How To Choose Your Wedding Photographer – Part 3
What is included in a wedding photography package?
I realise that just like no two couples are the same, no two weddings are the same either. That’s why I don’t have set packages, I much prefer to tailor my packages to suit your plans and your budget.
I include everything you’ll need with photography and then offer a few optional extras. So you’ll receive:
All images final images. You’ll receive every image that meets my high standards. Each image will be edited and free from logos or watermarks.
Online Gallery with High-Resolution Images. All images are supplied via an online gallery. You can download print quality or web quality images. There are two log-in options. One for you, and one for your guests. Your login has additional privacy controls allowing you to hide images from people who have the guest login. If you choose to give your guests the download PIN, they’ll be able to download images too.
Professional back-up. I also offer a professional back up and (if the worst should happen) a free disaster recovery service. It’s your responsibility to keep your images safe, but I also see it as my professional responsibility.
Instant Prints. I’ll bring along my Polaroid Originals camera and take a few photos from key points throughout your day (generally between 3 – 5).
With everything above, you’ll have full access to high resolution, print quality, fully edited images for you to enjoy for the rest of your life – which is all you really need.
How much coverage do you need?
I’m almost always going to say all of it! For me, it’s all about the story of your day and why would you only want to tell half a story? The vast majority of couples I photograph book me for their full day and I’ll explain why I think they’re making the right choice!
Why have getting ready photos?
My whole approach to wedding photography is about telling the story of your day, and your story starts in the morning. The morning photos aren’t about you in your P.J’s with no makeup on. Or standing around in your pants trying to figure out how to work a tie. The morning photos are about the moments that happen while you’re getting ready. They’re about the emotion and the atmosphere, the nerves and excitement. When your best mate gives you a reassuring hug or breaks the tension with a stupid joke. These are the moments I’m there for – the ones that carry weight and hold meaning.
Almost everyone who books me wants natural relaxed photos. If you haven’t worked it out already, that’s kind of my signature style. I use the morning to build relationships. It’s a really good time for you and your wedding party to get used to having me around. Because it can be a little awkward having a random stranger pointing a camera at you, but I promise you after an hour or so it’ll feel like I’m just part of the furniture and you’ll be perfectly relaxed around me. Which makes my job of getting natural, relaxed photos so much easier too. 😉 And trust me, it’s much better I arrive earlier in the morning when things are quiet and you have plenty of time, rather than… Well, when things aren’t so quiet and you don’t have so much time! Plus, I’ve been to a few weddings now and can offer a surprising amount of advice on subjects I never thought I’d know about 😳
A few people tell me that they don’t want people to see them without make-up on. Which I totally get. So, when you receive your online gallery, there are two logins. One for you and your partner and one for you to share with your guests. Your login allows you to hide photos from people who have the guest login. If you don’t like a photo for any reason you can simply make it private. Also, I rarely share images of the morning and I’m not going to be up in your face at 8am doing close-ups! So you really don’t need to worry about that 😉
It’s all about the story of your day. The morning sets the scene. Special moments, building relationships and helpful advice. Starting early gives everyone plenty of time to settle in and relax. It’s about more than just taking photos.
Ultimately, it all comes down to personal preference. All photographers work in different ways and I know plenty who start their day an hour or two before the ceremony… There is no right or wrong.
These photos were taken more than two hours before the ceremony though.
How Late does a Wedding Photographer Stay?
Most wedding photographers go home just after the first dance. Some might stay for a few songs, others might stay for half an hour or so. Very few stay until the end, which to me, is really odd. It’s like leaving the cinema three-quarters the way through a film – who does that?!
The last song is always the best! It’s the one the band have been saving all night, it’s when everyone is drunk and on the dancefloor – it’s the finale of your whole day!
Also, it’s the bit you’re least likely to remember, so if anything it’s actually the most important time for me to be there 😂
“Our favourite part of our day was looking around and realising that we had been dancing for so long that we didn’t see a lot of people leave. We had our shoes off and were dancing with a small group of people”
– Jade & Karla
Plus most people need a little more time to have a drink and get into the mood before they start bustin’ out the shapes. So the dancefloor doesn’t tend to get busy until maybe half 9 – 10ish. All of these photos were taken after 22:30
This is Why I Stay Until The End
Do You need a Second Photographer?
A second photographer is ideal if you’d like both morning preparation locations documented or for particularly large / complex weddings.
I generally work alone. But do have a network of photographers who I recruit from when required. Everyone I use is a professional wedding photographer who regularly photograph weddings (in a similar no-pose style to mine) on their own. They’ll also be booked around 3 – 4 months in advance.
If you’re considering adding a second photographer on to your package, I would ask if your photographer if you can choose your second from a list they supply. This ensures that you have some say over who you are getting and can make sure it’s not someone new to the industry, booked with just a few weeks notice.
Do You Need An Engagement Or Couple Shoot?
I see a lot of blogs recommending couple have engagement / couple shoots before the wedding. They often say if you’re nervous it’s a great way to used to the camera.
Which is great advice if you’re going for a more posed style of wedding photography. If you are, then it’s a great way to have a practice run and build up a relationship with your photographer.
If however, you’re going down the documentary route, there are plenty of reasons to have a couples shoot, but being camera shy is not one of them. If anything it’ll make it worse.
On your wedding day, you’ll have so many emotions flying around, plus the hustle and bustle of getting ready, that assuming you book me or any other decent documentary wedding photographer, you’ll barely notice the camera. But if there’s just the three of us going for a walk, all of a sudden the camera becomes very obvious.
I do offer unposed portrait sessions (and give discounts for wedding couples too) so if you’d like some natural photographs of you together, the idea is definitely worth exploring. They can also make great invites / save the dates too. For example, check out these photo save the dates from Hawthorne & Ivy
