This is the question I get most, and there’s no single answer because every day is different.
The standard packages are 6, 8, or 10 hours. But whether you need 4 hours or 12 depends entirely on what your day looks like. So instead of abstract theory, let’s walk through real examples and see where the hours actually go.
The Short Day: Chloe & Nathan (4.5 hours)
Chloe and Nathan got married at 2pm on a Saturday at a local gallery. No getting-ready coverage. No pre-ceremony shots. Just: arrive, ceremony, portraits, reception until about 6:30pm when things were quieting down.
The timeline:
- 1:15pm: I arrive, ceremony space only
- 1:45pm: Ceremony starts
- 2:15pm: Recession, couple portraits (20 min)
- 2:40pm: Cocktail hour and detail shots (20 min)
- 3:00pm: Reception starts, speeches and dinner
- 5:00pm: First dance, cake
- 5:30pm: Last dance and wind-down
- 6:30pm: Done
What they got: Ceremony, couple portraits, cocktail candids, reception energy, first dance, cake, final moments. No getting-ready, no family formals, no pre-ceremony.
Cost: 4.5-hour package.
Verdict: They were happy. It covered the essential moments. What they missed was family photos and more documentation of prep—but they hadn’t planned time for that anyway, and weren’t fussed about formal family shots.
This works if: You have a ceremony-focused day, don’t need family formals, and don’t care about getting-ready moments. You’re married by 2:30pm and the day’s fairly compressed.
The Standard Day: Jordy & Nic (8 hours)
Jordy and Nic had a more traditional flow. Getting ready at two locations, 2pm ceremony, 3pm onwards reception.
The timeline:
- 12:15pm: Arrive at bride’s location, getting ready
- 1:15pm: Groom’s location, getting ready
- 1:45pm: Travel to venue, final detail shots
- 1:50pm: Bride’s first look (not a formal first-look shoot, just capturing the moment before ceremony)
- 2:00pm: Ceremony starts
- 2:30pm: Recession, couple portraits (30 min)
- 3:00pm: Cocktail hour, guest candids, details
- 4:00pm: Reception starts, formal family shots (25 min)
- 4:30pm: Speeches and dinner
- 6:30pm: First dance, cake, dancing
- 8:00pm: Last dance and wind-down
- 8:15pm: Done
What they got: Full getting-ready coverage, ceremony, couple portraits, family photos, cocktail candids, reception, dancing, the full arc.
Cost: 8-hour package.
Verdict: They had everything. Not rushed. Light coverage of every moment. The getting-ready window was relaxed (over an hour at each location), so it felt natural rather than frantic.
This works if: You want a traditional flow with getting-ready coverage, family photos, and decent breathing room. Most couples in this camp are happy.
The Long Day: DanWen & Il (10 hours plus travel)
DanWen and Il had a multi-location day with a morning ceremony in the Dandenongs and an evening reception in the city.
The timeline:
- 9:30am: Arrive at bride’s getting-ready (Dandenongs)
- 10:30am: Groom’s getting ready (separate location, same area)
- 11:30am: Travel between locations, scenic shots
- 12:15pm: Ceremony in the gardens
- 1:00pm: Couple portraits and immediate family shots (45 min)
- 1:45pm: Travel to city venue (30 min drive)
- 2:30pm: Arrival detail shots at reception space
- 3:00pm: Cocktail hour at interim venue (garden)
- 4:30pm: Travel to reception venue
- 5:00pm: Reception doors open, guest arrival
- 5:30pm: Speeches
- 6:00pm: Dinner
- 7:30pm: First dance
- 8:00pm: Dancing
- 9:30pm: Final dance and wind-down
- 10:00pm: Done
What they got: Full getting-ready, ceremony in a beautiful location, extended couple portrait time (necessary because the location was stunning), two reception venues with full coverage of transitions, everything.
Cost: 10-hour package plus travel (90 min each way).
Verdict: They needed every minute. The day was genuinely long, logistically complex, and covered a lot of ground. Shortening to 8 hours would have meant cutting getting-ready or compress couple portraits.
This works if: You’re doing multiple locations, have significant travel time, or want generous couple portrait time in beautiful locations.
The Common Question: What About Getting-Ready?
Getting ready typically takes 1.5–2.5 hours to photograph properly. If you don’t want getting-ready coverage, you save that time and go 4–6 hours. If you do want it, add 2 hours minimum.
Chloe & Nathan skipped it entirely. Jordy & Nic had over 2 hours of it. DanWen & Il had almost 2.5 hours between two locations.
If you’re only having getting-ready at one location and it’s tight (you’re ready in 45 minutes), you only need 1 hour of photography. If you’re leisurely and have lots of people, 2 hours.
The Question Most People Don’t Ask: What About Cocktail Hour?
Cocktail hour is the golden hour of wedding photography in terms of light and moments. But it’s also when the photographer can step back a bit.
At Jordy & Nic’s, cocktail hour was 1 hour and I was actively shooting the whole time—guest candids, light interactions, detail shots.
At DanWen & Il’s, we had almost 2 hours across two cocktail venues, and I was catching transitions, arrivals, and ambient moments.
If you skip formal family photos, cocktail hour becomes the moment I’m most present and working hardest. If you have formal family photos, cocktail hour is quieter.
When You Actually Need More Than 8 Hours
Multiple locations: If you’re doing a venue change, add time. Not because I’m slow, but because the logistical delay is real. A 30-minute drive = 30 minutes where I’m not photographing.
Generous couple portraits: If you want extended time for couple photos (45 min–1 hour), you need that carved out. At 6 hours, couple portraits are 20–25 minutes. At 8 hours, they’re 30–40 minutes. At 10 hours, they can be 45+ minutes.
Both getting-ready locations: If they’re far apart and you want coverage of both, you need time for that transition.
Lots of family formality: If you’re doing extensive family photos (multiple aunts, uncles, cousins, configurations), it takes time. A quick 5-person family shot is 3 minutes. Photographing 15 different family combinations is 20–30 minutes.
Evening events: If you’re doing late-night moments (evening send-off, bonfire, special dances at 10pm), you’re extending into coverage you might not need otherwise.
When You Can Get Away With Less
Ceremony-focused day: No getting ready, ceremony at 2pm, done by 6pm. 4 hours works.
Small reception: 40 people, quick ceremony, early finish time. 5–6 hours is fine.
Relaxed about family photos: You don’t care about formal groupings. 6 hours covers ceremony through reception without getting-ready.
Clear priorities: You care about ceremony and dancing, not so much cocktail hour and reception dinner coverage. 6 hours, adjusted timing.
The Honest Calculation
Here’s the real maths:
- Getting-ready: 1.5–2.5 hours (add if you want this)
- Ceremony + pre-ceremony: 1 hour total
- Couple portraits: 0.5–1 hour (depends on locations and your vibe)
- Cocktail hour + details: 1–1.5 hours
- Reception (dinner, speeches, first dance, cake): 2–3 hours
- Dancing + wind-down: 1–2 hours
A typical day with getting-ready = 8–10 hours total. A typical day without getting-ready = 5–7 hours total.
If you want generous couple portrait time or multiple locations, add hours.
Real Talk
Most couples end up being happy with whatever package they book. The difference between 6 and 8 hours is rarely obvious in the final gallery—you get either a slightly smaller set of great moments or a slightly larger set.
What matters more is whether the photographer is good, whether the timing works for your day, and whether you feel comfortable together. A mediocre photographer with 10 hours will deliver less than a brilliant photographer with 6 hours.
That said, here’s my honest recommendation:
Go with 6 hours if:
- Your ceremony’s after 1pm
- You don’t want getting-ready coverage
- You’re not fussed about family formals
- You want to finish by 8pm
Go with 8 hours if:
- You want getting-ready covered
- You want couple portrait time
- You want some family photos
- You want a relaxed pace without rushing through moments
Go with 10+ hours if:
- You’re doing multiple locations
- You want extended couple time in beautiful locations
- You’re having a full day with generous getting-ready, formals, and dancing
- You want evening moments captured
Ask yourself: What moments are non-negotiable for you? What can you skip? Then choose hours that cover the non-negotiables without paying for coverage you don’t want.
Related reading
- Wedding day photography timeline (with examples)
- Wedding photography cost in Melbourne
- Glasshaus, Richmond venue guide (4-hour wedding example)
- The Views Werribee venue guide (full-day example)
- Photography collections
Let’s talk about your day and what makes sense. I’ll help you figure out how many hours actually fits, and make sure we’re set up to capture what matters most to you.
