Next up: coverage time. Have you thought about how long will you require a photographer on your wedding day? What events do you want to have covered on the day? Do you want someone to photograph you from when you wake up to the end of the reception? Would you rather wait until the girls have their hair and makeup done, and you’re getting into your dresses before you have photos? Are you doing a special exit from the reception- such as a sparklers, fireworks or something else that is really unique that you want captured? Deciding what your “must haves” are for the day of the wedding will really help when it comes time to choose your photographer.

Some photographers (Courtney Liske Photography included) offer package options with varying hours of coverage for you to choose from. This might be packages that include 6, 8, 10 or 12 hours of continuous coverage. “Continuous coverage” means a set number of hours in a row, starting at the time of your choosing, but only for that many continuous hours. That means the photographer wouldn’t likely be able to cover absolutely everything from start to finish on the day. Or they may give you an additional hourly option to add on. This would mean you would pay an additional hourly rate after the continuous coverage time ends. This is why agreeing on what events of the day you both feel are “must haves” is so important!

There may be other package options that allow you to choose certain sections of the wedding day to be covered. This could mean you would choose coverage for the sections you want covered. This could be bridal preparation, wedding ceremony, formals, and/or the wedding reception, or any variation of those segments. If the photographer you are considering offers this, you may want to clarify if there is a limit to the number of hours included with each segment of the day.

Here are a few things to consider as a couple:

• Sit down, discuss and agree on what you both think MUST be captured on the wedding day. Being on the same page is key! It may even be a little exercise in give and take before you’re married!

• I know this may be hard to do before it happens, but think past the wedding day for a moment.
  The wedding is over, and you’re flipping through your wedding album- what photos do you envision in there? Do you see photographs of the wedding day details? Photos of the bride’s wedding dress and shoes, wedding rings, the bride/groom getting ready? Or do you only see pictures of the wedding ceremony and the family formals? Are there pictures of people dancing? A grand sparkler exit from the reception? Thinking about what you’d like your final product to be may help you narrow down what you need for coverage time.

• Ask potential photographers how much time they will need to capture what you’re hoping to have covered. Having an open dialogue about the time they require is key to having a successful experience (and relationship) overall. We are big advocates for open communication! Keeping everyone on the same page will make sure that there are no surprises that could potentially result in disappointment!