As overwhelming as budgeting for wedding photography is the time-consuming affair of decoding the timeline. Wedding planning as such involves organizing and booking multiple vendors to execute the event successfully; curating a timeline of events for your wedding day is a more complex and overwhelming task. Sealing the deal is the correlation between the wedding day timeline and the number of hours of coverage you need.

Once you narrow down and finalize an efficient wedding photographer to document your big day, you will be asked the most crucial question during your initial consultations; how many hours of wedding day coverage do you need?

The answer is complex as it directly impacts the cost of hiring a photographer and the quality of memories you end up with to cherish for a lifetime. While fewer hours may bring the charges down, it may mean compromising the accuracy of your wedding pictures and missing out on crucial moments. More hours of coverage on the other hand would mean wasted resources including money.

Most wedding photographers offer hourly options for coverage along with other additional services. Couples often choose an average of 8 to 12 hours of coverage depending on the ceremonies and events involved.

What is the optimal number to choose?

Here is a breakdown of the typical wedding photography requirements and timelines to help guide you through the process of determining coverage hours.

Typical hours of wedding photography coverage

The day of the wedding officially starts when the bride and the groom start getting ready for their big day. However, for a visual storytelling experience, photographers sometimes include shots of the residences of the bride and the groom, or other scenic elements at the venue, especially at destination weddings.

A simple wedding photography timeline follows the below few shots.

·       Scenic shots and exotic elements for storytelling – 30 minutes

·       Getting ready shots incorporating details such as sparkle of diamonds, lace and embroidery details, earrings, brooches, etc.  – 90 minutes

·       Getting ready shots of the bride and the groom – 30 minutes

·       Individual portraits of the bride and the groom – 30 minutes

·       First look and couple’s portrait sessions – 30 minutes

·       Bridal entourage photos – 30 minutes

·       Family stills – 30 minutes

·       Pre-ceremony photos + intricate details such as art installations at the venue – 30 minutes

·       Ceremonial photos – 30 minutes

·       Cocktail hour photos – 60 minutes

·       Golden hour portraits of the couple – 30 minutes

·       Dinner photos and speeches – 90 minutes

·       Reception party + first dance + dancing – 60 minutes

These shots may vary in duration, and order, and some may even be eliminated depending on the priorities of the couple. Making a total of 8 to 9 hours, an average wedding event timeline includes the above-mentioned sessions.

As an experienced wedding photographer, we also recommend that you include some buffer time in between sessions so that you can accommodate timeline overruns or other surprise events, such as a surprise song or dance performance by a friend.

Additionally, depending on the location of your venue in Chicago, you may also need to account for travel time, especially if you are planning to get ready at a hotel room or residence away from the ceremonial venue.

Lastly, it is also recommended to include small durations of downtime for the photography crew. Depending on the overall duration of the different events at your wedding, this can be planned and incorporated within the timeline.

Why full-day (more than 16 hours) coverage is not recommended

Full-day coverage or more than 16 hours of coverage for a wedding event is sometimes opted for by couples in attempts to ensure that they capture every detail on film. While this is a personal choice and it makes for a well-rounded collection of wedding pictures, it is not mandatorily needed.

For example, a reception party that starts at 7 pm may well last into midnight, extending up to 5 hours. However, photographing the entire session is neither practical nor necessary. The first hour of the reception can be utilized to capture the best moments of the event including the first dance, and dance floor activity. This will ideally represent the reception event giving you enough memories to cherish, while not hogging too many billable hours.

This is why it is always a wise decision to seek guidance from your wedding photographer when determining photography timelines. Communicate your needs and preferences and trust them with their expertise to give you recommendations regarding event coverage.

Contingencies to Consider

Extensive celebrations like weddings are very likely to encounter contingent scenarios like sudden weather changes and loss of light, especially in a city like Chicago. Hence, it is important to plan and incorporate changes or additional times to address these contingencies and ensure that the wedding vision is accurately captured.

Here are some common scenarios to anticipate.

·       Sudden showers or winds resulting in loss of sufficient natural light. This may necessitate preponing portrait sessions scheduled later in the day.

·       Delays in hair and makeup

·       Delays in arrival of important family members for stills

·       Traffic-induced delays leading to the late arrival of important people, like the officiant

·       Parking delays

·       Weather considerations delaying your plan for a second location portrait session

·       Entry delays at planned photoshoot locations

An experienced wedding photographer will be equipped and ready to handle contingent situations with additional lights, strategies, and resources.

Wrapping up

Creating a wedding day photography timeline requires a great level of thought, precision, and planning. From dividing the day’s events into thoughtful sessions on a chronological basis to incorporating buffer time for contingencies, delays, and breaks, the process involves solid scheduling skills. Suffice it to say, that the hours of coverage required on the day of your wedding need due diligence. Use this guide to gain some perspective on planning your photography timeline, and partner with an experienced wedding photographer to seek additional help and make the most of your photography investment.

If planning your wedding day photography timeline is overwhelming, contact Shan Photography! Let us help you through a consultation.

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