How long should I wait for wedding photos?

AMHyde06

Hello all!

It's been 11 weeks since my wedding and I have not received as much as a "teaser" photo from my photographer. It looks like his other wedding from this season have been averaging 2.5 months before their photos are posted, but each wedding's wait time seems to get a little longer and he's only edited wedding into November!
We were told we'd have our engagement photos in 2 weeks and got them in 3.
No time was given for the wedding photos. I understand it takes a long time, but I haven't spoken with anyone who has waited 3 months. I emailed 2 days ago (the preferred method of communicatino) to politely ask for an ETA and haven't heard back. Is it time for a phone call?

StephBeanWed61502

It's way past time for a phone call.  It's understandable if the entire finished product isn't ready - that can take awhile, depending on what you ask for and how much editing is required - but it's utterly ridiculous that he hasn't even managed to get you proofs yet.  Every photographer I met with promised proofs in less than a month - since proofs are just the raw, unedited prints, there's exactly zero reason it should take the photog 11 weeks to get these to you.

LauraChristin

The turn-around time should have been something you got in writing prior to the wedding (lurkers take note). 6 weeks is about average where I'm from although I've heard of photographers taking 6 months to get photos back to clients.

My wedding proofs were the edited collection of images. I never saw the unedited or raw images. I know a lot of wedding photographers and none of the ones I know ever show the unedited work to the client so StephBean's experience may or may not apply to what your photographer plans to give you.

In my opinion 11 weeks is an absurd amount of time and the photographer should be hiring an editor to help if they can't speed things up but everyone runs their business differently. There are no real "rules" governing when they must give them to you (that I know of) which is why it's important to have it in your contract. 

The good news, OP is that it looks like the photographer is still churning out work and hasn't disappeared on you!

Regardless, it's not inapprorpriate to call and ask for an ETA.

[Deleted User]

our photographer put a teaser up on his blog the very next day...however, it took us 8 weeks to get the disc in the mail. I am a bride and YES I am also a photographer and depending on the time of the year it takes no less than 30 days to get the disc in the mail. So, it varies from one photographer to another.

penproden

I have been wondering the same thing. I was married on Oct 15 and have been able to view only abt half of the photos online. I think it's a little extreme, especially because I would like to see most all photos before deciding what to order.Geesh!

erollis

We received our two edited disks of photos in about 2.5 months. Our wedding was Oct 2, 2011. We never got proofs as our photographer doesnt do that. She did put a teaser in her blog a month after the wedding. 3-4 months is an acceptable amount of time depending on the photographer, how many weddings they do, how fast they work and how much editing is involved. If it is stated someplace that they will get your edited photos to you by x date then you should expect photos by x. If no timeframe was given call and ask for them.

dhlefebvre

Our wedding photographs took 3 Months to deliver, and that is a perfectly acceptable amount of time given the amount of work that goes into the editing.  Every photographer has a different method (and a different amount of weddings they shoot), some deliver proofs, some deliver the final product only, either way there is a reason it is taking so long, and it is sure to be reflected in the final product!  While it is prefectly acceptable to inquire, it is NOT out of the ordinary to wait 3 months...6 months maybe, but not three.

AMHyde06

Just wanted everyone to know that I'll be getting my photos this week! Thanks for all of your help!