Photographer - how long is enough

yorkie lover

Hi all, I've been browsing these forums for the past year and have learned a lot from all you ladies. This is my first post as I'm really starting on the planning aspect now. In my search for a photographer I was wondering how long the photographer usually stays. Do they stay until the very end of the wedding when the venue kicks everyone out? I'm having an event ceremony and reception which will start around 5:30 pm but do to some cultural items we need to do before the ceremony, my bridesmaids and I will probably need to start hair and makeup around 9 am. Should I book a photographer for 15 hours (venue kicks us out by 1 am so the last 30 mins to hour will be getting organized and packing)? Thanks!!

yorkie lover

Sorry I'm on my iPad and the paragraphs are not working

emmyg65

Our photographer stayed for about an hour of dancing. After a certain point, people get drunk and sweaty and there's only so many photos you need of people dancing anyway. Also, she generally only comes to the last half hour of getting ready, though we opted to skip those photos. All told, we had her for eight hours, which is pretty standard. 

You can certainly ask for a photographer to spend more time with you, but you might be better off moving your hair appointment up or deciding that you don't need those photos because it's going to get pretty expensive.

photokitty

Typically they don't stay till the every end. Mine did bc we had fireworks and two dances that are family traditions. Like Emmy said, unless you have something specific in mind you are probably going to be set after an hour of dancing.

You might have a hard time getting a photog for 15 hours. 12 hours is pretty standard for "all day coverage." Can you imagine working 15 hours? That's a looooong day without any breaks. If you have them start at 9am you need to feed them lunch - it can be the same thing you feed your bridesmaids - since you'll have to feed them too. They can't leave to go get lunch and will never make it until dinner at 6:30 or 7pm.

GL!

April192002

I think you just need to figure out what pictures are important to you, that you can't live without not taken by someone who's part of the group, and talk to photographers with your estimated timeline. Most of them have wedding packages with set hours but can customize. If getting ready photos are important, see if they can come for an hour. You also might be able to negotiate an all day thing, with food and a break, OR if the company has 2+ photographers, maybe they can split up the day between two of them.

yorkie lover

Photography is one aspect that is really important to me since we will not be getting a videographer so the only thing to remember the wedding by will be the pictures. One of my friends who got married recently had her photographer there taking pictures when all the bridesmaids/groomsmen were getting ready and they turned out great so I really want my photographer there as well. I'm probably leaning towards 12 to 13 hours of photography then. There will not be any breaks other than lunch and dinner as we will be moving from getting ready to a tea ceremony (we have large families), wedding photos then ceremony/reception. I will make sure that we will be feeding the photographer and his assistant both lunch and dinner. Don't want him to fainting! Thanks for all the advice!