How long do the pictures take?
TLDR? – 90 minutes but….
How much time should you set aside for your wedding photography
This is Part Two on planning and timing your wedding day
Part One : ‘How to plan out your wedding day’
Every couple has their own priorities on their wedding day.
For some it’s the food, for others it’s the party.
When it comes to “the pictures” there is quite a lot of range on degree of importance.
My advice has been pretty consistent over the years.
SET ASIDE 90 MINUTES
This break down really simply into;
30 minutes – Important family groups (parents, bridesmaids etc)
30 minutes – Mingling, chatting, talking to friends and ‘candid’ moments
30 minutes – Couples portraits (or as I like to call it)
Let me explain what those 30 minute blocks mean.
Important family groups
No photographer EVER has turned up at a wedding and though
‘YES!! Loads of group pictures’
We all want to spend more time shooting the couple than anything else however, everyone recognises that on these occasions friends and family are a huge part of the day. My recommended groups involve – parents / siblings & partners / grandparents and attendants (bridesmaids & groomsmen). There will likely be a few close extended family members (special Uncle or and Aunt from Australia etc) and some close friends. Often I suggest getting a ‘Hen Party’ or ‘Lads from the Stag Weekend’ photo, as this is an easy quick shorthand to you closest friends.
Mingling and Chatting
The most common regret I have heard from other married couples is that they never feel like they had a chance to talk to everyone who was at the wedding. I always suggest that you ‘commit’ 30 minutes post ceremony that is specifically set aside to do just that. While you pick up a drink and mingle with your friends and family, I shall be off to the side taking candid pictures of the party,
Couples Portraits
The great thing about getting married at your venue (as oppose to a church for example) is that you are never far from your guest’s friends and family.
The bad thing about getting married at your venue (as oppose to a church for example) is that you are never far from your guest’s friends and family.
By this I mean that there isn’t much opportunity to be alone with each other. You will often have someone to talk to, to be introduced to, to catch up with and of course the obligatory phone pics as you make your way through the throng.
Setting aside 30 mins for the couples pics means you can have a little ‘decompression’ time away from everyone else. Don’t think that it’s a solid 30 minutes of picture after picture. Some of the loveliest photo ‘moments’ happen while you are well out of earshot of the photographer, like these shots ;
The idea with my 90 minute proposal is that it is also really flexible.
- There is no set order to which 30 minute block you engage first.
- Weather not great? Do the mingling 1st
- Weather closing in? Let’s get those couples shots in the bag
- Groom can’t be enticed away from the bar?
- Lets do a wee 15 minutes of couples pics before dinner (while your guests are taking their seats) and supplement that with a wee 15 minutes during ‘Golden Hour’ (sunset time)
- So 90 minutes during the day.
