I'm not sure about you guys, but when I was planning my wedding, I had a very skewed view on time. Getting ready, walking down the aisle, give my hubby a smooch, party!!! About 4 hours right? Umm, no. Weddings are EVENTS. And they deserve to be treated as such. It's not for selfish reasons. It's just the opposite. Unless you are eloping, there will be several other people involved in your wedding. And planning for a party/event with more than two people is a BIG undertaking. I just is. Trust me.
I've photographed grand, massive weddings with +200 guests and I've photographed intimate weddings, with about 20 guests. And they both benefit from planning. Because really, the complicated elements of a wedding grow exponentially with each "we'll be there!" RSVP card. So side note, yes, if you're still thinking about getting a planner, do it!
Which brings me to my main point for tonight's blog. Yes, 8 hours (if not more) is really what you want as far as wedding photography coverage goes. And here are the three simple reasons why:
1. Lots of people = delays
Even if you feel like you've planned everything down to the minute, Something is going to put a wrinkle in that timeline. Plan on getting all the family shots done during prep time? Good idea! But maybe mom's hair appointment goes a little long. Dad can't find find his cuff links, your sister needs to run some missing items over to the guys, or the flower girl is having a little tantrum. It happens. But don't let these little bumps ruin your day. If you've booked enough coverage, you're World-class, amazing photographer can fit in those must have shots later in the day.
2. Light & Flexibility
For my couples, most of the shots they love are of the two of them together. The couple's portraits. But what if you have your heart set on a first look down the aisle, not before? And your ceremony is lit by candle light, just before sunset? Well, you don't want to waste time on formal family portraits during those golden hours. If you have enough time booked into the collection, your photographer can figure out how to get a majority of those done earlier. But you need those hours to give them room to work.
3. Photojournalism vs. expert posing (the big one)
I can't tell you how many times I've heard this phrase:
"We don't need a lot of coverage. We don't like posed shots, we just want you to capture the day naturally."
I'll tell you a photographic secret...those candid shots you love, those moments where we freeze the love and joy of the day....a majority of those are posed! A truly well-trained, dedicated artist will know how to pose you, so that you look amazing, but natural. That's just a tool of the trade. So we need time to do it. Even the getting ready shots. Give your photographer enough time so he or she can show you how to step into your dress and look elegant doing so. Give us time to explain really simple ways to accentuate your waste or to use lighting to define his jaw. If you hire an artist to create beautiful images, don't constrain him/her with a super tight timeline. Trust me! The few extra hours you book now will give you a ton of peace of mind on the day of.
