How many hours should you hire an elopement photographer for?

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Tips for the elopement timeline

It’s natural for an engaged couple to consider how much every part of their dream wedding is going to cost. The best way, of course, is to decide which things bring value to your day and for your memories going forward. Those who choose an elopement may already be considering the value of their plane fares and accommodation as necessary costs in having an unforgettable day in their dream location.

Photography should definitely be considered amongst those necessary costs.

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Not only are you going on a once-in-a-lifetime trip, but you’ll be creating a story to tell your friends, family, children and grandchildren. An elopement is an extra step towards a truly unique and memorable occasion, but hiring a photographer for the occasion is not the same as for traditional weddings. So here are some thoughts on how long you might need a photographer for, on your special day, and where that time will go.

Keep in mind that most traditional wedding packages start at about 8 hours. You might think that you only need a photographer for the ceremony and a few shots before the reception, but a wedding photographer is not about providing evidence of your wedding day, but telling your story. That story begins with getting dressed and ready, both the bride and groom, and making their way to the ceremony. Then after the ceremony, time is usually spent to get some photos of the couple looking perfect on their own, but in truth this is just the most formal part of the wedding shoot. The story is where the heart of your memories will be. It will be in the candid photos that you didn’t even notice being taken. It’s easy to see how 8 hours can soon become 12 or 14.

Of course, if you’re in a magical location, far away from home, you want to take advantage of that as much as possible. Having a photographer from sunrise to sunset not only means capturing the full story of your elopement, but catching the day as it naturally changes, the sun which rises and falls and the way your wedding unfolds from the very start to the very end.

That doesn’t mean you should consider your elopement to just be a full day photoshoot. In many cases, your day is about private, intimate time away from family and friends so you can focus on each other and the vows you will be making. A professional, sensitive photographer knows when to leave you alone, and shoot beautiful photos from afar, and when to come up close and shoot the more posed shots. A longer day means a greater variety in these photos, and no stress of having to finish by a particular deadline.

Elopements are not just a foreign photoshoot – they are the first adventure of your married life together. For some, that will mean a hike to a secluded spot, for others it might mean waking up in a small hut to catch the morning light. Each choice and each step of your day is part of your story, the memory of which you will capture and recount for years to come. If you were having a traditional wedding back home, you would likely have two or more photographers who cover both the bride and groom as they prepare, the ceremony, the posed shots, the reception, the first dance and the cake. You should consider that the same level of detail is important in capturing your dream wedding abroad – the ceremony may be in a different spot, the reception may be a solitary glass of wine with your partner, and the first dance might happen in silence underneath the stars, but these moments are just as noteworthy, even if they are not ‘traditional’.

Beyond capturing the full beauty and story of your day, the final step about considering an elopement photographer who stays with you a full day, or more, is logistical. Some locations require guidance from an expert who regularly shoots in the area, some are remote and require an overnight stay the night before. In some places, you might choose to drive with your photographer to the private locations which only they know, and let them open your eyes to a private paradise. Though there are always options for ‘quick and easy’ photos in many tourist locations around the world, your choice should be simple: do you want a photographer who documents your wedding, or a storyteller who creates a memory that will begin your marriage with beauty and visual poetry?

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