A wedding photographer is one of the most important vendors you will need to decide on for your day, never mind navigating all the different packages on offer!

To help make the process a little easier, here are the main considerations when choosing a wedding photography package.

The Coverage

First, you want to decide how long you want your photographer to stick around on the day of your wedding. While some photographers do offer custom packages, others will require you to choose a set number of hours. 

8 hours is generally a good amount of coverage for capturing all those important moments. It’s also ideal if your ceremony and reception are at the same venue because then your photographer doesn’t need to spend time traveling. Just keep in mind that your photographer might not have enough time for all the detailed shots and won’t be able to stick around for too long during the reception. 

A 10-hour package offers more flexibility and additional time for the shots you really want, your bridal party portraits and a first look being two examples. If your ceremony and reception venue are at different locations, you should definitely opt for more hours. 

And if your wedding is larger and more detailed, and you have something special planned like a grand exit, opt for at least 12 hours or more. 

The Post-Wedding Deliverables

Next, you want to think about what you want after the day. You will be pressed to find a package that doesn’t include editing – wedding photographers always edit their photos.

What will differ is how many photos you receive, whether you get prints, and if an album is included. 

Decide how many photos you want to end up with, if you want to print them, and if you want additional albums for loved ones when deciding on a photography package. You may need to pay for extras in some instances.

The Accommodation and Travel

If you plan to have a destination wedding or the photographer you want doesn’t live in your area, find out whether accommodation and travel costs are included in the package.

Again, this might be something you need to pay extra for.

Once you decide on a wedding photographer, if you’re unsure about anything that’s included in their packages, rather ask than end up with surprise costs later on.