Bride's Guide: How Many Hours Do You Really Need?
When it comes to wedding photography, most brides need help when it comes to knowing how many hours of photography to book.
The average wedding ceremony is 30 min to 1 hour. A typical reception is anywhere from 3-5 hours. Once you add in times for family, bridal party and wedding party pictures, that can range from 30 min to 1 hour depending how the number of people and how important bride and groom portraits are to you.
There are several factors to consider when deciding the perfect number of hours. Some or all of these may play a part in determining what your needs are.
Getting Ready- Add 30 min to 1.5 hours​
First Look- Add 15-20 min
Long Ceremony- Add 30 min
Important Exit- Make sure to cover entire reception for time or do a staged exit
Number of Guests- Additional time may be needed to cover more guests
Budget- If you have a tight budget, you can push all your reception activities to the beginning of the reception so everything is captured.
Family/Bridal Party/Bride & Groom Photo Time- Add 30 min to 1 Hour depending on the size of the bridal party, amount of family and how many different photos do you want.
Time/ Distance between Ceremony and Reception- If you have a extra time between the two events, you may need to add additional time.
Highlights or Full Documentary Style- If you know you want pictures of everything, count on at least 8 hours. That way you are not rushed and your entire day from the biggest part to the smallest will be documented.
In my opinion, the bride and groom pictures are the most important images of the day. These are the photos that are chosen for the album, get framed for your home and posted online. Good quality time should be allotted for this section of your wedding day.
Hope this helps you! I created a Quiz on my website to walk you through how many hours would be best for your wedding.
Want to see more Award Winning Photos? Visit www.TiffanyHopwoodPhotography.com
Tiffany Hopwood Photography specializes in wedding photography in Dallas, Highland Village and throughout Texas as well as Destination Wedding photography anywhere in the world!
