How Much Photography Coverage Do You Need on Your Elopement Day?


Kim & Brittney traveled to Montana from Texas to celebrate their love and get married! Bringing along their closest friends and family, they said I do at Fish Creek Amphitheater at Glacier National Park. When deciding on how much coverage they needed for their elopement day, a few things factored into their decision. After a complimentary consultation call, we were able to determine that a 3-4 hour elopement photography package worked best for their needs. Read below to find out some factors that might impact your decision for how much elopement photography coverage you need/want.


Budget

Probably one of the biggest factors amongst many couples, more photography coverage often equates to a larger cost. This isn't always true, for some photographers, but the majority, you will find it's more expensive for more time. When considering a budget for your elopement day, I often will encourage couples to ask family to help fund a photography budget. Photos/videos are some of the longest-lasting forms of remembering a special day in your life. Photography is often one of the higher ticket items during an elopement day, so it's okay to crowd-fund to help pay for this vendor.


Activities

Activities can be a great way to spend more time together on your elopement day. One of my favorite parts of elopements is that you don't have to have a traditional wedding day, meaning you can include some of your favorite activities on your elopement day. Activities can include kayaking, hiking, reading letters from loved ones, having a picnic, going for a jeep ride, renting a side-by-side exploring mountain roads, etc. Activities take time so ensuring you allot time to do the activity, enjoy it, and have it captured is essential.


Location

Depending on the location you choose to get married at, you may need a certain amount of time to get to that location or get back to the area where you plan to do portraits afterward. For example, if you're having a wedding in Glacier National Park (using this as an example as it's the primary location I work out of), there's a huge difference in travel time for a wedding ceremony on the West side of the park vs the East side of the park. For couples who just want the West side of the park and who have no desire to travel an hour or more for wedding portraits, choosing less coverage works out great for them.


Time

In certain situations, a wedding couple may have an allotted ceremony time that falls close to when they have a reserved dinner time for a post-ceremony celebration. In scenarios where the couple has a limited window of time for elopement day photos, they may choose a smaller package to fit the time constraint they have that day. All situations are different.

Pros & Cons of Choosing a 3-4 Hour Elopement Day


Many couples might ask what the pros & cons are to any amount of photography coverage they might choose for an elopement day. Below I've detailed some great pros and some non-great cons to weigh in your decision-making for your elopement day planning. Every couple, family, and budget is different; while a short elopement day coverage may seem perfect for you, it might seem like not enough to others.


Pros:

  1. Cost-effective: Usually, shorter coverage means lower costs compared to full-day packages, making it more budget-friendly.
  2. Focused Coverage: With limited time, photographers often concentrate on capturing key moments like the ceremony, portraits, and some candid shots, ensuring these are well-documented.
  3. Less Intrusive: Shorter coverage can mean less intrusion into your intimate moments, allowing you to enjoy the day without feeling constantly observed.
  4. Quick Turnaround: Since photographers have fewer photos to edit, you might receive your photos faster compared to longer coverage packages.
  5. Efficient Planning: You can plan your elopement day more precisely around the photography schedule, optimizing your time and ensuring you have coverage during the most important parts of the day.


Cons:

  1. Limited Coverage: Three to four hours may not cover the entire day comprehensively. You may miss out on some moments or details that happen outside the scheduled time.
  2. Rushed Feeling: With limited time, there might be a sense of rushing through certain parts of the day, which can affect the overall experience and enjoyment.
  3. Potential Missed Opportunities: There's a risk of missing spontaneous or unplanned moments that occur outside the scheduled coverage window.
  4. Less Flexibility: You have less flexibility in adjusting the schedule or adding extra shots or locations on the fly if the photographer's time is strictly limited.
  5. Fewer Photos: While the photographer will prioritize key moments, you may receive fewer total photos compared to longer coverage options.


Choosing 3 to 4 hours of photography coverage for your elopement depends largely on your priorities, budget, and the flow of your day. If you have a well-planned timeline and prioritize key moments, it can be a cost-effective and efficient option. However, if you anticipate wanting more comprehensive coverage or flexibility throughout the day, you might consider opting for a longer coverage package.


Below you'll see the actual timeline for Kim & Brittney's elopement day. It was short and sweet, with about an hour and 30 minutes for portraits together after the ceremony. The portrait time also includes any driving around to a separate location.

Timeline from Kim + Brittney's Elopement day in Glacier National Park

Young boy crying during ceremony of parents
same sex couple dancing to their first dance along the shore of Lake McDonald

Need Help Deciding on the Amount of Photography Coverage You Need?


If you're recently engaged and have decided to elope and the whole deciding on the amount of coverage is throwing you for a loop, let's hop on a complimentary consultation call and discover what your ideal elopement day looks like and figure out which photography package is for you. As an experienced elopement photographer to the Glacier National Park area, I bring a breadth of knowledge about locations, drive times, ceremony sites, and activities in the area and can help you work through an elopement day timeline to explore how much time you need with a photographer. I, of course, would love to hear more about the vision for your day and if we're a good fit, be your elopement photographer for your Montana elopement. Simply submit a contact form on my website, and I'll send over an initial email to welcome you and a link to schedule a call.


Thanks for making is this far along, scroll below to see more from Kim & Brittney's elopement day in Glacier National Park. They had three hours of coverage in the West Glacier area, a short and sweet ceremony with time for portraits and celebration with family and friends. Their approved ceremony location was at Fish Creek Amphitheater. They did portraits in Apgar around Lake McDonald.

Vendors


Photography: Jennifer Vernarsky Photography

Florals: Foolish Blooms Farm

Cake: Mountain Mama's Cupcakery

Mini Donuts: Montana Wildflour Baking Co.

Suit: Suit Shop