What to Expect When You Book Your Wedding Photographer
Choosing your wedding photographer is one of the first big decisions you'll make while planning your wedding, and it can feel like an unusual one… You're choosing someone to spend your entire day with, on one of the most important days of your life, often before you've even met them in person. So we wanted to pull back the curtain and walk through exactly what that process looks like with us, start to finish, so there are no surprises along the way, and give you tips on how to choose the right photographer for your wedding.
How To Choose The Right Photographer
Before we get into our process, here are a few things worth thinking about while you're comparing photographers, whether that's us or anyone else.
Look at full galleries, not just highlight reels. Instagram grids and portfolios show the best 1% of a day, so ask to see a full wedding gallery to get a real feel for a full day of coverage, not just the curated version.
Pay attention to how they make you feel on the call. You'll often be spending 8hrs + with them on one of the most emotional, and important days of your life, and if a first conversation feels stiff or transactional, that's worth noticing.
Check their style actually matches what you want. Some photographers are heavily posed and directorial, others are documentary and candid, and neither is wrong, but mismatched expectations can make for disappointment after the fact.
Ask about backup plans. Backup cameras, backup memory cards, what happens if they're sick, what if it rains? A photographer who has thought about this has usually been doing it a while, good way to gauge experience too.
Understand what you're actually getting. Number of images, turnaround time, whether albums or prints are included or separate, how galleries are delivered, get it in writing, not just verbally on the call.
Trust your gut as much as their portfolio. Skill gets you a good photographer, trust gets you someone you can actually relax around on the day.
Once you've found someone who ticks those boxes, here's what the actual process looks like with us!
The Enquiry
It usually starts with an email, through our website or an Instagram message. We reply personally, not with an automated AI system, because we genuinely care, and we want to get to know you two! If you didn't already share it, we'll ask about your venue and plans, what your dream wedding looks like, and share our availability for your date.
The Initial Meeting
We love to meet in person when we can, but most often on a video call, usually 20-30 minutes... this is a really important step. Phone calls are still a good option, but meeting on a video call gives you a really great sense of who you’ll be spending your day with.
We get to know each other so you get a feel for our energy & personality. We talk through your venue,, your vision for the day, and how we actually work on the ground. No pressure, no sales script, just a real conversation between people who are about to celebrate a wedding together. This is also your chance to ask us anything, gear, experience, how we handle low light receptions, whatever's on your mind!
Booking Us
Once you're ready to move forward, we send through a contract and invoice by email. A 50% deposit secures your date, with the remaining balance due 4 weeks out from your wedding, paid via PayID, or direct bank transfer.
We have international accounts for all our overseas couples, so you can pay in your local currency from your local bank account.
Once both the deposit & signed contract are in, your date is officially ours to look after, and we start planning around it from our end.
Why The Deposit Matters
We only take on a limited number of wedding per year, once you're booked, we close your date off to everyone else... it's less about a transaction and more a mutual commitment, that we're saying yes to your day specifically.
The Lead-Up
About 6 weeks before your wedding, we send a short questionnaire covering the details that help us do our job well, things like your timeline, venue plans, guest numbers, the people who matter most to you, and any photos on your must-have list.
It only takes a few minutes to fill out, but it makes a real difference on the day!
In this email, we’ll share a link to book a “Final Catch Up Call” together to talk through your timeline in detail. This is a great way to also make sure you’ve allowed enough time for everything you’ve planned - all with enough time before your wedding to make any last minute changes (if needed).
What We're Doing Behind The Scenes
While you're finalising seating charts and playlists, we're studying your venue, checking sunset times for your date, and mapping out where the light will be at each stage of your day, little things you'll never see, that really shape how your gallery turns out.
Your Wedding Day
The day has finally arrived! This is what all the planning is for!
We work side by side, moving through the day with you rather than directing from a distance. Our number 1 goal is for you to have an amazing and fun day.
Because of this, our aim is always the same: real moments, beautiful light, and allowing you to be present instead of performing for a camera. If nerves creep in, that's normal too, most people have never been photographed this closely for this long, and we're used to helping people relax into it.
After Your Wedding Day
Within 72hrs, a sneak peek gallery lands in your inbox, a small selection to enjoy & share while we work on editing your entire gallery.
All your images are edited by us, there’s no overseas outsourcing, or AI selections, every single photo is carefully hand edited.
Your full gallery follows within 8 weeks of your wedding date, delivered through a beautiful online platform, ready to download, share, and print. You can share this gallery & link with your guests, and anyone who couldn’t make it, and they can download individual images, a favourite selection (clicking the heart icon) or your whole gallery!
On your anniversay, we'll be back in touch, because we like knowing how you're doing!
Common Questions
How far in advance should we get in touch?
Most of our couples reach out 9 to 18 months before their wedding, though it varies a lot by season and venue popularity. If your date is close, reach out anyway, rather than assume it's too late.
Do you photograph weddings every day of the week?
Yes, typically with an 8 hour minimum coverage on Saturdays. We can talk through what that looks like for your day on the call.
What if our venue is somewhere unusual, or interstate?
We love it... some of our favourite weddings have been the ones furthest away. We’re often travelling for weddings, just mention it in your enquiry and we'll factor it in. We’re often in New Zealand for weddings, so let us know your date, we might already be nearby!
What if we're not sure we're ready to commit yet?
That's exactly what your initial call is for, there's zero obligation, it's just a conversation, not a pitch.
If you're just starting to look for a photographer, we'd love to hear from you!
