How long should I book my wedding photographer for?

I often get asked this question in the initial stages of consulting with couples. The easy answer is - there is no easy answer! There are so many factors that contribute to how long you should hire a photographer based on what is important to you and the details of your day. Quick elopement with just the two of you? Heli-wedding on a mountaintop? Intimate wedding with your closest friends and family? Weddings are so versatile and your photography packages should reflect that.

I always suggest considering at least 3+ hours of coverage for your day. Most of the couples who’s wedding I photographed this year have decided on just 2 hours, which captures only the ceremony and portraits following. Some people feel this is enough, but I always feel like there’s a huge part of the day missing.

When you look back at your wedding photos, I want them to take you back to all of the emotions you experienced that day, and I believe MANY of those emotions occur moments before the ceremony. The moments when you’re getting ready, when your mother helps to button up your dress, when your best man straightens your tie (or teaches you how to tie it!), when you’ve got nervous hands holding your glass of mimosa or scotch, when your bridesmaids see you for the first time. These moments are so special and truly tell the story of your day as they show the raw and authentic emotions you experienced the minutes before marrying your best friend. Even in an elopement with just the two of you, those moments before you tie the knot have so much emotion, it’s such a special time to look back and reflect on how you felt in the moments leading up to the beginning of this step in your journey together.

Being a part of the getting ready process also helps to break the ice with you and I. When I meet you at the ceremony location it can be a bit awkward if my camera is in your face right away. I like to document your day by being a part of it, up close and personal. When we’ve already spent time together before the ceremony, it takes some of the discomfort of being in front of a camera away so you can focus on being in the moment with the love of your life.

There was so much emotion in the hotel room at Pyramid Lake Resort as Allison got ready with her mother and sister. Allison’s mom Darcy, a florist, created Allison’s gorgeous bouquet and the men’s boutonnieres. As a surprise to the couple, she put an image of Allison’s grandmother in the bouquet so she was close to Allison’s heart on her wedding day. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room (including myself) when Darcy showed her daughter the photo of her grandmother dangling from the steams of the flowers.

The Wedding Team
This couple booked many of their local wedding vendors through My Jasper Wedding, a professional cooperative in Jasper made up of entirely local vendors.

Venue: Pyramid Island
Florals: Darcy - Mother of the Bride
Event Planners: Jasper Event Management
Officiant: Beryl Cahill
Makeup: Wild Orchid Salon & Spa
Hair: Wild Orchid Salon & Spa
Suit: Moore’s
Dress: Calista's Career & Bridal Wear
Arch: @jakub_sebela_woodwork
Visual Artist: Art of Swarly
Video/Sound/Tech: Jasper’s Alpine Music
Photographer: Jamie Robson Photography

Jamie Robson | Wedding Photographer in Jasper, Alberta