On August 18th, Nicole and Robert said "I do" on the sandy beaches of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. The ceremony consisted of Nicole, Robert and thirty (give or take) of their closest friends and family. The aisle was lined with conch shells and florals that lead up to the beautiful crystal blue beach backdrop.
I tend to get a lot of recurring questions during my consultation meetings with future clients. So, I've decided to make a list of all of those questions so that you can be prepared when you get to that first meeting.
1. What do you love most about weddings?
Finding the right photographer to photograph your wedding isn't just about the right price and style of the photos. It's so much more than that! When you ask this question, your photographer should be gleaming with excitement to talk about all of their favorite wedding adventures and what they look forward to the most. For me, I look forward to photographing all of the unique details that make each wedding special. From custom party favors to heirloom wedding rings and dresses, the details never cease to amaze me.
2. Do you offer engagement photography?
Wedding and engagement photos go hand in hand so it's only natural that your wedding photographer offers engagement photography to their clients. I offer a complimentary engagement session with every wedding package. I believe that this is a great way to get to know my couples as well as give them a sneak peek for what's to come. This is also a great way to make sure that your wedding photographer is the right fit for you.
3. How would you describe your style and can I see a full wedding from start to finish?
Most photographers will describe their style in a few words like: timeless, light & airy, film or even moody. I personally believe that every wedding is unique and should be photographed as such.
4. What are your package options?
Hopefully this one is a no brainer! A potential wedding photographer should be ready to bust out a packet, pdf or something to show you their package options. Packages are there to show you what couples have ordered in the past for their wedding and engagement photography. The best thing about choosing a wedding package verses just paying hourly that wedding packages are built to give you the most for your money. Some package may include fine art albums, parent books, wall mounts, canvases or even digitals.
5. Do you offer a second shooter or an assistant as a part of your package(s)?
Depending on how large your wedding party is, how many guest you'll be having or if there'll be a lot to cover, you may need a second shooter to cover your wedding. There are some photographers who prefer to work alone so you should verify the specifics of your day to be sure that they'll be comfortable covering the event alone.
6. Will you be photographing my wedding?
To some this may seem like a silly question to ask but it is a very important question to ask. There are a lot of photography companies out there who may be a husband and wife team or have multiple photographers that work for an individual company. For these reasons, be sure to ask who will be photographing your wedding on the day of.
7. Have you photographed at my venue before?
This is a great question to ask although it shouldn't be a deal breaker if your photographer hasn't photographed a wedding at your venue before. There are a million and one different venues out there so it's impossible for your photographer to have photographed at every venue. Instead you should look for consistent quality across all of their work.
8. When can I expect to get my images? Do you provide sneak peeks?
Turn around time can vary from two weeks to three months depending on how many weddings came before yours and how much time your photographer needs to edit your photos. Most brides want their photos the next day and I don't blame them but in reality that's not possible so photographers include sneak peeks in their packages to give couples a chance to view some of the best moments from their day while they wait for the photos to be finished.
9. Will I be able to purchase prints or albums?
Being that we're in the digital age, most people just want to share their photos on social media. Some photographers have worked it into their packages where they provide their clients with web resolution digitals but not prints. If your photographer offers prints, be sure to ask if they do in house printing or if they outsource their printing to a print house. Ask your photographer to provide samples of the different prints that they offer.
Last year, I had the opportunity to work with Shimika, Lance and their super cute dog Toby for their fall family pictures. The first thing we discussed was choosing the right location. They had mentioned the year before that they took their pictures in their neighborhood, but they wanted a location that was special to them and would show off the beautiful colors of fall. The one activity that Shimika and Lance love to do together is jogging through the park near their house with Toby. The park featured the Chatahoochee River, bridges and jogging trails that stretched for miles.
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Read MoreI would like to say a huge thank you to all of the contributing vendors for making this styled wedding shoot such a success. Without you all, none of this would have been possible. I've heard many "horror" stories about other photographers first styled shoots but this was not one of those. I had an amazing team of vendors for my first time out. I can't wait for my next styled shoot!
The urban botanical wedding was inspired by the city chic that loves greenery. The Peachtree Club offers a unique backdrop. The natural and earthy tones of gold and green popped against the city skyline while the white and black gave it that classic and urban feel. The goal was to bring an earthy feel to the urban city. Check out these favorites from the shoot. The view the rest of the gallery, click here.
Published on Borrowed and Blue
