What to expect
The Process
Are we a good match?
Let's hop on a call and find out!Let's meet!
We can meet in-person to talk about your creative vision.The Engagement Session!
This casual shoot is a great ice-breaker that focuses on you two in your element.Pre-Wedding Check-In
Let's reconnect 4-8 weeks before your big day to develop your timeline and solidify the details.YOUR WEDDING!
The day is here! My team & I arrive to document every moment.Photo Reveal
Come to the studio, enjoy a glass of bubbly, and relive your wedding day through a stunning presentation.
The Details
1. Are We a Good Match?
Why is photography important to you? This initial phone call is really an opportunity for you to articulate your vision for your wedding and discuss some basic scheduling options. We'll also talk about what makes you, as a couple, unique, and how that will translate into your wedding day. Details for your event, such as location, timing, and special moments you have planned will also come into play. All of this information will help us determine whether or not I'm the right photographer for your event. If you decide that you'd like to work with me, I'll follow up our call with an email outlining the various collections I can offer, along with pricing. From there, we'll set up an in-person consultation to work out more of the details.
2. Let's meet!
Ideally, this is the time where we meet in-person to make sure that I'm the right fit for documenting your wedding and that we're all on the same page. I want to know everything you've planned so far, really dive into your timeline, and discuss how we can make your vision a reality. This is also a great opportunity to ask general planning questions and put my years of experience working in the wedding industry to good use. Then we'll discuss the collections I offer, as well as my process for documenting your wedding from start to finish. I want you to get a feel for what collaborating with me will be like, that way there are no surprises.
3. The Engagement Photo shoot
Think about places that have meaning for you as a couple. Are there any locations or activities you love, such as walking your dog in your neighborhood or grabbing tacos on the lakefront? During your Engagement Session, I'd like to photography you two in your element, being yourself, and having fun. Nothing too staged. (I like to create interactions and capture moments, not poses.)
Once we've wrapped the photo shoot, you can expect your images within four weeks. I'll create an online gallery for immediate access and provide you with up to five high-res images for invitations, save the dates, and other print materials. And after the wedding, you'll receive a USB drive will all of your photography from both the wedding and engagement sessions.
FAQS On Engagements
Q: We don't take great photos together. Can you help us?
A: Yes! I can definitely help. While I do have some general posing advice, I don't like to pose in the traditional sense of the term. Instead, I prefer to create interactions. We will, of course, create some images where the two of you are looking at the camera, but for the most part, I'd like the two of you to interact with each other, and let your natural chemistry and personalities show in the photos.
Q: What if it rains?
A: Since there can be some flexibility with your engagement photo shoot, we can reschedule if the weather gets ugly. That said, fun story: During a session last fall, the weather was very iffy. It seemed like it could rain at any moment. It held off for most of our shoot near the River Walk downtown. Then, while shooting underneath the Clark Street Bridge, it started to come down. We weren't able to get back to the limo bus without the couple clearly getting wet. Knowing the weather was going to be questionable, I brought several white golf umbrellas that day. I sent my assistant back to retrieve two for the couple. Not only were they able to get back to the bus, but the couple holding the umbrellas made for some outstanding images. Bottom line: happy accidents can make for some of the best photographs, and we'll be prepared for anything Mother Nature throws at us.
Q: Can you hook us up with someone for hair & makeup?
A: Absolutely. There are a number of trusted artists in my network who can be made available for your photo shoot, if requested in advance. If you've already found a professional, the Engagement Photo Shoot is a great opportunity to do a test run with your stylist.
4. The Pre-Wedding Check-In
Four to six weeks before your wedding day, I'd like to reconnect with you, either on the phone or in-person at your venue. If you're doing a walk-thru with your wedding planner or caterer, I can join you on that day as well. You should have the majority of your planning done by this point, so during this check-in, we'll lock down the schedule and all of the finer details. We can also discuss small adjustments, locations, and a basic "shot list," such as creative bridal party photos, family portraits, and anything deeply personal that you'd like me to document (e.g., a family heirloom that will be pinned on your wedding dress or a special item hidden in your bouquet). The goal here is to ensure that everything that's important for me to document is discussed and planned, so that your actual wedding day goes by as smoothly as possible and you're left with the photography you envisioned.
5. The day of the wedding
As for the day of the wedding, I'll arrive 20 to 30 minutes ahead of our established start time for setup with my team, which includes a second photographer and a lighting assistant. During this time, you can focus on enjoying your wedding while we follow your plan.
FAQS ON Weddings
Q: Are your second photographers people you regularly work with?
A: Yes, they are photographers I've developed a working relationship with. They are artists and professionals I trust, whose style blends well with my own.
Q: Who is the lighting assistant?
A: The lighting assistant is not a photographer, but is there to aid in logistics. They help carry my camera gear and light scenes when necessary. They're also another set of hands on the wedding day to help with bride with her dress, wrangle family/bridal party members, ect.
Q: What happens if you get sick or injured?
A: Throughout my career, I've only missed one wedding, and that was because of an unexpected, emergency surgery. Once I knew that I was unable to shoot the wedding, I reached out to the bride, as well as my network of photographers to find a replacement. In this case, I showed the photographer's work to the client and they approved. Everything worked out perfectly. But the reason I tell this story is to illustrate that if I'm going to miss your wedding, it will be due to something like surgery. If I have a mild cold, I'll take the necessary medication and be there. In certain dire situations, or a worst-case scenario, the second photographer can step into the lead photographer's role. That said, I would still prefer to find a replacement photographer from my network if I am unable to attend.
6. The Photo Reveal
Four to eight weeks after your wedding, your photographs will be ready to view. This gives me time to complete some light touch ups, color correcting, and editing to really make your images pop, as well as create a custom online gallery that you can share with family, friends, and guests. (I'll be sure to send you a few sneak peaks in the meantime.) Once your photos are ready, I'll be in touch to schedule your photo reveal at my studio. This is an opportunity for us to reconnect and view the images in an immersive experience. (Refreshments will be provided.) Then we can discuss the next steps for ordering prints, creating an album, and determining if large format canvas prints are right for you. I'll also have physical samples available so that you can get an idea of what each size print will look like, as well as a custom pre-design for your wedding album based on my professional recommendations. And, finally, you'll receive a USB drive filled with all of your images, including those from your Engagement Photo Shoot, so that you can share at will.
FAQS on Photo Reveals
Q: How does the online gallery work?
A: The online gallery is mobile-friendly and designed to be shared with family and friends so that they can view your wedding photography and order prints if they wish.
Q: How do we go about creating an album?
A: Easy. I design one for you! This will basically be the album that I would design from your images for myself as your photographer, and it will be available for you to preview during your Photo Reveal. That said, if you'd like to go in a different direction, I have instructions available on how to communicate those design changes so that the album can better tell the story as you envision it.
Q: Are we required to attend this reveal?
A: This is purely optional; but in my experience, couples prefer to see their photographs for the first time in this setting for a number of reasons. First, it gives you an opportunity to relive your wedding day - just the two of you. Second, it's an opportunity to see your photos in an immersive experience, rather than just online. And, finally, it's a great chance to see my wedding album samples again and preview the wedding album design that I've created based on your images. However, I do understand if you're unable to attend the reveal and will be happy to share the online gallery with you via email instead.