How many photos do you need for a wedding ?

To answer this question, we need to loop back to around 600 BCE and the time of Aesop and his famed fables. One in particular answers this question perfectly:

The Vixen and the Lioness 

"A Vixen who was taking her babies out for an airing one balmy morning, came across a Lioness, with her cub in arms. "Why such airs, haughty dame, over one solitary cub?" sneered the Vixen. "Look at my healthy and numerous litter here, and imagine, if you are able, how a proud mother should feel." The Lioness gave her a squelching look, and lifting up her nose, walked away, saying calmly, "Yes, just look at that beautiful collection. What are they? Foxes! I've only one, but remember, that one is a Lion." 

The moral of the fable is that quality exceeds quantity.

This is also true of wedding photography.

Firstly we have to consider that not all weddings are the same and not all wedding photography jobs are the same either. Some people have a full day of photography, from the first knockings of the day and the preparation of the Bride and Groom right up to the partying after that first dance. Others, however, may only want photos for their ceremony and reception.

I’ve read many articles stating a photo rate per hour but this an inaccurate way to look at it, mainly because the ceremony (as an example) will contain far more photos for an hour than say the couple shots a couple of hours later.

I also see, quite regularly, that people see more photos as a better ‘job done’.  

This is where the fable comes in to play. The real value in the photography is from creating a story (or even a movie) from each photo that is delivered, ensuring that each photo is adding a valid verse into the story of your Wedding. 

That said, when the question is asked – How many photos do you need for a wedding ? Then I would say that somewhere between 300 and 500 photos would be the perfect balance between attention to detail and also quality.