How to navigate how many hours you need your wedding photographer on your wedding day!

When it comes time to booking your wedding vendors - more specifically your wedding photographer it’s important to understand their pricing, packages, & how they photograph a wedding day.

So, I want to give y’all insight & speak a bit for myself as I have found that offering hourly coverage works better for my clients better than offering the typical 8 hour package or all day coverage that other photographers might offer.

It’s important to me that I’m intentional with my time when I’m photographing any wedding day & I only want to photograph what’s important to you & your partner on y’all’s special day. Every couple is different & so are all wedding days! This is important to remember, because this day should be all about how you want to spend it with the one you love & the people around y’all. Whether you have a traditional wedding, an intimate wedding, or an elopement, it’s important to envision the day & start curating a rough timeline, so you have an idea on how the day will flow. As this will help you going into reaching out to your photographer & other vendors.

Here’s 3 things you should take into consideration;

  1. Take time for yourself! It will be KEY to have wiggle room within the day to breathe/decompress, eat, use the restroom, & take in all the moments!

  2. The sunset time! This will be important to figure out as your photographer will be taking the natural light into consideration, plus you can plan the events of your day around the sunset, which is KEY, because you’ll want to have time for photos after your ceremony ends, before the sun sets (reminder!! daylight savings happens in March 2024 & November 2024) You’ll want to factor in at least an hour for family portraits, bridal party portraits (if you don’t have a bridal party this could add anywhere from 10-20 minutes), & your newlywed portraits!

  3. Your exit time! Depending on how long you plan on celebrating on your wedding night, it’ll be important to finalize whether you want you photographer there with you to capture all the reception dance floor moments OR you can opt for an early faux exit with immediate family, friends & or bridal party!

TIP: If you’re planning a traditional wedding have your wedding photographer arrive to your getting ready location anywhere from 90 minutes-3 hours before your ceremony begins! Some things to take into consideration; details photos/flat lay photos, getting ready photos, the bridal party with the bride & groom with his groomsmen photos, individual portraits with the bride & groom separately, any first looks, & detail photos of the ceremony space. If you’re traveling to a church for your ceremony, take travel time in mind.

Most EMP couples book anywhere 5 to 8.5 hours of coverage on their wedding days.

Here’s an example 7 hour timeline!

Let’s say you’re having more of a Traditional Wedding in October & the sunsets at around 6:55 p.m. then.

3:00 p.m. - Photography Coverage begins, Details of Venue & the day!

3:30 p.m. - Getting into wedding attire & Individual Portraits.

4:00 p.m. - You can do; Bride & Bridesmaid Photos, Groom & Groomsmen Photos. First Look with partner, bridal party, or anyone special to you. Possibly even Immediate Family Photos. Truly whatever you want in this time.

4:30 p.m. - Tuck away until ceremony begins, Details of Ceremony Space & Reception Space (if set)

5:00 p.m. - Ceremony Begins.

5:30 p.m. - Ceremony Ends & Cocktail Hour Begins.

5:35 p.m. - Family Photos Begin.

5:50 p.m.- Full Bridal Party Photos.

6:05 p.m. - Newlywed Portraits.

6:35 p.m. - Bride gets bustled, newlyweds join cocktail hour, or have a moment to breathe!

7:00 p.m. - Grand Entrance, go into First Dance as Newlyweds, & any other special dances, into dinner being served.

8:00 p.m. - Toasts & Cake Cutting.

8:20 p.m. - The dance floor opens & party begins!

9:00 p.m - Bouquet Toss & Garter Toss (Some couples tend to opt out on this)

~ you can add fun things in the mix here ~

9:50 p.m. - Private Last Dance.

10:00 p.m. - Grand Exit & Photography Coverage is over.

Hopefully everything in this helped any brides to be out there & hope this gives more insight to how I help plan & curate my wedding timelines for my clients!

Best Friends in Round Top, Texas at Thelma’s Garage at the Wander Inn by Junk Gypsy!

If your best friend asked you to go to Round Top, Texas for the night YOU HAVE TO make the absolute most of it!!

These two lovely ladies decided to book me as their photographer to capture their Texas adventure in Round Top & I was living for every single minute of this morning! They were giving me all the Main Character energy. These two were the real life Thelma & Louise & even stayed in Thelma’s Garage at the Wander Inn by Junk Gypsy in Round Top, Texas. This little getaway had these two besties on cloud 9 & they were living their best life. They chose to wear robes, have cool shades, fake cigarettes, & wine glasses to truly make their photoshoot! We took some photos by the iconic Junk Gypsy crown pickup truck & the VW Art Car, I had these two smile at each other which always makes for the cutest photos, but don’t get it twisted in the moment it can feel awkward. After we took the photos these two filled up the beautiful claw foot bath tubs in Thelma’s Garage & put all the bubbles in their baths & added towels on their heads to make it the proper girls trip! I had so much fun getting to hear all about these two, their friendship, lives, & adventures. Every time I see this session I feel every ounce of girlhood in me just start to tear up & cherish all the women in my life. Queue; What was I made for by Billie Eilish ✨🥲

When to book your senior pictures from a senior/graduate photographer!

Whether your a high school or college senior this is everything you should know & take into consideration when booking your senior/grad photo session as someone who is a senior/grad portrait photographer!

I want to share ALL the factors to take into consideration NOW, as we approach the Spring Season that is upon us!

P.S. if you didn’t know Spring is the busiest time for you as you’re in your senior year & as a senior photographer.

  1. The Weather & Season!

    Let me throw it back to when I was In elementary school, because I remember always looking forward to Groundhog Day (mainly because it was right before my Birthday & kind of an odd holiday, but I just loved it for some reason!) Well this year my man, Punxsutawney Phil, said Spring will be here 6 weeks early, which time will only tell if this is true for 2024, but I’m running with it! I absolutely LOVE sunshine, beautiful sunsets, & days that feel like Summer without the heat & humidity that comes with being in Texas in the Summer. So with this being said… This is good news for ME & YOU, because the weather can really make a difference in your photo session! If you

  2. The Events!

    As you are in your senior year you have all kinds of events to go to, maybe your planning your own things like; senior trips, your grad party, you have to figure out your graduation, & all the last things that come with heading towards the end your senior era. Sometimes the thought of having senior photos gets put on the back burner & then you scramble to get them done. So if you know you want them done just start looking for photographers in your area, so you can see their work & what their availability might be!

  3. The Vibes!

    When it comes to the actual senior photo session, as the client it’s important to have a general idea of what you’re wanting to do for your session. Think to yourself, what kind of environment/background do you want within your photos? What clothing/outfits will you be wearing? Do you want to have any props or showcase your future college, any talents, high school extra curricular activities? After asking those questions start curating some inspiration! For me, Pinterest is my best friend, it allows you to not compare yourself to people you know (which can be hard mentally, so spare yourself that by using Pinterest!).

    If you’re feeling stuck on what to do I do have a few boards on my Pinterest that might help guide you!

  4. The Deadlines!

    Deadline cans sneak up on you & this is when you start to really stress out, but this is why it’s important to start planning what you can do, so when you have the time to have your senior pictures done you’re prepared! Typically, our parents/guardians want to celebrate this big milestone (as you & them should!), so naturally grad cards & parties exist, which means they will need some nice photos to put on the cards. This is when it’s good to ask the photographer you have in mind/work with, what their turn around time is for the photos taken! For me, I try to send the full gallery within 1 week, but if i’m really in the busy part of the season I return the full gallery within 1-2 weeks.

So now, after the full breakdown here’s my advice & when I think you should book your photographer for your photo session! Booking 2 months in advance is perfect timing to find your outfits, props, & perfect locations.

Another P.S. if you are looking for a deal sometimes photographer will host mini sessions days & this is great if you’re only needing a few photos! I will be hosting Galveston Mini Sessions on Saturday, March 16, 2024 :)