Choosing wedding photography coverage is easier when you start with the moments you want to remember. A small ceremony and a celebration that runs from morning preparations to the evening party need different plans. Before comparing quotes, sketch out your day and decide which parts matter most to you.
Start with your wedding timeline
Write down the ceremony time, where you are getting ready, the reception location and any moments you already have planned. Then make a short list of the photographs you would most like:
Preparations and the people helping you get ready.
The ceremony, reactions and celebrations afterwards.
Family group photographs and a few relaxed couple portraits.
Speeches, the meal, the first dance or the evening atmosphere.
You do not have to include everything. Think about what you would miss if it were outside the coverage window. Allow for moving between venues, gathering people for group photographs and a little breathing room if timings change.
Is two hours of wedding photography enough?
A short window may suit a compact ceremony followed by a few photographs nearby. It becomes harder to fit everything in when there is travel between locations, a long list of family groups or reception moments you also want photographed.
Rather than choosing a number of hours first, share your ceremony time, locations and priorities. I can discuss the coverage that may suit your plans and confirm the options in your quote. A smaller wedding does not always mean a shorter photography timeline.
Compare what a quote actually includes
When comparing wedding photography, check that you are comparing the same coverage. Ask about the agreed start and finish times, travel arrangements, what you will receive and the expected delivery timescale. If your plans might change, ask how extra coverage would be handled before booking.
With Apollo Photos, your edited photographs are delivered through an online gallery. I confirm the coverage, travel arrangements and expected delivery timescale when we discuss your booking. Your date, venue and the parts of the day you would like photographed are the starting point for a clear quote.
Look at real weddings as well as the headline price
Choose an approach you feel comfortable with. Look at the ceremony, family photographs and quieter moments in a photographer's work, and read what couples say about the experience.
For examples of my approach, explore Tim and Sheila's wedding at Ilkeston Town Hall or Grace and Nicholas's Boston Stump and White Hart Hotel wedding. Look at how the story moves from the ceremony to portraits and celebrations, and consider which parts you would want to remember from your own day.
If being photographed makes you nervous, my guide to relaxed photographs for camera-shy couples explains how natural moments and a little guidance can work together.
Planning your wedding photography
I'm William Foyle, the photographer behind Apollo Photos, based in Holbeach near Spalding, Lincolnshire. I photograph smaller celebrations and full wedding days, with a relaxed, documentary approach.
Send me your wedding date, venue and an outline of your plans. Include the moments you most want covered, even if your timings are still taking shape. We can talk through what matters to you before you choose your coverage.
