Planning photography for a large wedding of 200+ guests
For couples planning a really big wedding, 200 plus guests with 10 or even up to 20 wedding party members per side, this video explains where the time goes and when a third photographer earns a place.
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Give a big wedding party more time
If you are planning a really huge wedding, say 10 or even up to 20 wedding party members from each side, make sure you have an ample amount of time for getting ready, the ceremony, and the reception. The bigger the wedding party, the more engaged and ready to party they are, and they take up a lot of the getting ready time.
That is not a complaint. It is simply the sheer number of men or women in a big party. Capturing each one of them properly takes a lot of energy and effort, so if you are planning a big wedding, make sure you have a good amount of coverage.
If your wedding has 200 plus people and over 10 bridesmaids or groomsmen on each side, we recommend thinking about more than two photographers, or even a third photographer if needed. That allows us to capture the bride and groom while a third shooter helps out, and if anything happens, they can go photograph something else while the two leads stay with the day. The rest of the day will be fine; it is really the beginning that takes the time.
Why the morning takes the longest
Picture 15 bridesmaids in one suite. Hair and makeup finish at different times, robes come off in stages, and every one of them wants a photo with the bride. Add the dress reveal and a group with everyone in it, and an hour disappears.
The groom's side is the same: 15 groomsmen, jackets, boutonnieres, and the group shot. This is the stretch we ask you to protect with extra time, because everything after it moves at the pace of the schedule rather than the party.
When a third photographer makes sense
Two photographers cover most weddings comfortably. At 200 plus guests with over 10 attendants per side, the math changes. Someone still needs to be with the couple, and someone needs to be with a wedding party large enough to be its own event.
A third shooter gives us that flexibility. With a team of fifteen artists we can staff a large wedding without stretching anyone thin, and when something unexpected happens, a late shuttle or a family group that needs redoing, the third photographer goes to it while the two leads keep shooting.
What our team does about this on the day
Working through the wedding party
In the getting ready suites we photograph each member of a big wedding party properly, one by one, then the group. With 10 to 20 people per side that takes real energy and effort, so we ask for ample time in the morning.
Where the third shooter goes
At a 200 plus wedding with a third photographer, the two leads stay with the bride and groom. The third shooter helps out and, if anything happens elsewhere, goes to photograph it without pulling a lead away.
Settling in after the ceremony
Once the ceremony and wedding party portraits are done, the pressure comes off. A large reception runs at the pace of the schedule, and we cover it the way we would any wedding: toasts, dances, and guests on the floor.
Couples usually ask
Do we need a third photographer for 200 guests?
Not automatically. Our recommendation is for weddings with 200 plus guests and over 10 bridesmaids or groomsmen on each side, where the morning alone is a lot to cover. Then we suggest more than two photographers, or a third if needed.
How much extra time should we plan for getting ready?
There is no single number, but with 10 to 20 wedding party members from each side, plan for getting ready to take longer than it would with four or five. The sheer number of people in the room is what fills the time.
Will a large guest count slow down the ceremony or reception?
Usually not. It is really the beginning portion, the getting ready and the wedding party portraits, that takes the most time at a big wedding. Once the ceremony starts the day runs on the schedule, and a reception is no harder to cover with 200 guests than 100.
How many hours of coverage does a large wedding need?
Our wedding collections include 6 or 8 hours of coverage depending on the package. With a big wedding party, the longer option gives the morning room without cutting into the reception. Tell us your party size and guest count and we will help you decide.
Related guides from the series
Twenty-eight short videos answering the questions couples ask us before the day.
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