Comments on: How late does a photographer stay at a wedding?

By: Melina Sanderson

Melina Sanderson — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 10:07:06 +0000

Hi, I am a wedding photographer and I ask the person that is paying me if it’s going to be long. If they say no and they are sure it will only last 3 hours or less then I charge them a set fee and if it last longer I charge them hourly after that for as many hours as I need to stay until the bride and groom drive away.

I have a contract so they know what they agreed on. If they tell me they are not sure when it will end and I may be there all day & night then I charge an all day price. Have a contract so both partys know what’s expected and protect you both. Hope this helps and good luck!

By: Brooke Stone

Brooke Stone — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 23:15:36 +0000

It depends on how long the client contracts me for vs. what time I show up and what time the wedding itself is at. I’ve been done as early as 4pm (morning wedding) and as late as 2am. 9 or 10 is usually the norm.

By: EstrellaA

EstrellaA — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 03:57:26 +0000

This varies depending on the photographer, and how they price a wedding session.

Many photographers stay through til the end.

Other photographers price a specific period of time – a 4 hour wedding, an 8 hour wedding.

My wedding package doesn’t specify a number of hours. I photograph from the preparation of the bride through 1 hour to 1 1/2 hour of the reception. (Enough time to do cake, first dances, bouquet toss, toasts, etc.) If the couple wish to have the rest of the reception photographed, they can pay an additional fee, and my second photographer will stay til the end. There’s no reason for me to waste my time sitting around to get candid shots of people partying. Those aren’t the shots that end up in an album, anyway.

By: Makenna39

Makenna39 — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 02:55:17 +0000

Basic pricing is set for a block of time that everything is estimated to take. 4 hours, 6 hours, whatever. The B&G knows before hand that I will stay as long as they want me to, but it’s all time on the clock, billed separately and usually payable immediately (within 5 working days of the billing). I have no problem insisting on that arrangement.

Any other arrangement and I am working cheaper than what I am worth and that’s not going to happen. It may have cost me a few jobs, but I don’t know that. Nobody has ever said that they didn’t hire me because I was going to charge extra for extra work.

There was one couple, once, that didn’t think it was reasonable. I explained to them that I would be happy to stay and take SNAPSHOTS if they made sure that there was a full bottle of wine and good food kept aside by the caterers to keep my energy and spirits up.

Vance

By: Branden Goulding

Branden Goulding — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 15:41:57 +0000

for my brothers wedding the photographer stayed until the bride and groom left….and that wasn’t until like 10pm 11:30pm….

By: Melvin Rahman

Melvin Rahman — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 04:09:08 +0000

I stay until I get a shot of the bride & groom getting in the car and leaving. Whether that is 4 p.m. or 11 p.m. I charge a set rate for my weddings, so that is what you pay whether I am there 30 minutes, 3 hours or 12 hours. I usually suggest that they take advantage of that. Some do, some don’t.