How to get the most out of your wedding day photo coverage
If you’re booking less than a full day, you’ll need a solid plan to get the most out of your wedding day photo coverage. With a bit of strategy, you’ll be able to get almost all the shot variety of full day coverage, though!
These are my top tips on how to get the most out of your wedding day photography with only minimal hours of coverage booked.
Create a detailed day-of timeline
The basic, fundamental step if you want to get the most out of your wedding day photo coverage is having a well curated timeline. Start by breaking down the day into larger time chunks, or by activities. This could be something like “morning, afternoon and evening,” or “getting ready, pre-ceremony photos, ceremony, post-ceremony, reception.”
Then determine what the most important events of the day are for you, and when they will be. Be very specific with what photos you want captured, where, and with who. Make a list of specific family portraits and have someone in your bridal party be in charge of wrangling them together. Make sure your photographer is on the same page, and then simply let them work their magic.
When creating a timeline, here’s some best practices to follow:
Always factor in some extra time for unexpected delays
consider having some buffer time between different activities
ensure your timeline has flexibility for last minute changes
Share the timeline with the bridal party and close family members
Share your timeline with all your vendors and the venue
don’t forget to include travel time if you are not getting ready at your venue
To get the most of your wedding day photo coverage, keep in mind the rules of the venue and other vendors
Different venues have different rules, and they can throw some big wrenches into photo coverage. For example, some churches don’t allow flash photography inside (gasp) so be sure to check! You need to know what time you can start accessing the venue, and what time you need to be out.
If you’re able to set up early before your photographer arrives, they can show up and start capturing details, venue shots etc. efficiently. Make sure your photographer is prepared for the venue’s ambient lighting.
Ensure that all vendors know the location and the timeline for setting up, their duration of service and their roles in the events of the day.
Hire a second shooter
Most photographers have an add on for a second shooter. Since the per hour rate of a second shooter tends to be less, this can be a more efficient way to capture crunched timelines.
Obviously, two photographers can capture multiple things within the same time. This makes getting ready photos between the couple and their parties faster, and frees up time for one photographer to capture venue and detail photos while the other captures a first look and portraits.
Consider doing a first look
If you're really short on coverage, a first look makes the most of your time. It allows your photographer to capture some of the couple's portraits, bridal party photos, and family portraits before the ceremony, leaving more time for candid shots and party photos. As a bonus for you, you get some private time before your ceremony to enjoy each other's company and calm your nerves :)
READ MORE: Should you have a first look on your wedding day?
My top secret on how to get the most of your wedding day photo coverage? Don’t prioritize a grand exit.
Front load the photography time at the beginning of the day. You’ll end up with more diverse coverage. Prioritizing an entry or exit means downtime and otherwise monotonous photos of people drinking and dancing.
If you really want the vibe of a grand entrance, position flower petals or biodegradable confetti on the inside seat of the aisle during your processional instead to get the same effect.
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CONTACT ME FOR WEDDING DAY PHOTOGRAPHY IN NORTH CAROLINA
The content on this blog was written by Mariah Arianna, copywriter and content blogger for photographers