One of the most common planning questions couples ask isn’t about photos at all — it’s about time. How long does a photographer actually need? Book too little coverage and you’ll be watching the clock during your reception; book too much and you’re paying for hours you won’t use. Here’s how the day usually breaks down.
**If you’re having a register office or short ceremony (Ceremony Only Cover, up to 3 hours)**
This suits couples arriving already dressed, with a short ceremony and a small window for group photos straight after — typically guest arrivals, the ceremony itself, confetti or exit shots, and formal group photos with immediate family and the wedding party. It’s tight but complete, and it’s the package most couples choose when the main celebration (and its own separate photography, if any) happens later or elsewhere.
**If you want the emotional core of the day (Half Day Coverage, up to 5 hours)**
This is where most weddings sit. A typical half-day timeline covers: guests arriving and being seated, the ceremony itself, confetti/exit and couple portraits straight after, group photos, the wedding breakfast beginning, and speeches. It captures the part of the day with the most raw emotion — nerves, tears, laughter — without needing to be there from 8am.
**If you want the whole story (Full Day Coverage, morning prep to first dance)**
This starts with the morning: getting ready, the small details (the dress, the rings, the flowers), the quiet moments before everyone arrives. Then the ceremony, confetti, portraits, the wedding breakfast, speeches, and finally the first dance as the evening begins. It’s the package for couples who want nothing missed — because some of the most genuine, least self-conscious moments of the whole day happen in the morning, before any guests arrive.
A few timing tips that make a real difference
Build in more buffer time than you think you need, especially around the ceremony start time and travel between locations — weddings almost never run exactly to schedule, and a rushed photographer means rushed, less natural photos. If you’re doing a “first look” before the ceremony, that adds valuable relaxed time to the morning but needs its own slot in the timeline. And if speeches are important to you, make sure whichever package you choose actually covers them — Ceremony Only doesn’t, Half Day and Full Day both do.
If you’re not sure which timeline fits your day, [see the full pricing breakdown](https://morganhesketh.co.uk/services/) or [get in touch](https://morganhesketh.co.uk/contact-us/) and we can talk through your running order together — that’s part of the pre-wedding planning support included in every package.
