Choosing a wedding photography package can seem easy enough until you start comparing them.

One gives you eight hours. Another gives you ten. One includes a second photographer, while another emphasizes an engagement session, an album, or additional images.

So which one actually makes sense for your wedding?

The answer isn't always the package with the most hours or the most photos.

What matters is that it fits how your wedding is planned, the moments you want documented, and the experience you want along the way.

Let's look at what's usually included in packages, what each part actually means, and the things I'd recommend considering before you choose one.

What Are You Actually Buying When You Book a Wedding Photography Package?

A wedding photography package is more than the number of hours your photographer is holding a camera. There is work before, during, and after the wedding that shapes the final collection.

Before the wedding, that can include communication, timeline discussions, preparation, and figuring out what parts of the day matter most to you.

During the wedding, your photographer is not just taking pictures. They're observing, directing when needed, anticipating what is about to happen, and adapting to changing light, timing, people, and plans.

Afterward, the work continues with selecting and culling images, editing them, organizing the collection, and delivering your photographs.

Throughout the day, the photographer is constantly deciding where to position people, when to photograph, when to wait, when to move, and when to step back and let a moment happen.

You may never notice most of those decisions. That's partly the point.

So when comparing packages, don't look only at what's included during the listed coverage hours. Look at the service as a whole, and what those hours actually allow your photographer to do.

Wedding Photography Pricing: How Much Should You Budget?

When you first start looking at wedding photography pricing in Nashville, the numbers can be a little confusing.

You might see one package that seems surprisingly affordable, while another costs quite a bit more. And it's easy to wonder what you're actually getting for the difference.

A smaller wedding or elopement may not need the same amount of coverage as a full wedding day with multiple locations, separate getting-ready spaces, and a longer reception.

Then there are the things that come with the package. Some photographers include a second photographer, engagement session, albums, or other products, while others offer them separately.

A local wedding photographer can also bring useful knowledge of Nashville venues, locations, travel time, and how different parts of the city can affect your timeline.

So instead of asking which photographers in Nashville, TN have the lowest price, it helps to look at what your wedding needs and what you're getting for the investment.

What Is Usually Included in Wedding Photography Packages?

Wedding photography packages can look very different when you compare them next to each other.

One might focus on longer coverage, another might include a second photographer, while another adds an engagement session or album.

So what are all these things actually referring to?

1. Coverage

Coverage is simply the amount of time your photographer is with you. That time might begin while you're getting ready and continue through the ceremony, portraits, and reception, depending on the package you choose.

2. Photographer(s)

Some packages include one photographer, while others include a second photographer for part or all of the day. Having another person there can be useful when different parts of the wedding are happening at the same time.

3. Planning

The photography doesn't really begin when the camera comes out. Planning happens beforehand, too. This can include talking through your timeline, locations, priorities, family photographs, and anything else your photographer should know before the day arrives.

4. Editing

Once the wedding is over, the work isn't finished. Your photographer goes through the photographs, selects the images that belong in your final collection, and edits them so they have a consistent, finished look.

5. Engagement Session

An engagement session gives you some time in front of the camera before the wedding day. Some packages include one, while others make it an optional addition.

6. Bridal Portrait Session

Some packages offer a separate bridal portrait session, giving you dedicated time for bridal portraits outside the rush of the wedding day. It can be a more relaxed opportunity to focus on your dress, hair, makeup, and the details of your bridal look.

7. Photo Enhancements

These can go beyond the usual editing applied to your wedding photographs. Some packages offer additional photo enhancements to give certain photographs a more finished or creative treatment.

8. Edited Photographs / Digital Photographs

Your finished photographs may be provided as edited digital images, giving you a collection that you can keep, print, and share. In some cases, the digital photographs are delivered on a memory drive that you can keep as a physical copy of your collection.

9. 90-Photo Slideshow

A 90-photo slideshow turns a selection of your wedding photographs into a visual recap of the day. The photographs are presented together in a sequence, allowing the moments to flow from one to another.

You get to experience a glimpse of the day as a story rather than simply looking through a folder of photographs.

10. Wedding Album

A wedding album turns your photographs into a physical story of the day. Rather than having your favourite images sitting only on a screen, you have a finished album you can return to years later.

11. Canvas Prints

Some packages offer canvas prints, allowing you to turn selected wedding photographs into pieces you can display in your home.

At this point, you might be looking at the list and thinking:

"Okay, I see what's included. But which of these things will actually make a difference on our wedding day?"

That's where it gets more useful to look at them individually.

Let's take a closer look at each one, starting with the amount of coverage your wedding actually needs.

Does More Wedding Photography Coverage Mean Better Photos?

You might see six hours, eight hours, ten hours, or even more. You don't necessarily need the longest coverage available.

If your ceremony starts at 4 p.m. but you want photographs of hair and makeup, your parents arriving, quiet moments before you walk down the aisle, and those later reception moments like dancing, speeches, a surprise from your friends, or your last dance

But those may not be photographed because your package ends shortly after dinner.

That's why you wouldn't choose coverage based on the biggest number on the pricing guide.

You should look at your wedding timeline first and ask: When do we want our photographer there, and when would we be okay with them leaving?

The answer usually makes the right amount of coverage much clearer.

Do You Need a Second Wedding Photographer?

Some packages include one photographer, while others include a second photographer for part or all of the day.

At first, it can sound like you're simply getting twice as many photographs. That's not really the main reason a second photographer is needed.

Think about what happens before the ceremony.

Imagine you're getting ready with your friends and family while your partner is greeting guests downstairs.

If there's only one photographer, they have to choose where to be.

With two photographers, we can split up and document both sides of the story.

It also gives us more opportunities to photograph the same moment from different perspectives.

For larger weddings, complicated timelines, multiple getting-ready locations, or couples who want more guest coverage, a second photographer can make a real difference.

Why Is Planning Part of Your Wedding Photography Package?

This is the part couples sometimes don't think about until they're in the middle of wedding planning.

And it can have a surprisingly big effect on the experience.

Wedding photography usually involves some planning before the actual day.

Your photographer may help with the timeline, talk through locations, create a family-photo list, discuss the light at different parts of the day, or simply help you figure out how much time certain photographs will take.

And those conversations matter.

For example, you might want photographs with your immediate family, your wedding party, and a few larger family groupings after the ceremony.

But if cocktail hour starts immediately afterward, we also need to think about how those photographs fit into the schedule.

A little planning beforehand can prevent everyone from standing around wondering what happens next.

You're not just hiring someone to take photographs. You're trusting someone to help you navigate a day they've photographed many times before.

A photographer who understands your timeline, priorities, family dynamics, and locations can anticipate what needs to happen instead of simply reacting to it.

How Many Edited Photos Should You Expect?

The first question couples have when comparing packages is "How many photos do we get?"

And it makes sense.

But this is where comparing numbers can get a little misleading.

If one photographer offers 600 edited photographs and another offers 1,000, it's easy to think the second package gives you more.

But does it?

Imagine photographing the first dance.

There might be several frames of the same smile, the same movement, or the same moment from slightly different angles.

But you probably don't need twenty versions of the same moment sitting in your gallery.

A photographer may take several frames to make sure they have the right expression, the right composition, and nobody is blinking.

Only some of those photographs need to make it into your final gallery.

You should rather have fewer photographs you genuinely like, images that bring back the people, moments, and emotions of your day, than hundreds that look the same.

So when you're comparing packages, look beyond the promised number of images.

Ask to see a complete wedding gallery, rather than only the photographer's favorite highlights.

Look at how the entire day is documented.

Because years from now, you probably won't care whether your gallery had 700 photographs or 1,000.

You'll care about finding the photograph that takes you straight back to the way your partner looked at you, the way your family laughed, or the moment you didn't even realize was being photographed.

That's what makes a wedding gallery feel valuable.

What About Albums, Prints, and Other Ways to Enjoy Your Photographs?

Some couples are completely happy with their wedding photographs being digital.

Digital photographs are easy to share, easy to keep, and you can have your entire wedding day sitting in one gallery.

But maybe you're someone who loves having photographs around the house.

You might have already imagined one of your wedding photographs hanging on the wall, or an album sitting on your coffee table that you can pull out years later.

That's where canvas prints and a wedding album can be lovely additions.

A canvas print gives one of those photographs a place in your home instead of leaving it tucked away on a computer. And an album brings a collection of your favourite moments together in something you can actually hold and look through.

There are other ways to enjoy the photographs, too.

Photo enhancements can give selected images an extra level of finishing, particularly if there are photographs you know you'll want to print or display.

And a 90-photo slideshow gives you a completely different way to revisit the day. Instead of scrolling through photographs one by one, you can sit back and watch a selection of moments come together as a visual story.

You don't have to choose all of these.

For some couples, the digital gallery is everything they need. Others love the idea of having a beautiful album, a favourite photograph on the wall, or a slideshow they can watch with family.

Are Engagement Sessions Worth Including in a Wedding Photography Package?

Couples usually aren't used to having a camera pointed at them for an hour or two. You might feel awkward at first. You might not know where to put your hands or what you're supposed to do when someone says, "Just be yourselves."

That's completely normal.

An engagement session lets you learn how your photographer works and lets your photographer learn how you interact as a couple.

It is often included in some packages and offered as an optional addition in others.

They give us time to get comfortable with each other.

And when the wedding day arrives, you're not figuring all of that out for the first time.

And of course, you still get photographs you can use for your invitations, wedding website, or simply keep because you love having them.

How Will You Receive and Access Your Wedding Photographs?

Once your photographs have been edited, they need to make their way to you somehow.

It sounds straightforward, but this is something you'll be living with long after the wedding.

Your photographs may be delivered through an online gallery, where you can view and download them, share them with family and friends, and sometimes order prints directly.

You may also receive your digital photographs on a memory drive, giving you a physical copy of your wedding collection that you can keep safely with your other important belongings.

Both can be useful in different ways. An online gallery makes your photographs easy to access and share, while a memory drive gives you something physical to keep.

How Should You Compare Wedding Photography Packages?

Once you start comparing packages, it's easy to treat them like shopping lists.

More hours, more products, more services- it must be the better deal, right?

Not necessarily.

Start with coverage. Look at your actual timeline and locations, rather than comparing hours alone.

Then consider the people involved. One photographer may be enough, while separate getting-ready locations or a larger wedding may make a second photographer worthwhile.

Next, look at the process. How much planning and communication happens before the wedding? How does the photographer work with your timeline and family photographs?

Then come the photographs themselves. Look at complete galleries, not just image counts.

Finally, consider the deliverables like digital photographs, memory drives, albums, slideshows, or prints and whether you'll actually use them.

Bring all of that back to fit.

The best package is the one that makes sense for your wedding, your priorities, and the experience you want.

The Right Package Is the One That Fits Your Day

After you've looked at all of these inclusions, it's tempting to compare packages by adding everything up.

But it's much easier to start with your wedding.

• When do you want your photographer to arrive?

• What parts of the day matter most to you?

• Are you getting ready separately?

• Do you have multiple locations?

• Is your guest list large enough that a second photographer would make things easier?

• Do you actually want an album, or are digital photographs enough for you?

• And when everything is over, would you love having an album or canvas print, or are digital photographs all you really need?

Once you have those answers, comparing packages becomes much simpler.

If you're looking for a wedding photographer in Nashville, take a look at Steve Herlihy Photography's wedding photography packages with those priorities in mind.

You may find that the package that makes the most sense isn't the one with the most included; it's the one that gives you what you actually want from your wedding photography.

See Steve Herlihy Photography's Wedding Packages

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How many hours of wedding photography do I need?

It depends on your timeline, locations, and the moments you want photographed. Choose coverage around your actual day rather than simply choosing the longest package.

Q2. How do you choose among wedding photographers in Nashville, TN?

Look at their full wedding galleries, photography style, package coverage, experience, and how well their approach fits the way you want your wedding day documented.

Q3. Is a second photographer necessary?

Not always. It can be especially helpful when you have separate getting-ready locations, a larger guest list, multiple events happening at once, or a complex timeline.

Q4. How many wedding photos should I receive?

There isn't one ideal number. The final count depends on your wedding and coverage, but a complete, thoughtfully edited collection matters more than simply receiving the highest number of images.