The Truth About Wedding Photography Coverage: How Many Hours You Really Need

What photographers wish they could tell you upfront about small wedding days — but usually don’t!

Are you guilty of this? When couples first start planning a small wedding, photography coverage often feels like an easy place to save a few dollars. Maybe you even thought:

“We’re having a small ceremony. We only need the photographer for the vows, a few family photos, and a couple of portraits. We don’t need hours of coverage.”

This is one of the most common assumptions I see as a Wedding Photographer in Invermere and the Columbia Valley. And completely understandable. Small weddings feel simpler. Intimate. Easy. Why would you need more than 2 or maybe 3 hours max.?

But as a wedding photographer — and as someone planning my own very small wedding right now — I can tell you this:

Even the most intimate weddings feel surprisingly monumental as the day draws near. The florals you spent time picking, Décor that friends or family helped create, a cake someone proudly baked for you, a venue or backyard that feels personal and meaningful and guests who traveled far to be with you.

These aren’t small things at all.They’re the moments that make your wedding day your wedding day.

A Real Example: The Backyard Wedding With Too Little Time

This summer I photographed a backyard wedding where the couple originally didn’t even want a photographer. They were okay with smartphone photos, until someone recommended me at the last minute.

They booked three hours.

As the day got closer, the bride sent me her must-have list:

• Getting-ready moments

• Detail shots of the Ceremony Site

• Family portraits before the Ceremony

• Ceremony Coverage

• Champagne Toast

• Cake Cutting

• Full Set of Family Photos after the Ceremony, Friends & Bridal Party

• Couples Portraits at a location meaningful to them
  

Reading this list, I immediately knew: Three hours would be very tight. Even though I arrived early (I always do), there was almost no breathing room. The couple portraits, something extremely important to them, had to be squeezed into a small window at the end. Did everything turn out beautifully? Yes! Did it feel rushed? Also yes. Adding just one or two more hours would have created more time to breathe between events, allowed for better candids of the guests, and given space for more natural storytelling to unfold. It also removes so much unnecessary stress for the couple and gives the chance to actually connect with their family and friends. And truly...your guests deserve this breathing room, too. They arrive dressed beautifully, often seeing each other for the first time in years, sharing hugs, laughter, and little reunions you didn’t even know were happening. And those are the moments worth remembering.

Real Talk From a Photographer Planning Her Own Wedding

Here’s something many couples don’t expect: even when your wedding is tiny, your memories will be HUGE! My fiancé and I are currently planning our own wedding - just 3 to 10 guests, essentially an elopement with a handful of people we love. And even for our small day, I am planning at least 4–6 hours of photography coverage. Not because I’m a photographer, but because I want the story of the day captured, not just the ceremony. I want our getting-ready moments documented, the little details we’re creating remembered, and candid photos of the few people who mean the world to us. I want unhurried, beautiful couple portraits and enough time to breathe and actually enjoy the experience without feeling rushed. Small weddings are intimate, emotional, and rich...they deserve to be documented fully, not squeezed into a rushed two-hour window.

So HOW Many Hours of Photography Coverage DO You need??

Here’s the truth: You’ll always find a photographer who says they can do it for less. There will always be someone promising, “I can capture everything you need in fewer hours for less money.” And honestly? They're not lying. It’s not impossible...

Let's try this okay: Instead of asking, “How little coverage can we get away with?”, try asking,

“How do we make sure we don’t miss the moments we’ll never get back?”

Ceremony photos and posed portraits matter, but they aren’t what makes your wedding gallery come alive! From a photographer’s perspective, here’s my simple rule of thumb: For small, intimate weddings book up to two hours more than you think you need.

For example, let’s say you’re planning a very small wedding and think you only need two hours of coverage. That might include about 30 minutes for guests arriving, detail shots, the groom waiting, the bride’s entrance, and another 30 minutes for the ceremony itself, plus another hour for family photos and a few couple portraits. That’s roughly two hours, but in reality, those two hours will be over in a heartbeat. Family members might need to be rounded up for photos, and guests often wander off before you get all the portraits you want. Two hours goes by fast!

So if you’re thinking, “I only need two hours,” I’d recommend booking four hours. If you think you only need four hours, talk with your photographer about what’s realistic for your day. Can everything you want fit within those four hours, or should you add one more - or even two? Many couples adjust closer to the wedding day once they see their timeline and realize what they truly want captured.

For standard six-hour weddings, most of the day is already covered, often including getting-ready shots, ceremony, portraits, and part of the reception. But even then, there may be special moments you want to capture: A first look with dad? A late dance with grandparents, a surprise toast, or a sunset photo session. Similarly, eight-hour coverage usually allows for the full story from getting ready to the end of the reception, but if you have extra special plans—sparkler exits, fireworks, or late-night fun—check with your photographer about the possiblity to add extra time (either beforehand or the day of).

The takeaway: If your coverage is under six hours, consider adding an extra hour or two. It gives you breathing room, captures all the moments you’ll treasure forever, and ensures your wedding gallery tells the full story of your day.

Have questions about how much photography coverage is right for your wedding? I’d be happy to walk you through it and help you plan a timeline that captures all the magic. Let's Chat