One of my most frequently asked questions is, “how many hours will I need?”.
Most of my couples book either 8 or 9 hours of coverage; this allows coverage from getting ready to the start of dancing in most situations. Every couple’s wedding day is unique, but here are the basics.
These are the questions I ask my couples when helping them figure out how many hours they will need a wedding photographer for:
Will you be getting ready on location? And will your ceremony also be on location? You have to factor in travel time between each location if everything isn’t at your venue.
Will you be having a first look? Would you like to get all portraits done prior to your ceremony? ie: couples, family & bridal party portraits.
Are you planning on a special exit at the end of the night (like sparklers)?
Always check when sunset is. Here in Massachusetts you really only have to worry if you have enough daylight from October to March. You want to make sure you have about an hour of sunset after your ceremony is over.
Below is what I use to help plan out a wedding timeline:
1.5 hours with bride getting ready – 30 minutes for details/flat lay, 30 minutes for “getting ready” portraits and 30 minutes for bride getting into her dress/bridal portraits
1-1.5 hours for first look with bridal party and family portraits included
30 minutes for first look only
1.5 – 2 hours photographer can exit prior to the end of the reception. You really only need about 30 minutes to 1 hour MAXIMUM of dancing. (this is if you do not want your photographer to capture your last dance/exit.
Contact me here to learn more about my packages!
Photographer: Jill Mac Photography
Venue: Omni Mount Washington Resort
Wedding Planner: Radiant Events New England
Make-up: Lavo Beauty
Hair: Debony Salon
Dress: Boston Bridal Atelier Maggie Sottero Designs
Florist: EH Floral
Click here to learn more!
