time into the hours you're booking your photographer.
Will You Have a Send Off?
While it might not seem too important, this part is worth figuring out before you book with your photographer.
First off, what's a send off? A send off is the couple's final goodbye to their guests as the party has come to an end. Send offs are usually guests lining up, forming a path to a "getaway car." Sometimes there are sparklers or bubbles (makes for great photos!)
Playing on our "4-10PM" wedding day schedule, regardless of the start time for your photographer, you'll want to book your photographer until 10PM.
However, not all weddings have to have a send off. If you aren't planning a send off for the end of your wedding, you can consider saving an hour of coverage by releasing your photographer before the reception is set to end.
Playing on our "4-10PM" wedding day schedule, you could book your photographer until 9PM.
These are the tips I give to my inquiring couples who need help when picking their packages. Hopefully it shed some light on the subject for you, and remember that no wedding is identical - there are many variables that can come into play which will affect how much coverage you'll need. That's why I prefer to help out my couples over a call - it's much more effective - and I suggest you do the same.
Reach out below to schedule a call with me. I'd love to offer any help and knowledge that I have.
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