"What's actually included?" is the question we hear most from couples comparing wedding photographers and videographers, and it's a fair one — package structures vary enormously between studios, and the same dollar amount can mean very different things depending on who you book. Here's a clear breakdown of what typically makes up a wedding photography and videography package, and what's worth asking about before you sign anything.
Hours of Coverage
Most wedding photography packages are built around a block of coverage hours, typically ranging from six to ten hours for a single-ceremony wedding. What that range needs to cover depends entirely on your day: a six-hour package might cover getting-ready through the first hour of the reception, while a full ten hours can carry you from morning prep through the send-off.
Multi-day celebrations — mehndi, sangeet, baraat, and reception — need a different structure entirely, usually priced per event or as a multi-day bundle rather than a single hours-based block. If your wedding spans several days of events, ask specifically how coverage is structured across days, not just how many total hours you're getting.
For multicultural weddings specifically, we don't cap our coverage to a fixed number of hours. Our coverage runs from the tail end of getting-ready preps through the reception, and we wrap once the dance floor has been open for thirty to forty-five minutes — rather than cutting off at a predetermined hour that may or may not match how your actual day unfolds. Multi-day and multi-event celebrations don't run on a fixed clock, and we'd rather build coverage around your actual day than force your day into a package's hour limit.
Number of Photographers
Packages typically include either a solo photographer or a primary photographer plus a second shooter. A second shooter isn't just about redundancy — they cover angles the primary photographer physically can't be in at the same time, which matters most during the ceremony (capturing both the couple's expressions and the guests' reactions simultaneously) and during getting-ready, when the bride and groom are usually preparing in different locations at once.
For larger weddings, multiple ceremony locations, or multi-day celebrations, a second (or third) shooter tends to move from "nice to have" to genuinely necessary.
A Pre-Wedding Session
Not every studio includes this, but we think it should be standard. Every Unique Visions Studio package includes a complimentary pre-wedding session before the wedding itself, because it directly improves how comfortable you are in front of the camera on the actual day. If a package you're comparing doesn't include one, it's worth asking whether it can be added — the difference it makes in how natural your wedding portraits feel is significant. (We wrote a full breakdown of what to expect from one, if you want more detail.)
Digital Gallery and Image Delivery
Nearly every package includes a private online gallery of edited, high-resolution digital images, typically with full download rights. What varies is the image count — some studios deliver a set number per package, others deliver everything that meets their editing standard, which usually lands somewhere between 50 and 100 images per hour of coverage, depending on the pace of the day.
Ask specifically whether download rights include print release — the legal right to print your own images at outside labs — since some packages restrict this or charge separately for it.
Turnaround Time
Most studios deliver a small "sneak peek" gallery within a few days to a week after the wedding, with the full edited gallery following anywhere from four to twelve weeks later, depending on the season and how far out the studio is booked. Turnaround time is worth asking about directly rather than assuming — it varies more between studios than almost anything else on this list, and it's rarely advertised clearly upfront.
Albums and Prints
Physical albums are sometimes included in higher-tier packages and sometimes offered as a separate add-on entirely, so this is worth confirming directly with any studio you're comparing. An album is included in almost all of our packages rather than treated as a premium upsell — if an album matters to you, confirm what size and page count come standard, and whether design revisions are part of the process or billed separately.
Videography Bundling
Some studios offer photography only; others, like ours, offer photography and videography as a combined service. If you're considering hiring both separately, it's worth reading about why booking one team for both tends to produce a more coordinated day and a more cohesive final result — the packages themselves are also often priced better bundled than booked as two fully separate vendors.
General Pricing
To give you a real starting point rather than making you ask: photography-only packages start at $6,500, and videography-only packages also start at $6,500. Combined photography and video packages start at $8,500, which is meaningfully less than booking both separately — one of the concrete reasons behind what we covered in our post on booking one studio for both.
From there, pricing depends on your event and timeline — multi-day celebrations, additional shooters, and add-ons like a same-day edit or social media reels all move the number up. Our most comprehensive packages run up to $15,000 and beyond for weddings with a larger team of shooters and a full set of add-ons. The most accurate way to get a number specific to your day is to reach out directly with your date, venue, and event structure.
Travel Fees and Additional Costs
This is one of the details that varies most between studios, so ask directly what's not included. Common add-ons that catch couples off guard: travel fees for venues outside a studio's standard radius, additional hours if the day runs long, engagement sessions if not already bundled in, and rush delivery if you need your gallery faster than the standard turnaround.
We don't charge travel fees, and if an overnight stay is needed for us to cover your wedding, we take care of the hotel ourselves rather than passing that cost on — it's one less line item for you to think about while planning. The one exception is a true destination wedding involving flights: in that case, we ask that either the flight or the accommodations be covered. A studio that lists these terms clearly upfront is generally a good sign; vague answers here are worth pressing on.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hours of wedding photography coverage do I actually need?
For a single-ceremony wedding, eight hours typically covers getting-ready through the early part of the reception. If you want coverage through the send-off, or your ceremony and reception are at different venues with travel time between them, plan for closer to ten hours. For multicultural weddings, we don't cap coverage to a fixed number of hours at all — we cover from the tail end of preps through thirty to forty-five minutes of open dancing at the reception, whatever that ends up totaling.
Is a second photographer necessary?
It's most valuable when the bride and groom are getting ready in separate locations, for larger guest counts, or for multi-day celebrations with fast-moving events like a baraat. For a smaller, single-location wedding, a solo photographer is often enough.
Does every wedding photography package include a pre-wedding session?
No — it varies by studio. Some include it standard, others offer it as a paid add-on, and some don't offer it at all. It's worth asking specifically, since it has a real impact on how comfortable you'll be in front of the camera on your wedding day.
How long does it take to receive wedding photos?
Most studios deliver a small preview gallery within about a week, with the full edited gallery following in three to four weeks depending on the season and studio's booking volume. Always confirm this directly rather than assuming.
Should I book photography and videography from the same studio?
It's not required, but it generally leads to a more coordinated wedding day and a more visually cohesive final result, since one team is planning both around the same timeline rather than two separate vendors coordinating for the first time on the day itself.
How much does a wedding photography package cost?
Photography-only packages start at $6,500, and videography-only packages also start at $6,500. Combined photography and video packages start at $8,500 — a meaningful savings over booking both separately. Pricing increases from there based on your event structure, timeline, additional shooters, and add-ons like a same-day edit or social media reels, with our most comprehensive packages running up to $15,000 and beyond.
What's typically not included in a base wedding photography package?
This varies by studio, so always ask for a full list of potential add-ons before booking — common ones elsewhere include travel fees, physical albums, extra coverage hours, and rush delivery. With us specifically, travel fees aren't charged and an album is included in almost all of our packages; the main exception is a true destination wedding involving flights, where we ask for either the flight or accommodations to be covered.
Comparing Packages for Your Wedding
If you're planning a wedding in New York or New Jersey and want a clear, straightforward breakdown of what's included in our packages — no vague answers — [get in touch with us here →].
You might also find our guides on [what to expect at your pre-wedding session →] and [why booking photography and videography together is worth considering →] useful as you compare options.