When you are looking for a wedding photographer, the biggest part of their packages is based on the hours of coverage for your wedding day. So you may be wondering how many hours of coverage you really need. Do you really need a photographer for 8 hours or even 10? Well, it depends on what you would like captured by your photographer. Here is what is most commonly documented by the hours of coverage.
4 Hours of Coverage – Micro Coverage
This will cover everything from your first look through cocktail hour. This is your standard coverage for a micro wedding with toasts and cake shared during cocktail hour.
Includes: First look, portraits together, wedding party portraits, ceremony, family portraits, and toasts and cake cutting during cocktail hour.
Perfect for: Smaller weddings of 50 or fewer guests and smaller bridal parties (3 or less on each side).
6 Hours of Coverage – Half Day Coverage
If you have your photographer for 6 hours, this will cover everything from your first look to the middle of your reception. This is popular with intimate weddings and non-traditional weddings like brunch weddings.
Includes: First look, portraits together, wedding party portraits, ceremony, family portraits, and main events of the reception.
Perfect for: Smaller weddings of 50 or less guests and smaller bridal parties (4 or less on each side).
8 Hours of Coverage – Full Day Coverage
Full day coverage starts at 8 hours. This will include everything from getting ready to the middle of your reception. This allows your photographer to capture all of the important moments of the day and leave before your guests get too tipsy. If you are doing a grand exit, you can do a ‘faux exit’ with just your bridal party and family before the photographer leaves.
Includes: Detail images, getting ready photos, first look, portraits together, wedding party portraits, ceremony, family portraits, and main events of the reception.
Perfect for: Most weddings. Suggest for guests of 150 and fewer.
10 Hours of Coverage – All Day Coverage
This would be full day coverage in the traditional sense: from getting ready until the end of the reception.
Includes: Detail Images, getting ready photos, first look, portraits together, wedding party portraits, ceremony, family portraits, and entire reception.
Perfect for: Weddings with over 150 guests. Or receptions that end in a grand exit that cannot be duplicated (example: fireworks).
Additional Considerations
There may be other things that may increase the amount of time that you need photographic coverage for. This may add anywhere from 1 – 2 hours of additional time needed depending on the situation.
Longer Ceremonies
The timelines above are based on a ceremony that is 30 minutes or less. If your ceremony will be longer (example: a Catholic Mass ceremony), you will need to add extra time to your day.
Large Bridal Parties & Large Families
Your photographer will need extra time to photograph large bridal parties and large families. Not only will they be taking more pictures of each (example: more family groupings), but it also takes longer to coordinate all of those people. (We jokingly refer to it as herding cats.)
Driving Time
Most photographers include driving time between venues into their hours of coverage. If there is only 10 – 15 minutes between locations, you do not need to worry. However, if the photographer is driving 30 plus minutes between locations, you may need to add on a little extra time.
Final Note
Every photographer is different. The information above is based on the way my wedding photographer friends and I photograph weddings. However, it is best to ask your photographer before booking based on the hours what all will be covered during the day.
