How much time do I need for my photos at my wedding?

How much time do I need for my photos at my wedding?

One of our most frequently asked questions is: How long should I book my wedding photographer for? This is a great question, and we’re here to help you find the answer. If you’re trying to plan out your timeline for your big day, we have compiled some helpful timing tips to help you figure out your schedule.

Here are some basic time frames of the main events:

·         First Look/Reveal: 30 min to one hour depending on location and amount of photos wanted.

·         Ceremony: This varies depending on type of ceremony.

• Traditional Ceremony: 30 minutes

• Full Catholic Mass: 1 hour and 30 minutes

• Non-Full Mass Catholic Wedding: 45 minutes

·         Getting Ready: 1 hour to 2 hours (It’s going to more than likely take longer to get ready, but this is the amount of time we cover the getting ready process.)

·         Bride and Bridesmaids Photos: 15 minutes (depending on size of bridal party)

·         Groom and Groomsmen Photos: 15 minutes (depending on size of bridal party)

·         Full Bridal Party Photos: 20 minutes (depending on size of bridal party)

·         Bride and Groom Portraits: 30 minutes to one hour

·         Family Formals: 30 to 45 minutes (depending on size of family)

• Reception: Includes grand entrance, dinner, cake, toasts, first dances, other dancing, tosses, exits. 2-3 hours

Other things to note:

·         If you will be having a receiving line, this usually takes about 30 to 45 minutes.

·         I will need to be at the ceremony site about 15 minutes early to do a light check and take detail and guest shots.

·         Typically, 2 - 3 hours is enough time to shoot all of the main events at a reception.

·         If you’re having a traditional wedding, and the ceremony and reception are at the same venue, 7 - 8 hours will generally cover this.

·         If you are having a cocktail hour and dancing (still at the same venue), this will normally be an 8 - 9 hour day.

·         If you’re having a Catholic ceremony, you typically will need full day coverage (up to ten hours)

·         If your ceremony and reception are not at the same venue, don’t forget to add travel time into your schedule.

·         If you’re doing a special exit from the reception, like a sparkler exit, you’ll need to have full-day coverage.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me! I love helping plan the wedding day timeline to make sure everything runs smoothly and to give you a better idea of how many hours you will need photo coverage for.