One of the most common questions I get from couples inquiring for pricing and collections is: “How many hours of coverage do I need?” The answer for this is a bit more complicated than my FAQ answer space allows, soooo here’s a blog post dedicated JUST for it! 😀

After shooting over 100 weddings, I can surely tell you this one thing: for full coverage, I don’t need to be there from the moment you open your sleepy eyes nor stay til the very last dance. Not necessary.

Here’s what I really need:

• The morning of, I like to give myself an hour and a half to two hours to cover everything from details (like the dress, the shoes, all other accessories) to tail end up of makeup, some candids and then the bride finally getting into her gown.  Note: if you want photos of the groom getting ready, you’ll need a second shooter in your collection.
• I allot two hours for portraits: this includes one hour for the couple (because creativity takes time, and timelines typically run late), half an hour for the bridal party, and half an hour for family portraits. I like to finish all portraits with about 30 minutes to go before the ceremony to give the couple and the bridal party a few minutes to recollect.
• Ceremonies typically last about 30 minutes and are usually immediately followed by the cocktail hour and reception. For receptions, I stay for first dances, toasts/speeches, about an hour or so of dancing and, of course, the cake cutting.

 

Now! On to the collections I offer and how all of this fits in to what I mentioned above:

 

SOUTH (up to 7 hour coverage)

What this covers: your portraits with you and your boo, bridal party, family, and then ceremony and 3 hours of the reception.

 

EAST (up to 8 hour coverage)

What this covers: photos of you getting ready ON LOCATION, your portraits ON LOCATION with you and your boo, bridal party, family, and then ceremony and 2-3 hours of the reception. This is great for venues that have an area for you to get dressed, as well as lots of spots on premises or in the immediate area to get some great variety in your photos.

 

WEST (up to 9 hour coverage)

What this covers: photos of you getting ready nearby, your portraits with you and your boo, bridal party, and family at a selected area nearby or at the venue, and then ceremony and 2-3 hours of the reception. This is the perfect amount of time for most weddings to get everything you need.

 

NORTH (up to 10 hour coverage)

What this covers: ample time for photos of you getting ready, your portraits with you and your boo, bridal party, and family at a selected area nearby or at the venue, and then ceremony and then 2-3 hours of the reception. This is great for weddings where a First Look will not be happening, and there is a large gap of time between the ceremony and the reception.

 

And here’s a special FAQ section JUST for this blog post:

Q: My cake cutting is happening at the end of the night, but you would be gone by then. What do I do?

A: Cake cutting can happen ANY TIME YOU NEED IT TO. Communicate with your venue, let them know your needs based on your photography/videography coverage and they can definitely work with you.

 

Q: Why do the collections say “up to” x amount of coverage?

A: Sometimes we get everything we need in less time. So if you choose the SOUTH collection for example, but everything is all said and done in 5 hours and I already have way too many photos of your Uncle dancing with every single lady present and have more candids than you’re ever going to want to look at, then I come up to ask you if there are any final photos you may want and then I wrap it up!

Q: What if I choose an 8 hour collection but then find out I need more time?

A: No biggie, you can always add on an extra hour, even if it’s close to the wedding date! My hourly fee is located on my pricing guide. 🙂

 

Have any other questions??? Leave it in the comments below!!