How long do you need a photographer for?

We have photographer for 8 hours.

We're doing six hours. He will be around the tail end of getting ready, the ceremony, the photos before the reception, reception through the speeches, cake cutting, first dance, dinner. After that, I don't see much of a point of keeping them there until your wedding is over as people are starting to filter out.

ETA: I have never seen a photographer stay until midnight. Of course, I can't say I've been to hundreds of weddings either, but I've always seen them leave around 10 or so.

We specifically looked for a photographer that had no time limit on the day. My girls are meeting 11 for a breakfast, then getting ready, then ceremony, then reception. Even if I'd gotten a 10 hour package, they'd have missed 2 hours of the reception. My photographer is available to me from 6am to midnight the day of my wedding; I'm having her report at 10 and leave when I do. I will have to provide her and second shooter 2 meals for this time frame - fine for me!

We are having our photographer for 6 hours. That includes getting ready pictures, he will not stay til the end of the reception. He will leave an hour or two before the end.

We're doing 8 hours. I don't want getting ready pictures and we're not doing an exit. We're doing a first look and formal shots before the ceremony so she'll probably leave a little before the reception ends

We are having ours for 6 hours

We just had this conversation with friends (married and soon to be married) and they unanimously said 10 hours. We have them for the whole day if we wanted without extra costs but for those that don't have that option, I would go with 10.

Our ceremony and reception is in the same location. Starts at 6:30PM and ends at 11:30PM (we contracted for 5 hours) and the photographer and videographer will be there throughout the whole event. My all inclusive package included this. I wanted them there from beginning o end to capture every single moment.

We weren't sure about this either! We went with 8 hours. Our photographer was super helpful and helped us layout a timeline. Www.hinsonphotography.com

We have ours for 8 hours. as far as getting ready pictures she is just going to take a couple finishing touches pictures so if you want yours there for that I would say at least 9 maybe even 10 hours.

I made sure to find a photographer with full-day coverage. That way, you don't have to worry about a set # of hours or paying extra if you go over!

We have ours for 7 hours, but there will not be real "getting ready" pictures. There's enough time for our first look (30 minutes), formal pictures (1.5 hours), the ceremony (30 minutes), the reception (4 hours), and travel between locations. I agree with others that you would need 10 hours to have them there for getting ready pictures through the end of your reception, assuming a similar timeline to mine.

To save money, we will do some fake "getting ready" pictures after they arrive. Getting ready takes a long time, and there won't be that much stuff for them to photograph. I think this a great place to save your budget for other things. Your friends can snap pictures of this time if you want them.

We are doing 12 just to be safe.

ETA: our package is considered full day coverage.

Doing full day coverage (12 hours) Getting ready, first look and throughout the reception. We will only have a 2nd shooter for 8 hours though.

I recommend 8 hours. I do all the getting ready for the bride and groom, ceremony, bridal portraits and reception up to the formalities and get a little of the dancing and fun. I'm in a unique situation since I am a career Firefighter/paramedic in South Florida and an award winning wedding photographer. I do survive off my photography and its more of a passion I have, so if I stay over the contracted time I don't charge for it. I do it because I am having a great time. I do weddings in Orlando and St. Cloud often, so feel free to contact me if you need more info, ideas or suggestions. I am listed in WW - Couture Bridal Photography

Good luck and have a blast!

Alfredo

It depends how well you manage your time,and how long in between. With the vague information we got, no one can answer this specifically. I've done it with 6 hour events, and other times it's taken 8. Most people who think they need 10 hours don't. Seldom does a photographer stay until the very end anyhow, there reaches a point where crowd thins a little and you'd only get more of the same photos of dancing etc,

I did 6 hours too...Ceremony starts at 3. They arrive at 1...they leave at 7ish...

We have ours for 8 hours per the very reasonable package we got, which is probably a bit more than we need. I may ask to trade 2 hours of time for an extra wall print or album. We figure from 3-9pm is all we really need: our ceremony will be around 4:30 or 5, so 90 minutes before for 'getting ready' and bridal party photos i.e. me getting in dress, ring and bouquet shots, me and the BMs' portraits. Ceremony and couple/family photos, 5-6:30. Dinner, cake first dance etc done by 8:30. After that it's all crowded, sweaty dancing and tipsy shenanigans.