How Many Hours of Photography Do You Need For Your Central Coast Wedding

You're planning what's going to be one of the most amazing days of your life with your partner.  You've chosen an incredible wedding venue and an amazing caterer, and you've planned for gorgeous florals and the wedding dress of your dreams.  Of all the amazing things that go into creating your perfect day, your wedding photography is going to be one of the few that will last forever, so you want to get it right.  But that probably brings you to the question, "Just how many hours do I need a photographer at my wedding".  

Some clients want to capture every moment of their day from "morning coffee until the last dance", while some couples are more excited about having only a portion of their day captured.  So how do you decide?  Here's a great resource to give you a baseline and what to consider with the most commonly offered wedding coverages in San Luis Obispo County.

Every Wedding is Unique, But There is a Perfect Package For Them All

 

6 Hours of Wedding Photography Coverage

Are you having an intimate or micro wedding?  Or maybe your ceremony and reception are at the same venue and you're not as intererested in the "getting ready" or full reception documentation?  Six hours of coverage is typically perfect for these types of events.  The guest count is smaller, which means you'll get through your "must have" photographs much faster. This is a great option for a wedding that's a little more condensed.

Bride and Dad walking toward the ceremony in the Secret Garden at a Madonna Inn Wedding

Things to Consider:  

  • You'll get the "essentials" of your day covered beautifully - from your ceremony and family/important friends photos, wedding party photos, and, of course, those dreamy Couples Portraits that will make you swoon!

  • Your photographer won't have as much time for establishing photographs and details like "dress, rings and shoes", flowers, special touches, etc.

  • You may not have time for ALL the "getting ready" photos, but your photographer can usually document the bride getting into her dress and some pre-ceremony coverage so long as you're getting ready at your venue.     

  • You will definitely have plenty of amazing photographs of your ceremony, your family and wedding party, the ever important Couple's Portraits, and likely the opening of your reception, which will usually include your "first dance" and sometimes your "cake cutting". Not everyone wants tons of photos of guests dancing!

  • There may not be enough time for certain special events like the "first look" or for "sunset photos". 

Your photographer should work with you on creating a timeline that will help maximize what is captured in photographs to make the best use of your time - I definitely do at Mirror's Edge!

 

8 Hours of Wedding Photography Coverage 

This option is what I like to call the "happy medium" when it comes to photography packages for just about any size event - intimate or over-the-top.  8 hours of wedding photography coverage is going to give your photographer time to create your entire wedding story in photographs - from establishing details to "getting ready", and beautiful sunset photos to the first half of your incredible reception and party.  

Bride and Groom on the steps outside of Tooth and Nail Winery in Paso Robles

Things to Consider:

  • Your photographer will usually be able to arrive early enough to spend some time with both partners for getting ready photos.  This gives your wedding photography "story" a more well rounded feel. 

  • Your photographer will have a lot more time to focus on getting all the details, special touches, decor and candid or documentary style photographs of your guests.

  • Because your photographer will be at your event later, you'll have time for "sunset photos", which are, in my opinion, one of the best parts of the day!

  • If you're planning a reception packed with awesome events - like having a late night taco truck or a "grand exit" - your photographer will probably be leaving before those things occur, so keep that in mind when you're planning things.

  • Some 8 hour packages include a second photographer, at least for "getting ready" through the end of Couple's Portraits - mine does at Mirror's Edge! It should at least be an option to add an additional photographer, which just means more amazing photographs from multiple angles.

If your wedding and reception are going to be at different venues, or you're getting ready at a different location, I always suggest at least an 8 hours of coverage package.   

 

10 Hours of Wedding Photography Coverage - or Full Event Coverage

If you're one of those couples who wants to remember your entire day - from hair and makeup and the boys having fun before the cermony, to the full story of your reception and a "grand exit", then you'll want to opt for 10 hours of photography coverage.  The time pressure is virtually taken away when you choose "full event coverage", so your photographer can spend a lot more time getting creative with detail photos, spend more time on Couple's Portraits and "sunset photos", and you'll have a beautiful photographic documentation of your entire wedding day.

Bride and Groom on the boardwalk in Grover Beach dancing

Things to Consider:

  • Most 10 Hours of Coverage packages include a second photographer (mine does at Mirror's Edge), which means you'll have a dedicated photographer for each partner as they're getting ready, as well as double the amazing angles during your ceremony and posed photographs.  

  • More time for Couple's Portraits - do some after the ceremony and some at sunset for a truly documentary feel!

  • You can pack in all the extras with this amount of coverage.  Think individual Partner Portraits before the ceremony, exchanging gifts and getting your partner's reaction in a photograph, "first look" with either your partner or mom/dad, the grand exit (cold sparkler or ribbon wands, anyone?), etc.!

There will be "no rush" when it comes to the photography for your day, which means less stress for you.  Your photographer can take a more natural approach to the photography for your day because there's plenty of time for everything.

 

 

One Last Thing...

Your wedding photographer should be available to you for planning assistance, especially when it comes how to structure your day for the absolute best photographs.  Even if you have a wedding planner, before your finalize your timeline you'll want to run it by your photographer to make sure that you are leaving enough time in certain areas and maximizing the all important "golden hour" - you don't want to miss this stunning time simply by checking the "sunset time" because the sun can go behind the hills at different times all through San Luis Obispo County.  Your wedding photographer can help ensure you've set aside exactly the right amount of time to make your vision come to life!

Hopefully this article gave you an answer to your question of "How many hours of wedding photography do we need".  And, if you're looking for a wedding photographer who knows all this stuff and is ready to help you get the wedding photos of your dreams, CONTACT ME for a chat!