When planning wedding photography, most couples find it challenging to determine how long they will need to book the wedding photographers. Booking the photographer for several hours will be expensive and excessive while opting for a few hours might result in missing out on vital moments or picture opportunities.
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So how long or how many hours should you hire a photographer to be at your wedding? The answer to this question depends upon several important factors. Thus, below is our quick guide to help you determine the best options for your wedding photography coverage.
The Size And Style Of Your Wedding
One of the most important things you need to figure out is the size of your wedding – the number of people that will be present and how long it will be.
If your wedding is small, featuring less than 50 guests, including you and your partner, and the bridesmaid and groomsmen, you should book the photographer for a 6-hour coverage. You will need the photographer to stay around for 8-10 hours if you are planning to host a big event with more than 150 guests. Normally, an 8-hour coverage will suffice for 150 guests, while 10 hours will be ideal for more than 150 people.
Furthermore, your wedding style also determines how long the photographer should be at the event regardless of the number of guests and how large it will be. For instance, if you are planning a more traditional wedding, you will want the photographer to stick around for the whole event. However, if you are having a more modern or casual wedding event, you may only need to book the photographer for a couple of hours – probably between 4-5.
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! Hiring a wedding photographer is an important step when it comes to planning your big day. Not only will your photographer capture beautiful memories that you can look back on for years to come, but your photographer will also be responsible for documenting one of the most important days of your life. Our Master guide has some helpful information to hire the best wedding photographer.
Click Below to Read a Comprehensive Guide to – Hire a Wedding Photography.
The Kind Of Pictures You Want The Photographer To Capture
Different couples envisioned their wedding days in different ways. Some want the photographer to be available to document their makeup sessions, while a few others do not fancy the idea. Some only want the photographer to cover only the ceremony and reception, while many others often opt for full coverage of the whole day.
Therefore, we suggest you ask yourself the following questions:
- Do I need photos of my wedding makeup session?
- Do I want the photographer to capture or record your partner’s bodily expression during your first look?
- Do I need footage of my departure from the hotel and arrival at the venue?
If all your answers are positive, then you will need the photographer to arrive early and be at the wedding throughout the program. Therefore, if your wedding will last for about 4 hours, including the ceremony and reception time, we recommend booking the photographer for approximately 7 hours – 2 hours for the getting ready session, 4 hours for the main coverage, and an hour for after-party shots.
How Many Hours Is Enough For A Wedding Photographer?
The number of hours that will be enough for a wedding photographer solely depends on the overall duration of the event, its size, type, number of guests, and budget.
However, most wedding photographers typically require 4-8 hours to cover wedding events with 200 guests or more. But this, again, is dependent on the length of the program.
Generally, we suggest you discuss with your wedding photographer about the type and size of your wedding and how many hours will be enough for the photoshoot session.
Do Wedding Photographers Stay For The Whole Reception?
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No, they do not. But in some cases, they may be obligated to stay for the whole reception, but it is not a requirement. Although most wedding photographers often stay at the reception ground till the groom and bride vacate the place or when the program is officially declared over, they can leave when their jobs at the reception are over.
We also recommend you talk to the photographers to know whether they will stay throughout the reception or leave before the program is officially closed.
In conclusion, the size of your wedding, the number of guests, and the kind of pictures to be captured are some of the factors that generally determine how long a photographer will be at a wedding.
Therefore, you should engage in a personal conversation with your photographers to know how long they will spend, how many hours will be enough for them, and if they will stay throughout the reception.