It’s one of the most important questions you’ll ask when planning your wedding: how long should you have a photographer at your wedding? The answer, of course, depends on a number of factors – from the size and scope of your wedding to your budget and photography needs. But with a little guidance, you can make sure you have the coverage you need to capture all the memories of your big day.
Here’s a look at some of the factors to consider when deciding how long to have a photographer at your wedding:
The size of your wedding: A smaller, intimate wedding will naturally require less photographer coverage than a large, lavish affair. If you’re having a more intimate wedding, you may only need a photographer for a few hours to capture the ceremony and key moments. However, if you’re expecting a large number of guests, you’ll likely need a photographer for most of the day to make sure all the important moments are captured.
Your photography needs: Take a moment to think about the kind of photos you want from your wedding. Are you looking for traditional posed shots or more candid, natural photos? Do you want photos of the whole wedding party or just the bride and groom? Knowing what kind of photos you want will help you determine how long you need a photographer at your wedding.
Your budget: Of course, your budget is also a key consideration when deciding how long to have a photographer at your wedding. The good news is, there are a number of ways to save on wedding photography, so even if you’re on a tight budget, you can still have the coverage you need.
In general, here’s a good rule of thumb to follow.
For a small wedding (under 75 guests), we recommend having a photographer for 5-6 hours. This will give you plenty of time for getting ready photos, portraits, candids during the ceremony and reception, and some fun shots in between.
For a medium-sized wedding (75-150 guests), we recommend having a photographer for 6-8 hours. This will allow for all of the above, plus some additional time for things like extended family portraits and maybe even a few extra shots around the reception venue.
For a large wedding (over 150 guests), we recommend having a photographer for 8-10 hours. This way, you’ll be sure to get all the must-have photos, plus plenty of extras.
The Photographer’s Role
A photographer’s job is to document the day from start to finish. The only person who can capture all of the special moments, candid moments and details is your photographer. You should never worry about what he or she will be doing at any moment because they are there for you!
Getting Ready
The bride getting ready is an important part of the wedding day. Capturing these moments will help you remember what you looked like on your wedding day and how much fun you had before it all began!
A good photographer can help with any last-minute changes or adjustments, making sure you look your best for the big moment. Of course, this doesn’t mean that a photographer needs to be there for every minute of getting ready—you have other things to do too! But having a camera person around is helpful if your hair or makeup artist needs assistance, or if they need more time than usual because their client is just so beautiful (like yours truly).
The photographer will also be able to capture those special moments when family members are helping out with last-minute fixes, like securing buttons on the dress or putting on jewelry. They know how best to frame those shots so they don’t look awkward while doing them—plus they can ask questions about specific details that would make great photos later on!
Ceremony
The next major event on your wedding day is the ceremony. The photographer should set up at least 15 minutes prior to the ceremony starting and will be there during all parts of it—from when you are getting ready and walking down the aisle, through when you say “I do.”
Once the ceremony has finished and everyone is back inside their rooms (or wherever they’re going post-ceremony), it’s time to get ready for your reception! You’ll want to have a few minutes just before heading out so that everyone gets some final touches done while they’re still fresh—but otherwise, it’s time to go! This is a great opportunity for family members who haven’t had much time with you throughout this process yet or need photos taken by themselves alone with you–so don’t forget about them!
Pre-Cocktail Hour
The pre-cocktail hour, or “first hour” as it is sometimes called, is the time between the ceremony and cocktail hour. During this time, the bride and groom are usually busy greeting guests and family members, and the photographer’s role is to capture these moments.
This timeframe can be challenging because of how many people are trying to get pictures taken with you in such a short amount of time; your photographer will need to be very efficient with his or her time during this period. It’s also important that they don’t stay too long; after all, there are still tons of photos left on your schedule!
Cocktail Hour
Then there’s the cocktail hour. This is a great time to have your photographer get some shots of the guests milling around, capturing their reactions to the wedding and interacting with one another. It’ll be especially important to capture any immediate family members who might not make it past dinner, since they could be heading out for an early flight in the morning.
Hopefully you’ve picked up on my subtle hints that having a photographer at your wedding is essential. But don’t worry if you haven’t—we’ll go over all of this later on!
Reception Entrances and First Dances
Your photographer is a valuable resource. They can help you get the most out of your wedding day. One of their most important roles is capturing those special moments that happen throughout the day, whether that’s the first dance, or a tearful parent giving away their daughter.
These are all moments that need to be captured on camera—but it’s also not just about snapping photos. You’ll want to ensure that everyone has fun and enjoys themselves at this beautiful celebration!
Reception Events and Dancing
- Dance with your spouse.
- Dance with your parents.
- Dance with your siblings: It’s the last time they’ll be all together in one place, so make sure you take advantage of that!
- Dance with friends and family members who traveled from out of town to celebrate this special occasion with you, including nieces and nephews who have never met before (and will likely forget each other’s names by the time they leave).
- Dance with bridesmaids and groomsmen: They’ve been there since day one—it’s only right they get their chance to shine!
Photographers can help you get the most out of your wedding day.
Photographers can help you get the most out of your wedding day. Photographers can help you remember your wedding day. Photographers can help you get the most out of your wedding photos and albums, too.
It’s all about being able to look back on those moments that mean so much to us, but may have been lost in our memories if not for someone else capturing them on camera!
It’s important to remember that your wedding day is a time for you and your partner to enjoy. The more comfortable you are, the better everything will go! Your photographer should be there to capture all of these moments so that you have them forever; they should never feel like an interruption or nuisance.