3 hour coverage
1 location
A small to medium wedding, where the event takes place in a venue that provides space for the ceremony and reception. 3 hours could easily provide a rich photographic coverage of all the essentials, as follows:
15 mins prior to bride arriving.. guests gathered, general atmosphere, some details, groom waiting..
The main event: bride arrives, ceremony covered through to signing followed by plenty of congratulatory moments and lovely candid capture
Family shots
Bridal shoot using the venue and best options
Details of reception setup, cake, tables, decorations and guests having drinks, plenty of the atmosphere, plus B&G with cake
5 hour coverage,
2 locations
5 Hours is ideal for weddings where the ceremony and reception are in one main location and the Bride is getting ready nearby, with the Groom also wanting some pre-ceremony shots. It may also be enough time, depending on your event to cover the first part of the reception.
Bride with girls/family nearby, final touches, details, getting into the dress, moments of anticipation with friends/bridesmaids and or parents, few portraits, etc.
Groom’s location nearby or at the main venue with some great portraits before the ceremony.
Ceremony location.. guests gathered, general atmosphere, some details, groom waiting..
The main event: bride arrives, ceremony covered through to signing followed by plenty of congratulatory moments and lovely candid capture
Family shots
Bridal shoot using the venue’s best options for the lighting conditions on the day
Details of reception setup, cake, tables, decorations and guests having drinks, plenty of the atmosphere
Bride & Groom’s entrance, kickstart to reception. Cake cutting can be incorporated as part of the start, and even a first dance can kick things off, especially if you have invested in a band and you want the best value from that, a dance set with certainly let the guests know the party has really started.
6 hour coverage,
3 locations
If you need a little more time to gain the coverage detailed in the above 5 hour example, for example, if your reception is not in the same location as the ceremony, 6 hours would still nicely cover up to the start of your reception.
Bride with girls/family nearby, final touches, details, getting into the dress, moments of anticipation with friends/bridesmaids and or parents, few portraits, etc.
Groom and the boys at the main ceremony location some great portraits before the ceremony. If your ceremony is at a gardens, that is the ideal situation to plan for this, there’s usually a private space you can find to work with the boys prior to them meeting up with the guests.
Groom meet and greet guests gathered, general atmosphere, some details, groom waiting..
The main event: bride arrives, ceremony covered through to signing followed by plenty of congratulatory moments and lovely candid capture
Family shots
Travel to the reception location, if this is more desirable for photos, the time spent for bridal shots can be spread between the two locations or select the reception location for the main photos, depending lighting and features.
Details of reception setup, cake, tables, decorations and guests having drinks, plenty of the atmosphere
Bride & Groom’s entrance, kickstart to reception. Cake cutting can be incorporated as part of the start, and even a first dance can kick things off, especially if you have invested in a band and you want the best value from that, a dance set with certainly let the guests know the party has really started.
NOTE: You could exchange pre-ceremony coverage for reception coverage, it’s your event, if you feel the celebration is more about the day for you and you don’t want the pressure before the ceremony, this can work just fine.
HOW MUCH TIME DO WE NEED?
I can happily chat with you about your plans, size of your wedding, family etc, and work out a coverage that will suit what you want, so feel free to call me and have a chat, or enquire. Here’s some insight for your planning process.
Time for pre-ceremony shots
You’ll want to allow 60 mins for the bride and at least 30 mins for the groom, add any travel time between. If you have a particular plan with traditional family moments to capture, chat to me and I will happily provide insight.
How long do we need for the ceremony, signing and enough time to mingle afterwards?
If it’s a celebrant wedding, 60 minutes is generally enough. Based on a 20-30 minute ceremony. If you’re thinking of several readings, or contributions from guests/family and your have a lot of guests at your wedding, add 20-30 minutes!
If your ceremony is a traditional church event, you’ll need to add about 30-45 minutes to the above.
What about family and group shots?
The best time for these are right after you’ve mingled and been congratulated. Generally for the immediate family, parents, siblings, partners, grandparents, you would need at least 20 mins. If you have a huge family with loads of kids, or you’re wanting to round up extended family, you want 30 minutes. This period can be manic if there’s not enough time and light is going, you don’t want it to be stressful, so planning is important.
How much time for bridal photos?
If you have a bridal party of at least 6, you’ll need 60 mins in one main location, incorporating drinks and plenty of candids. If you want to visit multiple locations, work out the travel time then double it, so if there’s 40 mins travel, add 1hr 20mins. This will allow relaxed shuffling in and out of cars and walking into new spots, getting organised for compositions while having fun and not being rushed, which all adds up to good photos, natural joyful moments! A multi location shoot with limited time does feel like work for you and your party, I don’t recommend trying to squeeze locations in to a tight period.
No bridal party, just the two of you? I assume you don’t want to spend too much time away from your guests, I can make sure you have plenty of lovely options in about 30 minutes. Or if you want to leisurely go for it and visit a couple of locations close together, 60 mins with be lovely also.
The first dance and cutting the cake?
I’m definitely a fan of getting these both done right up front at the start of reception. Don’t laugh, it' works so well and leaves the couple relaxed and free to get on with their night.
You can cut your cake first, then go straight to the dance floor. Or make a surprise entrance by introducing your dance first.. then cut the cake.
Some like to keep the dance low key and later on, it depends on your event, and your personality. However, I’ve shot a lot of weddings where the first dance is a surprise entrance. If you have a band, you might like to think about how you can get an extra set played early on.. Consider your introduction to the reception, there’s usually a song, a burst of music to introduce a vibe of the couple.. this can be your first dance and can follow on with a set of music to kick the party off and officially open the dance floor, inviting guests up. This works particularly well if you’ve had a generous drinks period, people are keyed up and keen to have fun.
Food for thought.. chat to me about it, I’ve been able to cover plenty of dance moments like this and the reaction of the guests is priceless.