How Much Time Do You Need to Schedule with Your Wedding Photographer in Columbus, Ohio?

Many couples struggle with scheduling their wedding day. From leaving enough time to get ready to scheduling enough time to have their photos taken, couples often have a hard time deciding how much time to allot for each task. It can be especially difficult to know how many hours to book with your wedding photographer in Columbus, Ohio if you’ve never worked with a professional photographer before.

To give you an idea of how many hours you should book with your wedding photographer in Columbus, Ohio, here is a list of photo sessions and how much time each requires:

Bride getting ready: Up to 4 hours

Portraits of brides and bridesmaids after dresses are on: 30 to 45 minutes

Right after the bride is done getting ready is a great time to have a wedding photographer in Columbus, Ohio take portraits photos because the bride’s hair and makeup will be perfect. If you only have a short amount of time with your wedding photographer, however, skip the prep pictures and have your photographer arrive when the bride is already ready.

Bride arriving at the ceremony: 30 minutes to 1 hour

Groom arriving at the ceremony: 30 minutes to 1 hour

Wedding ceremony: 30 minutes to 3 hours

Post-ceremony greetings: Up to 45 minutes

Family portraits: Up to 1 hour

Wedding party portraits: Up to 1 hour

Couples portraits: Up to 3 hours

Reception pre-dinner: Up to 1 hour

Arrival at reception: 10 minutes

Dinner: Up to 2 hours

Speeches: 15 minutes per speech

Bouquet toss: 10 minutes

Garter toss: 10 minutes

First dances: 10 to 20 minutes

Cake cutting: 10 minutes

Couple’s exit: 30 minutes

Every wedding is different, so you may not need as much time with your photographer, but these estimates should serve as a guideline. Discuss your needs and proposed schedule with your wedding photographer in Columbus, Ohio to ensure that the package you book includes a sufficient amount of coverage.