What to Know About All-Day Wedding Photography Coverage
From the loving look your grandmother gives you as she zips up your wedding dress to the glowing send-off you get after your reception, all-day wedding photography coverage takes your wedding photography experience to the next level. Hiring your wedding photographer to be there for the entire day ensures that not a moment is missed. As a result, your gallery tells the full story of your special day!
But what is all-day wedding photography coverage? Sure, it seems self-explanatory (it’s photography coverage that lasts all day, duh!). But if this is your first time hearing about this wedding photography option, you may have questions. And as an Idaho-based wedding photographer specializing in all-day coverage, I have answers! So, let’s take a deep dive into what this photography approach is and how it can help you!
What’s the difference between all-day wedding photography coverage and hourly coverage?
All-day wedding photography coverage is a flat-fee investment, while most regular wedding photography packages charge hourly. The main difference between the two is that for all-day, your wedding photographer will be there for the entire wedding experience, from the first hug from your wedding day crew until you race off into your happily ever after. You’ll never have to worry about faking an exit to ensure you have photos or rushing to make sure everything important is done before your photographer heads out. On the contrary, with an hourly rate, your photographer will be at your venue for the set number of hours you book them.
There are also some other differences, depending on the packages your photographer offers. All-day coverage might come with some extra bonuses thrown in!
What does an all-day Wedding photography coverage timeline look like?
While I craft every experience to match perfectly with the couple’s vision, here’s a standard breakdown of what a wedding timeline looks like for an all-day wedding photographer:
10:00 am: Photographers arrive and take photos of details, including the wedding rings, invitations, flowers, and any other objects that have special meaning for your big day. I’ll craft flat-lays that showcase the beauty of these small, special pieces. And I can do it all without missing any special moments because I arrive so far in advance.
12:30-1:30: For the brides, this is when we’ll do those classic pajama shots, dressed-and-ready-to-go shots with bridesmaids, bride with veil, bride with maid of honor and mom, and bride reveal to bridesmaids or any combination of the below. And for the grooms, this is when we’ll grab photos of you playing video games, doing shots, pulling on your crazy socks, pinning on boutonnieres, or any combination of the above. This is a busy time when I’ll be taking a variety of candid photos and set-up shots to ensure the entire pre-wedding experience is documented to the fullest. Couples usually have the hardest time remembering this part of the day because of the anticipation and rush, so I’ll be there to make sure it’s documented. You and your partner could even get ready together if that is your style!
1:30: The first look, if you choose to do one. If not, we’ll continue having fun with photography in the bridal/groom suite!
2:15-3:45: Wedding party photos and family photos. Then, you’ll be able to scurry away before the guests arrive!
4:00-5:00: Photos of the guests arriving, the bridal procession, and the ceremony. Essentially, this is when all the big stuff happens!
5:00-6:00: Cocktail hour and guests being seated. If we didn’t do a first look, we’ll get more couple photos now.
6:00-7:00: The grand entrance from the couple, welcome toast, and dinner. I photograph a variety of candid and venue/scene-setting shots.
7:00-7:30: Sunset pictures with the couple (depending on where we are and the time of year, of course!). These are some of the dreamiest photos you’ll take all day!
7:30-8:30: Toasts, cake cutting, first dance, father/daughter dance, mother/son dance. Lots of opportunities for candids, action shots, and tear-jerking sweet moments.
8:30-end of the night: Open dance floor (a.k.a. TONS of fun photo ops) and the sparkler send-off! The last few moments of your wedding day will look magnificent through my lens.
If you add it all up, this can be more than 12 hours of photography, taking us well beyond what many photographers offer in their hourly collections!
Why should I get all-day photography coverage for my wedding?
As a documentary-style photographer, I believe all-day wedding photography coverage is the best way to go. Here’s why:
Capture Candid Moments
If I’m clicking away with my camera all day, it’s much easier for me to capture the candid, sincere moments of emotion that arise naturally on one of the most special days of your life. If I’m booked for just a certain window of time, then I might have to stage some of the moments and cultivate the right images. Hourly coverage usually cuts off around the cake-cutting, so I won’t be there to document the dance floor or the send-off. Being there all day means I’ll capture every moment that comes your way.
“You may think you don’t need all-day coverage, but it’s totally worth it. From the getting ready to the small tiny details of the bride’s jewelry and wedding shoes and the groom’s cuff links and cologne, to the photos of the bridal party, the ceremony, the reception, and most importantly the photos of the family that you will cherish the rest of your lives.“ –Katie and Sean
Stress Less
Make your big day much less stressful by having your photographer booked all day. Because remember, wedding photographers aren’t just there to snap pretty pictures. We’re also there to lend a helping hand in case of champagne spills, missing safety pins, or anything else that might create a snag in the day. We wedding photographers have been to quite a lot of weddings, after all! We’re ready and able to help whenever and wherever you need us.
“My only and BIGGEST regret at my wedding was not getting all-day coverage. If I could go back in time, I would make myself pick this package and sacrifice the things that I thought mattered but didn’t matter at all in the end. Photos last forever! –Jayna and Daniel
Fill Out Your Gallery
With a full day of photography coverage, you will have a more comprehensive gallery that captures every moment of your big day. Even the moments you might’ve missed, like your cousin and your grandpa slow-dancing on the dance floor or your two best friends laughing into their champagne, will be in your gallery.
“We decided to get full-day coverage to eliminate any stress of time constraints. Despite meticulous planning, things can still shift around on that day, and schedules can get off track. We didn’t want to have to think about whether the eight or ten hours would expire before they could capture late-night dancing. Some of those pictures were my favorite in my brother’s wedding album.” –Stephanie & Nick
Make Fewer Decisions
Decision fatigue, especially surrounding wedding planning, is a very real thing. By booking your photographer for the entire day, you’re eliminating one more decision that might be on your mind. And you can be sure that your day will flow just a little bit more smoothly, knowing that your photographer is there until the end!
This sounds awesome. I’d love to find out more!
I’m so glad you agree! All-day wedding photography coverage comes with tons of benefits. If you’re not sure which plan in my collections is right for you or are ready to go ahead and book, let me know! Fill out my brief contact form so we can get this party started!
