Wedding Photo FAQ
What is the #1 things I should do at my wedding to help me have a stress free day?
Without a doubt, the #1 thing you can and should do is hire a day of coordinator (assuming the venue isn’t providing you one). I’ve been doing this since 1999 and 100% of the time, weddings that have a day of coordinator go smoothly with minimal to no hiccups. However all the weddings I’ve done that did not have a day of coordinator have run late and had many problems. Plus the bride and groom were very stressed out. So please, consider having a coordinator to help run the show, get all the people in the right place, and make sure the details are handled!
The images on your website are stunning - bold and cinematic. Do you take "regular" wedding photos?
Yes! I take regular wedding photos. The images showcased online are the reason my couples hire me - for this unique story telling vision. However, rest assured I do take regular photos during the day. My goal is to give you a few amazing shots like you see on my site, but then also provide you with hundreds of "regular" images that document your day. For the regular images, I do not use filters or do toning to your wedding images. These trends change every 3-4 years and I do not want to "date" your photos in any way to any fad that may be going on. Examples of toning/filters would be: everything has a brown or green tint. I do my best to provide you with true to life color and exposure as it was on the day for the best accuracy in your wedding images. (When we meet and you see the albums, you will clearly see what I mean) Q: On my wedding day, how intrusive are you?
On my wedding day, how intrusive are you?
Not intrusive at all. Now, I will be honest, things will probably be a little weird at first (why an engagement session is great to do before your wedding, so you get use to having a camera on you at all times) but after a couple hours, everyone gets use to the photo and video team doing their thing. For both photo and video, my style is often called "documentary", which means that I sit back and capture things naturally as they happen 90% of the time. The other 10% of the time will be when I set up specific story telling shots that fit my vision for your day. I find clients love the fact that I let the day unfold naturally while capturing amazing moments for you.
Is it really only two weeks to see my wedding images?
Yes! Modern technology is a great thing along with using the latest and greatest computers and methods, I am able to have your images ready for you to come see two weeks after our shoot 99% of the time. (No professional photographer should take more than a few weeks to deliver your images. If they do, yikes!) Of course our schedules have to line up and it may be 3 or 4 weeks post-shoot before we get together.
How many images will I get from my wedding?
My goal is to deliver 600-800 finished images per wedding. Depending on the amount of coverage you have selected combined with the events you have scheduled at the wedding, it is not uncommon to shoot 2000-3000 images during the day. I cull them down and only edit the best ones from the day, and those are the ones you will have to select from for your wall art and your album.
Can you tell me about the album design process?
This is the most exciting part! After your wedding, I will get you started by doing a basic album layout with what I believe are the best images from the day. From there, you can provide input on what you'd like to see in the book and I will make the changes. We'll do 2 rounds of modifications and then go to print. (Note, you will make an initial cover material selection (leather, acrylic, metal etc) and layout at booking and then have a final chance to modify it before print)
How long do family photos take?
I run things pretty different than most people on the photo side for this. On average, family photos take me 15 minutes tops. I rely heavily on a dedicated family member from each side to wrangle the family immediately after the ceremony. I cover out to great grandparents for the formal family session. Aunts, Uncles, Cousins etc are usually not included as part of this session. This lowers the stress for everyone on the day because I've seen these sessions take 45 minutes or more. It gets you in to the reception quicker for mingling and eating.
Wedding Video FAQ
Why is the wedding video only like 3-8 minutes long when you're there all day?
Consider - when Hollywood makes a movie, they film all over the place for 1 year and produce a 90 minute film. I've got less than a day to set everything up, scout the location, shoot all the footage, and get the audio to tell the story of the day. My goal is to recap the day in the most amazing way possible given whatever the conditions are that day. Based on all the work I've done in the past (over 20 years and hundreds of weddings), 3-8 minutes is how much impactful footage is created and captured during an 8-10 hour wedding day from a storytelling viewpoint.
I hired a "natural light" photographer and they asked if the video team will bring lights.
I have found this to be a very common question in recent years. Yes, if we are doing the video, we always bring lights for the reception. Without video lights, many times photographers have nightmares at receptions because due to low light, their cameras will not be able to focus. Our video lights are used during key moments only ( first dances, cake cutting, and speeches). We find photographers love us for this.
Can I choose my own music? (or use xyz song from the radio?)
Due to licensing restrictions, “popular” music (i.e. what you hear on your favorite radio stations) is not able to be used in wedding videos. My goal is to choose music that fits the visuals, your personality, and the narrative of the day.
General FAQ
Can you do both photo and video at my wedding?
Unfortunately No. In 2016 due to client demand, I began offering both services for those who wanted to simplify their wedding planning by having a single point of contact and have consistency in the final products. Over time, I realized that while the quality of my deliverables was still very high and clients were over the moon with what I gave them, things were not being done to my highest standard possible. So, in 2022 forward, I am no longer offering both at the same time.
How do you run the ceremony? Is there a lot of walking around and getting on stage?
No! My team and I will do everything in our power to not be noticeable during the ceremony. We do not walk around, go down front, or stay down front near the stage after the processional. For video - immediately following the processional, we will do quick camera checks for framing as best possible and then after that, we are pretty much stationary at manned cameras until you guys exit. For photo - we always stay at the very back centered in the aisle. No member of any imaging team should be walking around during the ceremony and coming up the aisle to the front. It's very distracting and super unprofessional.
When does your team take a break?
We normally try to get in line and grab a bite to eat and drink between the first dances and the cake cutting. There are usually 30-45 minutes where you are meeting and greeting your guests and we take that opportunity to rest for a minute and eat. For plated and buffet dinners, it is a welcome courtesy if there is a small table reserved for the imaging team (along with band/dj) in a corner near the reception area (preferably the main room) so we can be ready at a moments notice should something occur that needs covering. It also provides us a place to stage our gear, charge batteries, and transfer/backup footage to our computers etc
My exit isn't until 10:30PM but you're leaving at 9:00. What should I do?
This happens a lot and there are 2 things I do. (1) 80% of the time, we will stage a fake exit where I coordinate with the DJ/Band and photographer to make the announcement and do it at 9:00PM. This is advantageous for many reasons such as the majority of your guests are still there so it looks better in photos and the video and also if you have alcohol, hopefully folks are still cognizant as to what is happening. Plus we will be done with coverage and you can go back to partying with all the guests without having cameras all around! We find that folks actually enjoy that. (2) 20% of the time, I simply don't cover it. In terms of telling the story of the day, it is one of the least important parts of the day in terms of footage I need. Sure it's great to have, but not necessary for the film.
What should I cut in my budget so I can get the best imaging coverage possible?
I know it's hard when planning your day to figure everything out. I have had many discussions with couples and their parents on budgets and planning. In the end, they have realized that the photos and videos (no matter who you get to do them!) will be all that's left from the wedding day. I have personally had clients cut down on flowers, entertainment, food, and personalized decor (napkins, candy etc) in order to increase their photo and video budget. All these items are important of course to making your day - your day, but making small changes in multiple categories vs. axing something altogether can often free up enough money to get you where you want to be on the photo and video side.
Do you have any tips or advice for me?
Yes! Relax and don't stress out on the big day. Know upfront that there will be hiccups no matter how much planning is involved. The three most common things that I have witnessed are (1) The schedule runs late. (2) Items are broken or missing. (3) Heavy rain at outdoor ceremonies. In 20 years and nearly 1000 weddings now, I've never seen one where everything went as planned. The brides who have the best day are the ones who have prepared for this and roll with whatever happens while enjoying the company of family and friends. In the end, you're marrying the love of your life and starting a new future together. That's the most important thing!