Intro
"No two weddings are alike"
This means that the grand portion of wedding planning and correspondence with couples involves questions about how their wedding day will be laid out and how everything will come together in terms of photography.
I will shed some light on the details of what you can expect from me personally and what I expect from you.
Choosing a photographer you trust
Keep in mind that with a full wedding project, you may be working with your photographer for over a year from the engagement session to the wedding day. The relationship you build with your photographer over that time comes full circle when the photographer has the freedom and insight to capture the emotional moments. If you feel uncomfortable around your photographer you will be less likely to show a true representation of your day in moments that have potential for amazing photos.
Second Photographer
The second photographer works under the supervision of the lead photographer.I always recommend having a second shooter if it can be afforded. Second shooters provide secondary coverage of the day and provide primary coverage in the event that the two wedding parties are in separate locations. This can be very crucial in the scheduling of the events of the day. If a second shooter is not hired and the couple expects a single photographer to provide full coverage, time will have to be allocated for the photographer to be at all locations. In other words a single photographer can't be in two places at the same time!
When will we get our photos?
The time for completion of your project depends on the time of your wedding (Peak or off-peak) However, on average you can be expected to receive your fully edited photos on a disc in 6 weeks approx. If you have an album, once you have selected which photos you would like in your album, (depending on how many design changes are involved) it can take approx 8-12 weeks to design, order and deliver your completed album.
Engagement and post wedding sessions are typically delivered no later than 2/3 weeks from the time of the sessions.
I typically like to get some image previews on my Facebook Page within a few days for the couples to share with friends and family, while the day is still fresh in everyones mind.
How many photos do we get?
The number of photos you receive from the shoots included in your package vary depending on the style and extent of sessions.
Post wedding and engagement shoots typically render 25-35 & 40-50 images, respectfully.
Weddings average 300-700 delivered images depending on the length of the wedding day and if a second shooter was hired. Typically, weddings with second shooters render more images than those where a second photographer isn't hired. During an 8-10 hour wedding day I take between 1,800 and 2,200 images. That number jumps to +3,000 with a second shooter. With more images to choose from when editing, the quantity of 'keeper' images is statistically higher and therefore your wedding would include more delivered images.
Every single photo that is delivered to you is fully edited. No image leaves my computer that hasn't been cropped, edited, color graded and exposed properly. Images can be delivered on USB flash drives or on a disc.
Family portraits
This is a very important aspect of the day. I suggest that you have a list of everyone you want a formal family photo with following the ceremony. The list should be broken down into groups and include specific names.
An unorganized family photo session can quickly become stressful for everyone involved. Family members need to be aware that they are being included in a family photo. If people start heading to the reception immediately following the ceremony, it can take a long time to track everyone back down for the photos.
The Reception
Reception festivities vary greatly, so the photographer should be clued in about any special events, games, speeches, dances etc.