How many hours of wedding photography do you need?

Nov 3

3 min read

Do I really need 8 hours of wedding photography?

So many photographers offer “full day” wedding coverage that it’s easy to assume you need someone there from morning to night. But in a world that’s always chasing more, I worry that quality over quantity is getting lost. In all honesty, I’d rather you had the right amount of coverage than the most.

Smiling bride and groom stand before a pink door as guests toss flower petals at their wedding at The Croft Hotel.

If you’re planning a smaller wedding, with up to 50 or 60 guests, the day tends to move quicker - no shade to larger guest lists, but getting a big crowd into the same place takes time! Not only that, but priorities seem to be changing. When enquiring, more couples have been telling me the priority for their wedding photography is the ceremony, their guests having fun, and a few portraits of the two of them. They want to enjoy the day with their nearest and dearest, without popping off every 30 minutes for more portraits or group photos while guests wait patiently for their return.

In my opinion, a wedding isn’t a wedding if you don’t get to spend time with the people you invited and I definitely don't want my photography to get in the way of that. Isobel and Ally’s spring wedding at The Croft Hotel felt just like that: a heartfelt ceremony, petals at the pink door and plenty of time with their nearest and dearest.

Two men stand at the altar during a wedding ceremony in a rustic stone hall, with guests seated and white flowers lining the aisle.

Okay, so how many hours of wedding photography do you need?

Here’s what a typical 4-hour day looks like. Don't get me wrong, timings are flexible and every timeline is built around the couple, but this is typically how it goes.

Hour 1: Venue and space all ready, special details, portraits of each of you
Hour 2: Ceremony
Hour 3: Reception and group photos
Hour 4: Couple portraits and other candid moments

When would you add an extra hour or two?

If you’d like photos of getting ready in the morning, if the speeches matter to you, or if you want the cake cutting and first dance photographed.

How do I decide?

Ask yourself these few questions:

What do you want most from your wedding images?
What’s your guest count?
What’s your venue size and layout?
What does your current timeline look like?

There’s no wrong answer here, it’s about matching the coverage to the day you want.

Bride and bridesmaid hold hands, each with a bouquet—one in a floral dress, one in a blush lace gown.

Genuinely, I’m not opposed to full-day wedding photography. I just want to make sure I’m giving my couples the right coverage for their needs and what they want from their wedding photography.

If you’re planning a small wedding and aren’t sure how many hours you need, get in touch and tell me about your day.

How much does wedding photography cost?

My wedding coverage is priced by the hour, so you only pay for the time you actually need. Pricing by the hour keeps things simple, and you’re never paying for hours of coverage you won’t use. You’ll find my current rates and everything included on my pricing page.

Can I add hours later?

Yes. If you book 4 hours and later decide you’d love the getting ready, the speeches or the first dance photographed, just let me know and we’ll add the time at the same hourly rate. The best moment to tell me is when your timeline is settled, so I can build the extra time into the plan rather than squeezing it in.