What Does The Wedding Photography Process Look Like From Start To Finish?

Wedding photography planning can be a complicated and confusing task. With everyone you know telling you how you should do what, and when and where everything should happen, it can be quite overwhelming. Often, this results in couples thinking that they have no idea how their wedding day is supposed to unfold. But I for one believe that your wedding day should go exactly how you want it to go.

For this reason, I aim to be very flexible with my couples. And below I have shared a detailed outline of what my wedding photography process looks like.

What happens before booking?

Your first step is to contact me. To get things started, you can tap here to contact me. When you contact me, you’ll share a little bit about who you are, when and where you’re tying the knot, and a hint at what you’re planning.

You will have the opportunity to book a Zoom meeting with me. This first meeting is an integral part of my process. As I like to say, if you don’t love your photographer, you’re not going to like your photos. So in this first meeting, we’ll get to know each other a bit. You’ll be free to share more details about what you’re planning. I’ll ask you not only what you expect from your photographer, but how I can make your wedding day even better. With this information, I’ll build the perfect wedding collection just for you.

I do not have packages. I know that no two couples are alike and with that, no two weddings should be alike. So each of my couples receives a collection specifically tailored to their plans–just like your dress or suit.

Questions I’ll Ask

1. What are your priorities for your wedding?
2. What are your priorities for your photos?
3. How do you plan to display and share your photos?
4. What are you most concerned about when it comes to having your photo taken?
5. How can I make this experience more comfortable and fun for you?

Once we’ve settled on your collection, the final step to reserve your date is to complete your contract and retainer. Both of these things can be completed online through your own secure portal.

What happens between booking and the wedding?

The planning process can be a bit confusing for some couples. Most couples book me 12-18 months prior to their wedding. As you can imagine, a lot can change in this amount of time. So I make an effort to be available to my clients as much as needed while giving you the space to make the creative decisions that will make your wedding uniquely you. What does this look like?

I create WhatsApp group chats with both of you so that you can easily reach out whenever you need.

I will request contact information for your vendors. With this information, I will connect with them and introduce myself. This will allow us to work well together and allow your other vendors to focus on what they do best rather than scrambling to get photos of their work for later.

I will ask for contact information for your immediate family and wedding party. I will reach out to them to introduce myself and ask what concerns they have about being in front of the camera. This will give them the freedom to express their concerns and comfort level. And when I walk through the door at the wedding, they will already know who I am. I will also share your engagement photos and wedding gallery with them so that you don’t have to worry about it.

I will make sure that I have all of the appropriate emergency contact information for the big day.

You may also have as many meetings with me as you need. If you need extra guidance in making your wedding day flow in the way that you want, I will help make that happen.

When you feel you need to make changes to your wedding collection, I will help you do so. If you need to add additional hours or change the start and finish time, you can do so anytime–no sweat.

What happens at the wedding?

At the wedding, I will have everything I need! I keep a copy of your itinerary, your photo list, and all necessary contact information for you, your family, and your vendors. With that in mind, I’ll be able to keep you on track with timing while making sure that you have enough time to eat, drink, pee, and take a breath between events. I like to move quickly while remaining laid back so that you have the time to enjoy your wedding and get to hang out with your guests.

I will be early for all of the key moments of the day, and there are a couple of other times through the day when I’ll give you a little bit of time to yourselves. My process includes giving my couples 20-30 minutes of quiet time before the ceremony. During this time, I’ll photograph your guests arriving for your ceremony and you’ll get to collect yourself before saying your I Do’s. Again, I’ll give you 20-30 minutes before your reception to spend some time together and with your guests while I photograph some decor and details and take a moment for a pit-stop myself.

Finally, I am comfortable being flexible throughout your wedding day. When the unexpected happens, I am quick on my feet and can guide you through making small adjustments to your timeline to make your wedding day more effective and enjoyable in a way that no one but us will ever notice. I will also check in with you before I wrap up for the day and leave. Together, we will make sure that you have all of the photos you want and that all of the most important parts of the day have been covered. If you decide that we haven’t had a chance to get every moment you’re looking for, I am happy to stay longer.

What happens after the wedding?

I’ll provide you with some highlights just a day or two after your wedding day. This will include a small selection of photos from each part of your celebration so that you, your guests, and everyone who couldn’t make it can continue to enjoy the high of your happy day. You can download and share these photos. I’ll also prompt you to design and order your thank you cards before anyone has a chance to start bugging you about it.

You’ll receive your full gallery within 30 days. Once you have your full gallery, it’s time to start designing your album! I will ask you to choose 20-30 of your top picks for your album while I lay out the story of your day. When you receive your first draft, you’ll be able to request changes, swaps, and additions.

Your gallery will be open to all your guests and I will make a point of sharing it with them so that you don’t need to worry about it.

Your gallery will be available for about 1 year. You can download all of your photos in that time, order prints, and share with your family and friends. And I will be ready to help you with anything that you need!

I hope that this helps give you an idea of what it will look like to plan your wedding photography. And if you would like to know more, tap right here to contact me.

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