Hey, hey!

As I’m getting ready to prep for the upcoming 2019 season, I wanted to share a few helpful tips for those couples who have decided on a half-day coverage photo package for their wedding day!

First off, I think it’s important to first establish the difference between our two packages, the full day coverage package and the half-day coverage package:

Full Day Coverage Package Includes:

• Coverage from 2 photographers.
• Pre-wedding coverage of bride & groom getting ready.
• Optional “first look” coverage of bride & groom and/or bride & father.
• Coverage of the entire wedding ceremony.
• Wedding party photos before and/or after the ceremony.
• Family portraits after the ceremony.
• Bride & Groom portraits.
• Coverage of the reception events.
• Full resolution digital images with print release delivered in online gallery.

 

Half-Day Coverage Package Includes:

• Coverage from 2 photographers.
• Optional “first look” coverage of bride & groom and/or bride & father.
• Coverage of the entire wedding ceremony.
• Wedding party photos before and/or after the ceremony.
• Family portraits after the ceremony.
• Bride & Groom portraits.
• Full resolution digital images with print release delivered in online gallery.

Half-Day Coverage Does Not Include:

• Any pre-wedding coverage of bride & groom getting ready.
• Any coverage of the reception events.

 

So, as you can see, the biggest difference between the two packages is that the half-day coverage package does not include any “getting ready” coverage, or any reception coverage, so this means that it’s important to create a tack sharp timeline to use our time efficiently to ensure that you get alllllll of the photos you’re hoping for! And I’m going to show you exactly how to do just that!

 

1. Get As Many Photos Done BEFORE The Ceremony As Possible.

I’ll let you in on a little loop-hole. The half-day coverage package states that there is no “getting ready” coverage included, however, if you design your timeline to where you schedule all of your wedding party portraits BEFORE the ceremony, then technically, that’s not “getting ready” coverage, is it? So, what you need to do is schedule your hair and makeup to be finalized 1.5 hours before the start of the ceremony, that way, everyone is dressed and ready, so you have plenty of time to get all of your wedding party portraits done before the start of the ceremony! Now, if you’re worried about breaking tradition and seeing your groom before the ceremony, fear not! We can still keep you two separate, and photograph you and the girls, and him and his guys before the ceremony, and finish up the full group wedding party photos after the vows have been exchanged!

 

2. Hear Me Out About A “First Look”

Alright, I know it’s against tradition to see your groom before you walk down the aisle, I get it. But from a photo standpoint, hear me out, and I might just change your mind. If you’re noticing a trend, getting as many photos done before the ceremony, is KEY to getting the most bang for your buck, and getting the MOST photos as possible. On average, with both half-day and full day coverage packages, couples who opt in for a first look, end up with about 30% MORE bride & groom portraits in their final gallery! This is because when we do a first look (which will take about 10-15min) we can then jump RIGHT in a snag more bride & groom portraits right away! Then, after your ceremony, we will STILL have time for bride & groom portraits again, which gives you the option for more variety, and/or a different location. Also, by seeing your groom before the ceremony, we will also be able to do full wedding party portraits with the guys and girls before the ceremony, again, leaving you with the option of variety and multiple locations when we finish up wedding party portraits after the ceremony. Definitely something to consider, and if I’m being honest, I 100% recommend with ANY half-day coverage wedding to opt in for a first look, in order to achieve as many photos as possible, by giving us time before and after the ceremony to shoot, as opposed to just taking wedding party photos and bride & groom photos after the ceremony.

 

3. Family Portraits

In all of our weddings, we schedule family portraits to occur immediately after the ceremony, while everyone is still gathered in one place and easy to wrangle before they wander up to the cocktail hour. So, depending on how many people you’re including in your family portraits, it usually takes about 30-45 minutes to complete family portraits. In order to make sure that we’re using this time most efficiently, it is crucial that you complete your family photo shot list (provided in your CFP Portal) so that one photographer is able to read off names and get groups “on deck” while the other photographer is actually taking the photos. This system allows us to work through family portraits quickly and effectively, without you having to worry about if you’re forgetting or missing anyone!

 

4. The Extra Time In Between Family Portraits & Reception Start

With the half-day coverage, our service concludes at the start of your reception, which means that if there is extra time between finishing up family portraits and the start of your reception, this is the time that we need to make sure that we get all of those last minute shots complete! I’m sure you can see now why getting as many wedding party and bride & groom portraits done before the ceremony is SO crucial for half-day coverage weddings! If we do have some time, we will definitely make the best of it by grabbing some extra detail shots, or bride & groom shots, anything that you want to make sure we get!

 

5. Increase Your Cocktail Hour Time

If I haven’t convinced you on doing a first look with your groom, totally fine!! But I would encourage you to then decide if you’re able to adjust the cocktail hour, closer to a “cocktail two-hour”, to ensure that we have plenty of time to complete family portraits, full wedding party portraits and bride & groom portraits. However, I do want to make you aware that if you choose to increase this time, make sure that your guests have PLENTY of food, drinks and things to do. The top 2 reasons why guests leave early is because they’re hungry and/or because they’re bored. Typically, guests expect to wait about an hour between the end of the ceremony to the beginning of the reception, and when it starts getting closer to 2 hours, and nothing has happened yet, they get bored and hangry. To combat these hangry guests, again, make sure there is plenty of food (opt in for more than just veggies and crackers for appetizers), make sure there is plenty to drink, and maybe include yard games or something fun to keep them entertained while you’re gone.

 

“Can I Change My Wedding Package After I’ve Booked?”

Yes! Once you have reserved your wedding date with either the full day or half day package, we block off the entire day to accommodate any coverage changes that may be made later on! If you decide to switch your coverage package, all you need to do is send me a quick email and we’ll make the change!

“I Don’t See Any Time Limits In Your Packages…Why?”

You’ve probably noticed that there are no specified time restraints listed within our wedding packages. This has been done on purpose, because we understand that every wedding is different, and sometimes things don’t happen on time, or they run a little off schedule. You’ve got enough to focus on come your wedding day, and the last thing we want to do is add any stress, by causing you to worry if you’re going to “run out of time” with your photographer. Our wedding packages are specifically designed to include coverage of events, rather than coverage of time. I get that this is a waaay different system then most photographers have in place, but the outcomes have been phenomenal and we love it this way!

“I’m On The Fence About Which Package To Choose.”

If you’re unsure which package is best for you, here are a couple of things to consider: budget, size of wedding, amount of guests, and pictures that are most important to you. Our half-day coverage package is more budget-friendly, and if you’re opting in for a smaller, more intimate wedding, the half-day coverage might be your best bet! It’s also important to think about which photos you feel are MOST important to have. If it’s really important to capture the “getting ready” phase of your wedding, or the fun and dancing at your reception, opting in for the full day coverage is the way to go. If you’re still unsure which is best for you, I’d love to help! Just send me an email and we’ll get it all figured out!

 

There you have it! My very best tips,  tricks and secrets to making the most out of our half-day coverage photo package!

-Cristina