One of the trickiest parts of wedding planning is predicting how much photography coverage you need on the day of your event. In theory, it should be very easy, if absolutely everything goes according to plan. In my experience, I have yet to leave a wedding without saying, “It’s not a wedding if there isn’t a fabulous story to tell.”
Traditionally, coverage begins at some point during the getting-ready process and ends at some point during the dinner reception. Where do you start? Start with your guests. Guest size should be taken into account first. As a rule of thumb, the more people who attend the more coverage you need. For example, a 65+ guest-wedding requires at least six hours of coverage if you desire to tell a complete story of the day. However, six hours of coverage for 25 guests may be overkill! Unless there is significant travel time involved, this type of coverage/guest ratio is unnecessary.
Next, consider the timeline of events. These days there are many trends when it comes to wedding traditions (i.e. first looks, first dances, toasts, cake cutting, etc.). Keep in mind that the number items you include and where you place these items on the timeline may increase or decrease your coverage needs.
Many couples choose to perform the reception formalities prior to and or at the beginning of dinner service, just after they have been announced to their guests. The benefit of planing it this way is flow. Your guests get to flow seamlessly from one event to the next without awkward interruptions, lag time, or cameras in their face as they dine. Once the party starts and everyone is letting loose, it may be fun to introduce the bouquet and garter tosses. So how much time do you really need? For a larger destination wedding (55-65 guests), an efficient timeline of 4 to 5 hours will allow the coverage you need from getting ready to getting down on the dance floor as Mr. and Mrs.!
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Quiana L. Adams, Managing Editor
