When I first started my business back in 2020, I wanted to make sure I had options that were accessible to everyone! I offered three different length wedding packages; but as time went on, several teething problems presented themselves.
As I still get asked this question a lot, I wanted to write a post to explain why I regretfully no longer offer a half-day wedding package.
Client experience
Obviously my #1! My clients mean the world to me, by the time their wedding days rock around, we’ve built such a bond it’s like we’re old friends. I want them to open their gallery and be 100% blown away by what they see.
The last thing I want is for them to see their photos and feel any kind of regret; that things were rushed, things were missed or that there’s none of anyone partying later on just because I wasn’t there then. I would be absolutely gutted if you felt this way!
Missed opportunities
Weddings are such dynamic and beautiful events, with so many precious moments happening at random throughout the day. When you’re the one getting married, it’s natural for your focus to be primarily on the wedding itself, if everything’s booked, organised and if it’s paid for; but we tend to forget that anyone can throw a (hopefully nice) spanner in the works at any time during the day!
This could be an unexpected tearful reaction from Dad when he sees you in your dress for the first time, your dear old Nan knocking on the door and surprising you with your late Grandad’s cufflinks; a bridesmaid or groomsman delivering a surprise love letter from your future spouse or even Uncle Jeff bursting into song during the reception!
Anything can happen, but if I’m not there at that time, I can’t cover it for you, and that’s sadly something no amount of Photoshop can fix.
Lighting
You may not be surprised that lighting and photography are inseparable bedfellows! The lighting makes all the difference to your images, and of course, we want the best! This is even more restrictive in the Autumn and Winter when we have far fewer hours of light.
The two photos below are the perfect example from Gabriella & Alex’s wedding last August (a lovely couple!) The first one was taken at 12:30pm just after the ceremony whereas the second was taken at 6:30pm after the wedding breakfast.
I much prefer the calm and dreamy evening lighting to the bright and squinty sunshine; but this look is not always possible to plan for with a shorter session.
Time Constraints
Full-day coverage removes the restrictions and pressure that I, as well of the two of you, would exponentially feel as the session goes on! The last thing I want is for your day to revolve around rushing things for the sake of the camera; I want you to be able to take your time, enjoy your day, speak with your loved ones at your own pace and know that I’ll be keeping myself busy capturing candid moments until you’re ready for me.
It also means I have the freedom to plan our full session around the weather and lighting.
Shorter sessions mean there is absolutely no wiggle room for the unexpected! If it rains, we can’t push back the family photos and do them later. Your newlywed photos will also be taken at the best possible time for the most beautiful natural light instead of rushing them in rain or blinding sunshine because we’re running out of time!
Wasted time
It’s totally normal if not inevitable to have photography gaps during a typical wedding day. These can often be just before the ceremony, during the wedding breakfast or even the time between your meal and the evening party starting. It’s often when photographers get a chance to put their heavy gear down, catch their breath or pose for photos with a Pepsi like this dashing woman below!
If I’m there for the full day, these little breaks in photo-ops don’t make a difference to your gallery because your day is entirely covered – regardless of when things happen I’ll be there ready to go; but when you’re paying hourly or on a shorter package with limited time, these gaps would feel very differently to you!
The wedding breakfast is a time I typically wouldn’t be taking photos (who appreciates photos of themselves eating? I know I wouldn’t!) I always capture your rockstar entrance and make myself scarce until the speeches so you can enjoy your meal and relaxation time in peace.
Most people want photos of the speeches, but a wedding breakfast can take anything from 45 minutes (if it’s a buffet) up to 2 hours for a three-course sit-down meal; which is a long time for no photos when you’re paying a photographer’s call-out hourly rate!
Value for money
I understand for many the budget is an issue, but after years of experience, I’ve found that the half-day option doesn’t always provide the best coverage and therefore value for couples. Hourly rate can be more efficient during off-peak times of year with limited lighting and colder days, but generally speaking, you are going to miss out on what your photos could have been!
Full-day coverage means the ‘cost per image’ ratio is much more in your favour. I book out the entire day for a wedding so I can completely dedicate that day to you; so like most businesses, I can offer better rates when the booking is longer.
A more streamlined service
Having many different packages became confusing to me as well as some of my clients, especially when I introduced dual hybrid coverage back in 2022, as highlight videos just don’t really work without the full day!
It honestly got too complicated so I now offer a fixed rate package with à la carte options, which gives everyone the same quality experience and service and covers everything regardless of ceremony time, location & location changes.
I hope that helped!
My client’s experience is just as important to me as the photos delivered. Full-day coverage is less stress on everyone and you’ll end up with a broader, more beautiful and more complete gallery; partnered with a much more enjoyable experience.
