HOW DO WE CHOOSE A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER?

While a lot of people are thinking about their budget, I highly encourage people to get to know their photographer and their photographer's portfolio. Ask questions - your potential photographer should make you feel at ease and be able to answer any question without hesitation. If you are relaxed and at ease with your photographer, your wedding is going to be much more fun and produce better end results. If your photographer causes you to feel tense or is disconnected from you as a person, it is going to show in your photos and you aren't going to have good memories attached to the images. The best way to make sure you really connect with your potential wedding photographer is to book an engagement session. Even if you have already sent out the Save-the-Date cards, or had an engagement session done previously - the time that you spend with your potential wedding photographer is where you really get to know each other and you get a feel for how they pose you. This will make your wedding day that much easier because you already know some of the prompts that your photographer will ask you to do.

WHAT ARE YOUR PRICES?

CONTACT ME for a full list of packages available, or to customize one to fit your needs. Elopements starting at $599 and Weddings starting at $1,699.

WHY SHOULD WE SCHEDULE AN ENGAGEMENT SESSION WITH YOU?

Check out my blog post for 7 reasons why you should schedule an engagement session with your wedding photographer as well as other frequently asked questions about engagement sessions.
 

DO I NEED TO GIVE YOU A SHOT LIST OR A PINTEREST LIST OF PHOTOS THAT I WANT TO BE TAKEN?

 Your wedding photographer should have enough experience to know which traditional wedding shots to get. What we do need to know is if there are any special events, people, or items that we might not know to photograph offhand. When it comes to romantic couple photos - I encourage using the internet to collect inspiration or even figure out a couple of shots that you really want to get. I do not suggest having an entire "Pinterest list" of shots that you want your photographer to recreate. Why?

• You should hire your photographer because you like THEIR work, and you trust them to do what they are good at. Your photographer has spent years crafting their skills. Trust your photographer.

•  Trying to recreate a photo can be difficult on so many levels and can eat up all the time that you've booked with your photographer. Many of the photos that you see online are from stylized shoots. They had enough time to set up professional lighting and craft the shot. Your wedding photographer will be thinking on their feet and using the location and the lighting that they are given to create the most beautiful portraits for you. Trust their vision. 

• Most photographers want to tell YOUR story, they want to connect with you organically, they want to capture you. Copying someone else's pose is like trying to fit you into a mold. Your photographer will know the best poses for your body types. Pick one or two that you really want to try, or that really speak to you and send those to your photographer. 

• The most important list is a list of family names IN the groupings that you want to be taken (see below for more info).

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HOW DO I WRITE THE FAMILY LIST FOR PORTRAITS?

Family photos after the ceremony will take up the most time on your wedding day. Creating a list beforehand will help family portraits go faster and smoother. I recommend starting with the largest group and then removing people. Write out each person's first name so that we can call out each name and have them come into or out of the photo. If you start with the largest groups that include grandparents, and any small children they may be released to cocktail hour soonest.

DO YOU HAVE A LIST OF PREFERRED VENDORS?

I highly suggest hiring a wedding planner for your event. They have an amazing arsenal of vendors that they know and love working with, and sometimes they can even get you a good deal if you book through them. I have a small list of companies that I've worked with and enjoy their work. If you are getting married in West Volusia, you can always take a look at the resources on Visit West Volusia. If you are searching for a venue, check out this awesome resource: WeddingVenueMap.com

WHY HAVE A FIRST LOOK BEFORE THE CEREMONY?

More and more people are doing a first look with their partner before the ceremony. This is especially good in the winter months when the light fades fast and we are rushing to get all of your photos taken before the sun goes down. After talking to many couples who have chosen to have a first look, the general reply is that it doesn't take away from the feelings they got when they first saw each other down the aisle. Having a first look is a great way to calm any pre-ceremony jitters, and have a few moments away from all the commotion of the day to really see and talk to each other It's a great way to get a larger selection of romantic portraits of just the two of you. If you like this idea, but still want to keep the tradition of not seeing each other before the ceremony, we have also arranged photos where you can still talk to each other, hold hands, or exchange letters without seeing each other. These make great photos and lasting memories.

HAVE YOU SHOT AT MY VENUE BEFORE?

A professional photographer will make sure to arrive early and scout locations, as well as do research about a new venue if they haven't shot there before. While it is nice to already be familiar with a venue, it is also an adventure to go somewhere new! I've been in the wedding industry for over 15 years, and I've worked at so many venues, I can't even remember all the names, but I've tried. If you'd like to see if your venue is one that I've worked at before - check out my Location List.

To get a better look at this timeline - please fill out the "Contact Us" page so that we can e-mail you a copy of our wedding brochure. 

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?