We have several upcoming weddings and with that comes many questions from the bride concerning the timeline for certain photographs during the day. So here it is....
How much time do we need for wedding day photographs? Here is a rough guide to answer this question.
- Getting Ready: 30-45 minutes with both the guys and the girls. I always stay with the bride and the second shooter always goes with the guys. Some choose to skip photographing this time, but you can really get some great shots with lots of emotion!
- Bride and Bridesmainds/Groom and Groomsmen: 30 minutes, before the ceremony if possible. Again, this is just one chunk of time since there are two photographers. This time is great for getting many of the wedding party shots out of the way so guests don't have so long to wait for your arrival to the reception.
- First Look: 30 minutes with just the bride and groom, typically right before the ceremony begins. The first look is completely optional. Some couples like to keep things traditional and not see each other before the ceremony. Either way is perfectly fine...it's YOUR day! If you do decide on a first look, I highly recommend keeping this to just the couple. Use this time to enjoy each other before the wedding ceremony. The actual first look only takes about 10 minutes so you'll have plenty of time to have other photographs taken of you two as a couple.
- Whole Wedding Party: 30 minutes if you've already taken the bride/bridesmaids and groom/groomsmen photographs earlier. If not, you should plan for about 45 minutes here. Again, this varies based on the number in the wedding party as well.
- Immediate Family: 15 minutes, but this can vary based on how many groups you want to have photographed. It typically takes one and a half minutes per small group and three minutes per large group.
- Details: Detail shots are taken throughout the day so we don't actually "plan" for those. We just work those in as we can. Often times we do these if we finish early with the getting ready photographs or even during the reception.
Now knowing this, when should you ask us to arrive? I suggest you figure out what time the ceremony will start and then work your way through the suggested timeline above to ensure you have enough time for us to capture all the moments you'd like photographed on your wedding day. Most of our clients opt for a "fake send off." They are able to have the send off photographed, but then come back into the reception to continue enjoying the company of their guests. This saves them money by not having a photographer stay the entire length of the reception, but ensuring that they capture all the big events from the day.
“Slow down and everything you are chasing will come around and catch you.”