Find out about wedding photography

Have a look at web sites, printed portfolios, meet photographers, chat to friends about their experiences, and decide who you think meets your requirements best.
Look at web sites, even if the photographer isn't available, because you still get ideas about style and quality, which you will use later to make value/price decisions. The quality and creative style of the pictures is a far better measure of value for money than purely the number of images. Next go through your short list and meet the photographers to see if you are comfortable with the person you are thinking of hiring.

Ask for quotes

Be aware that quotes normally reduce quality to numbers, so be sure to look behind the numbers too. Will the photographer plan your wedding with you? How long will they stay for any given package? What quality of image or print will be possible with the equipment and process they will be using? Do they carry backup equipment and have contingency plans?

Book that photographer!

Check on his or her availability for your date and time of day.
To book me, a booking retainer payment needs to be made to secure the date. See my booking arrangements page for details.
Usually the package is decided on prior to booking, for budgetary reasons. However, my packages are flexible, and you are always welcome to discuss changes or alternative options with me, even after booking.

Plan your wedding

Think through the timing of your events for that day well in advance, and have an action plan for people you will be depending on to make your day a success. Talk to the relevant parties and ask for their feedback on your plans.
I normally meet for half an hour with the bride and groom (to be) a couple of weeks before the wedding to fine tune the plan. In some cases this includes going to the venues together and reviewing the location options for photos.

On your wedding day

I normally arrive at the brides home at the agreed time, or at the ceremony venue 10 to 15 minutes early to allow for an introduction to the officiating minister, and a quick review of the ceremony proceedings.
After covering all the events and planned photos over the time you contract me for, I check with you that you are satisfied that I have covered all you need before leaving.
Some people find that their receptions run a little later than planned. For afternoon or evening weddings, you will always have the option to request me to stay an extra hour or so if you need me. The time is charged at the hourly rate defined in your package. I also don't stay longer unless specifically requested.

Choosing your prints

If you opt for one of the Elite packages, you will have the benefit of choosing your images to be printed, by previewing them on a proof cd. This is normally ready for your collection after you have paid the balance of your package, within about 2 weeks after your wedding. An order form in Excel format is available for you when I email you the invoice and statement. Simply indicate the quantity of each image you want, and email it back to me. Phone me or visit me if you would like to have any specific customisations made with your prints. Frequently I receive orders for more than was initially catered for in a package, due to parents and friends wanting copies. I email an invoice in return for the difference to be settled before I begin printing. Please remember to let me know when the invoice is settled, so that editing can be scheduled as soon as possible.

Your Album

If you would like an album in your package, my album prices include compiling it for you. Albums can be quite personal, and many people like to have a say in what I put into them. For Elite packages, I work from your selected images list, and give you some guidelines on what will work best. Once I have your order, it usually takes me a couple of weeks to edit, print and compile the album for you. Getting your order to me within a month after your wedding will give it a higher priority in my workflow, as this reduces the delays that occur when I receive several orders in a week.