1. I want to book, but we don't have enough money in the budget. What should we do?
I totally get it, everyone has a budget for their wedding and it's hard to stick to it! But when it comes to wedding photography, it truly is an INVESTMENT. I'm not just going to be one of the many vendors involved in your wedding day. I'm going to be with you from when you start getting ready until the end of the night, when you're exhausted from dancing too much. I'm going to be with you during every moment, capturing every laugh, every tear, and every kiss. After your wedding day is over, the cake will be gone and the dress will be hung, but the photos will last forever.
Also, by investing in a photographer such as myself, you're not only investing in quality images from an experienced professional. You're investing in someone who is licensed, insured, has contracts in place, and a safe and secure method of payment. Not every photographer you meet will have these safeguards in place, and they're wicked important!
2. We only want the ceremony covered, do you have a smaller package?
Currently, I do not offer any smaller packages than seven hours. I do this because my mission is to tell the story of your wedding day, the COMPLETE story. I want to capture the final touches of you getting ready, the first look, the ceremony, and all of the crazy candids that are bound to happen during the reception. With less than seven hours, there is no way we would be able to fit all of this in! You've likely spent months, if not years, perfecting every detail that goes into your wedding day, and I want to make sure to document it all.
3. My fiance and I are awkward when getting our photo taken. Will you be able to help us pose or act natural?
One hundred percent yes! I have so many poses and prompts up my sleeve, you'll be surprised how easy it is to be in front of the camera. Having a background in senior photography as well, I have a lot of experience posing people and knowing which angles look the best. That being said, I love giving my couples prompts to inspire genuine and joyful photographs, so be prepared to get a little silly!
4. We already have engagement photos, do we need to get engagement photos taken by you as well?
While it is not necessary to use the complimentary session included in the packages, I always recommend it! It's free, so why not use it? Engagement sessions give us a chance to get to know each other before I follow you around with a camera all day during your wedding. They also give you an opportunity to get to know me as a photographer specifically, and how I work. It'll give you a chance to try the poses that I might give you on your wedding day, so by the time your wedding portraits roll around, you'll be old pros!
5. Will you bring along a second photographer on our wedding day?
Absolutely! Second shooters are included in the cost of each package, so there is no additional fee if you request that I bring one along. Typically, I'll examine a wedding day timeline myself and take a peek at the venues before I decide whether or not I feel the need for a second shooter, but I will always bring one of my couple requests it specifically!
6. How many weddings do you shoot per year?
I limit myself to shoot no more than twenty five weddings per year, and here's why. Some photographers will book double, or even triple header wedding weekends, meaning that they shoot non-stop Friday-Sunday, every week of the month. To ensure that each one of my weddings gets my FULL attention, enthusiasm, and care, I do not overbook myself. This way, each couple receives the true experience that they invested in.
7. Will we receive any black and white images in our gallery?
Although I am mainly a color photographer, some images simply belong in black and white! Approximately 10% of your gallery will be delivered in black and white, and I will use my artist's eye to determine which ones will look best. If I deliver an image in black and white and you want a color copy, accomodations can be made!
8. What happens if you get sick or get in an accident on the day of our wedding?
Let me preface this by saying I have never been sick enough to not photograph a wedding. A few years back, I got into a car accident before I was supposed to start photography coverage (someone plowed right into me and totaled my car!) and the first thing I did was secure another vehicle, before I even called the police, ha! Moral of the story, I still arrived at the bride's getting ready location with 5 minutes to spare because I plan EXTENSIVELY for this kind of thing. I mean it when I say that your photography coverage means just as much to me as it does to you, and I will do literally everything in my power to make sure it is not compromised. However, in the very off chance that I am suddenly, violently ill, my second shooter will become your lead shooter, and I will reach out to my expansive network of fellow photographers and find a second shooter for them. My network is all about community over competition, and has proved their reliability time and time again (hello, pandemic times!).
9. How do we secure our date with you?!
I am SO happy that you're ready to book with me! In order to secure your date, I require a 25% deposit on whichever package best suits your needs, plus a signed contract. If you're not entirely sure how many hours of coverage you need, that's okay! I constantly have couples who choose the seven hour package to start & add on hours of coverage in the weeks or months before their wedding. The deposit is simply on the package you choose, so just make your best estimate!
10. Do you offer payment plans?
Sure do! I totally get it, weddings are a huge investment, and when you have to make final payments to all of your vendors within the month before your wedding, it can be a lot. While I require 25% to secure your date, the remaining 75% can be split up however and whenever you'd like. Plus, since I use a super handy system for contracts & invoices that comes with its own client portal, we can go back in and add a payment later on if you change your mind. Not a problem at all!
11. When we get our images back, can we share & print them?
Of course!! I'll deliver all of your edited, high resolution images in an online gallery, where you can download your images from! I totally welcome social media sharing, I always appreciate the internet love! In terms of printing, you're welcome to print wherever you'd like! There is an option to order prints straight from the gallery, which are made from some of the nation's most prestigious photo labs at retail prices, but if you'd rather print through CVS, go for it! The only catch is that I can't guarantee the quality of the prints from labs other than the gallery store. You may see anywhere from a slight to drastic difference in the colors and sharpness of prints from places like Walmart, so just be careful!
12. How many images will we get?
I always say that you can expect to receive between 50-100 images per every hour of coverage. I give this range because some hours of the day are more photo heavy than others. For example, I'll take more images on the dance floor during the reception than when I'm shooting your details, since there is more setup required there.