🎉 CONGRATULATIONS!!! YOU RECENTLY JUST GOT ENGAGED! 🎉
It’s such an amazing time to be engaged and JUST ENGAGED! And before the busyness of planning begins, take a little time to just relax and let it all soak in! Don’t dive straight into wedding planning – unless you just really can’t wait, anymore, to be tied to your “one true love!!” But, before you go, I wanted to share with you my advice on your quest in finding the right photographer!
Ready, get set and GO!!!
Setting aside the how-tos on finding the right photographer for a moment. Let’s get to the very beginning of wedding planning. Sooo.. you’re ready to take the plunge into the bottomless pit that is wedding planning! You’ve picked a date – or maybe one or two dates – and have probably started searching for a location!
Outdoor or indoor wedding ceremony? Outdoor or indoor reception? Hotel? Vineyard? Beach wedding? Mountain side wedding? Lakeside wedding? Garden wedding? Destination wedding? Elopement? Two separate locations for ceremony and reception? Or will it be only one location for everything?
SOOO MANY CHOICES!
Despite your long list of the choices that you will have to make, the most important thing to think about is.. WHAT IS YOU? This is the same idea I want you to employ as you are looking for the right photographer and everything else for your wedding.
To give you a hand on finding a location, let me ask you these questions. is there a place that you and your significant other hold dear in your heart? Additionally, is there a place that you and your significant other constantly return to? If there is a place… perhaps THAT may be YOUR place to have the wedding! Perhaps, it could be the type of ambiance you are looking for? Alternatively, you guys are wine connoisseurs and nothing screams more “YOU” than a wedding at a vineyard!! Despite all the questions, the main thing is, REMEMBER TO BE YOU!
Questions to ask yourself
And in all honesty, like how you decide your wedding location, it’s the same reasoning and direction you take on finding the right photographer! Ask yourself question like these:
- “Moody, vintage, light and airy or true-to-color, which type of style is appealing to me?”
- “Is the photographer within my budget. And if they are not, would I be willing to invest in them – despite the need for rearranging the finances for the wedding”?
- “Do I see myself in the photos that the photographer has posted in their portfolio?”
- “Do I see myself being friends with the person who will be with me ALL DAY LONG?”<
- “Do I want these photos plastered all over my walls?”
- “Is this the feel of the photography the type that I want to see in my wedding photos?”
- “Did the photographer capture the joy and emotions of the bride and groom?”
- “Did the photographer capture the essence of the day?”
- “Did the photographer capture the personality of the bride and groom?”
- “Do I see a cohesive collection of photos – from start to finish?”
Check to style, esthetics and color – what to do next?
For me, word of mouth is definitely one of the first things I turn to for many things. This is also the method that you can use in finding the right photographer. Start by word of mouth! Especially if a friend of yours had an incredible experience with their photographer – and their photographer happened to also match your style – not to mention you love their photos – why not them for their photographer’s info? You friend’s already done the leg work -not to mention all the research – why not add their photographer to your list?
Or… do it the modern and technological way and look up photographers in your area through Facebook, Instagram, Wedding Wire or theKnot!!! Then dwindle the list down – based on budget, location, mood and style of photography. Also, be sure to ask for an album viewing! This way you can see a whole event in one place and presented in the best way a photographer can! You can also see whether or not the overall look and style suits you!
When you finally have that “ideal photographers” list, submit an inquiry and with your top 5 choices. And if everything aligns – cost and availability – meet up with your photographer in person – via SKYPE or even in person for a cup of coffee or something! Or.. if something tells you that you know who you want and you’ve found “THE ONE”… BOOK THEM QUICK!
What to expect after booking…
When all is done – contract signing and etc – what comes next may differ from photographer to photographer, but here’s an example of what our process looks like – from start to finish – or booking to receiving your gallery (and maybe even an album). And through all the process, you can be sure we are right there with you!
To ask about our services and availability, you simply have to submit our contact form down below. We prefer the contact form on our webpage because it contains all the questions we would like to know to see if you are the right fit for us as well!
INQUIRY
I would love to meet up with you in person for a cup of coffee… or a cocktail…. to get to know you and to hear your vision firsthand! An album viewing is usually included!
MEETUP
If we are the perfect fit, let’s sign the contract & book the wedding! We require a non-refundable retainer at the time of signing to make sure the date is reserved just for you!!
BOOKING
2 hour, 2 outfit & 2 location complimentary engagement session! Styling consultation is included!! We want you to look and feel your best during the engagement photos!
ENGAGEMENT SESSION
With the engagement session done! We talk about locations, lighting and will begin discussing and laying out all that is included on a wedding day!
PLANNING & PREP
Wedding Details to Sunset Portraits
we will spend so much time together with you on your wedding day. And because a lot of the day revolves around how good the lighting is, a schedule geared towards the best time of the day for photos is what we are looking for! But no worries, we also take into account the needs from the other venues!
FINALIZING SCHEDULE
We will see you a little before your makeup and hair is done!! Our main goal is to capture the essence of the wedding – every single minute detail! We will walk with you every step of the way! We are your secondary wedding coordinator that makes sure everything goes smoothly and that you will not have a worry at all!
THE WEDDING DAY
Your gallery will be done anywhere from 2-4 months – I usually overestimate and deliver earlier! The gallery will contain – depending on how many hours I was needed – anywhere from 500-1000+ photos – with every detail captured for you to be like “wow, I forgot that was part of our planning” or “I can relive the joy of my wedding day over and over again!”
EDITING OF WEDDING DAY GALLERY
Looking to fill your walls or even to make a beautiful perfect coffee table album for you to share with your friends and to look through anytime? We personally curate and design an album for you – making each album completely unique!
ALBUMS AND PRINTS?
We hope that our relationship with our clients don’t just stop at a wedding! With all the time we’ll be spending with you during your wedding planning, we hope that we’ll be able to walk with you through every other stage of life!
TO INFINITY TO BEYOND?
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It’s not an easy task…
Finding the right photographer is not an easy task. But, think of it this way. Hopefully, when you do finally find that photographer you love, you’ll have someone you can always fall back on to preserve your memories and walk with you through all the milestones in life! 🙂 For me, that’s the thing I love most about photography – the relationships you build – a relationship built from a wedding, then to pregnancies and finally to children & family portraits! SO MUCH FUN!
