Images by Daniel Michael

Choosing the Wedding Photographer for you

January 25, 2011

No vendor will have a bigger impact on your wedding than your photographer. Not only will they take the photos that document your wedding for years to come, but they will also work more closely with you than any other vendor that day. There are many things to consider when picking your photographer.

1. Budget/Package
2. Photography Style'
3. Format (film or digital)
4. Personality fit
5. Experience

Each of these is important but it is up to you in which order you value them.  In this column I will try to inform you of some aspects of packaging and styles that you may not have considered yet in hopes you can make the right decision for your wedding. 

Wedding Photography Packaging:

1. Without a doubt the most common question I am asked, "What are your starting packages?"  Though you must know pricing to figure out if you can even consider a photographer, their starting price is the most misunderstood aspect of wedding photographer packages.  Very few photographers actually sell their "starting package" simply because it lacks the basics of what they would like to include.  And when they do sell it, it usually comes with charges after you sign your contract.  A better way to phrase the question is "What is your average package price?"  The down side to that is it still is not likely the package you will choose, but is much more likely to be in the range you'll spend.
2. Packaging may be the most complicated part of shopping for your photographer. The hidden charges can easily double your package price after your wedding. For example, the high resolution dvd that everyone asks for is often not print ready and if it is, is still not the same level of quality as what is shown in studio. To get the same look to your photos that you saw in studio, your images need to be color corrected and often cropped and enhanced individually. This can be a significant expense after your wedding or may limit the number of photos you have "finished".  Many packages only include a select number of corrected images.  Be aware of how many your package includes.  It's a good idea to ask your photographer to see an entire wedding with all the photos to get an idea how your photos will look.  It is important to have your high resolution dvd but look out for watermarks and file types that you cannot print from.
3. Hours/Time line: Few couples really understand the amount of time they will need in their package. If you are headed to a park, then a ceremony site, then the reception and want your photographer to get any candids at your reception, expect to use 8-10 hours or so. The last thing you want is to be rushed through your day because of your photographer’s package.
4. When looking at albums, make sure that the prints, mounting, binding, cover upgrades and design are included in the price you are given.

The Right Photographer for YOU:

1. Style:  Nearly every photographer will call themselves photojournalistic because it is popular. It’s up to you to determine if you like their style. Don’t worry about what style they consider themselves.
2. Format:  The majority of photographers in this area are digital photographers. If you like the classic look of black and white film or the colors and skin tones in color film, you will need to do some homework to find those who offer film photography. If you prefer the special effects that tend to go along with digital photography, then be sure your film photographer has the capabilities or use a digital photographer. It is wise to look at both a film and digital photographer so you can judge for yourself.
3. Experience:  A full time professional with 5-10+ years of wedding photography experience should inspire confidence, be organized, prepared for all situations and truly guide you through all the excitement of your wedding day. Most photographers at that level will charge $2,000-$3,000+ for their experience.  If that is out of your pricer range, you may want to consider one of their associates with less experience that works for their studio in a lower price range.  The advantage to this is that you still have the studio's experience and training behind them.  In this case, it would be wise to get a background on that photographer, see some of their work and make sure you get a chance to work with them or meet them prior to your wedding.  You may also find someone with less experience but still a quality photographer for a lower price just by doing your homework or maybe just by getting lucky. You just need to be sure there is enough experience that you are comfortable. Don't assume that a higher price means more experience or better quality either. It's a good guideline, but not a perfect science.  You will find family friends for a few hundred dollars all the way up to nearly $10,000.  Fortunately, most fall somewhere in between.
4. Personality.  Probably the most overlooked aspect of your photograpehr is that you will be spending your entire day with your photographer. Make sure that you can not only tolerate them, but actually enjoy being around them. Your photos will suffer if you can tell you are getting impatient with the person taking them. There is nothing more important on your wedding day than how you feel.  If your photographer has developed a personal realitionship with you, it will reflect in your photos.

Final Tips:

1. Ask your friends for referrals.  However, know that they likely picked the best vendor for them and also have only used that vendor once.  Also ask other vendors what they think.  The combination usually results in a very good idea of what type of quality any one vendor offers.
2. Check out online reviews.  Though these can be inflated by vendors asking for referral, it is still very usefull.
3. Check out the BBB.  Much like the reviews, most everyone is in good standing, but that one or two negative reviews can be worth 10.

If you have any comments or questions, please ask here.  You're question may be shared by others. 

Thanks for reading!

Choosing a DJ

January 18, 2011

This is the time of year I like to help our couples with their wedding planning.  I've asked several vendors to help us by sending in some thoughts on what is important in their speciffic field.  So, for our first I've asked for one of the key aspects of your wedding reception, your dj.  So without further stalling on my part, here is Brandon with Hey Mr DJ:

I'm honored that Daniel asked me to write a guest blog for him today. I love working with Dan and his people. They keep the mood light, they work quickly and they are always a pleasure to be around.

What I want to ask all of you visiting Daniel’s blog today is, “What “moments” do you have planned for your wedding day?”

Think back to all the weddings and reception you have attended in the past. What about those weddings and receptions do you remember?

Prior to becoming a DJ I attended and was in several of my friends weddings. From all of those weddings, I’m sad to say, I remember very little. It’s not that I have a bad memory. In fact, my friends are always amazed at the moments I can recall from our past. It’s just that those weddings and receptions had very few “moments”.

When you move people emotionally they will remember it. Wedding magazines will tell you what colors are in, what flowers work in what season and how to make your wedding day beautiful. None of them will tell you how to create “moments”. This is where your wedding entertainer comes in. If you have a good one, it can make all the difference in how your guests feel about the events of your wedding day.

While I can’t recall much of my friend’s weddings, I can recall many moments over the years I helped create for my clients. I can recall a groom who took the microphone just after the father daughter dance and began to talk about his mother. All the while making his way across the room to her, he finally stopped at her table and said “Mom I love you, can I have this dance.” I recall a groom whose brother was deployed to Iraq just a couple of months before the wedding. You should have felt the moment in that room as we heard a toast from that same brother. A toast I had secretly recorded months earlier when we found out he was being deployed.

I recall a night where at the end of the reception we played Billy Joel’s Piano Man. As everyone with their arms around one another sang at the top of their lungs the bride and groom stepped into the middle of the circle where they danced and smiled and hugged their guests. You could just feel the love in the air and nobody wanted to leave. Imagine a bride returning from fixing her dress in a separate room during her reception and finding all of her guests gathered around the dance floor and her groom sitting at the top of that dance floor holding his acoustic guitar and waiting for her. I remember her smile as he sang to her a song he had written for her after their first date. I remember the laugh we got when we introduced a wedding party into the reception with funny stories about each of them and then the smiles as we introduced the newlyweds with the story of how they met, of their first date and of their proposal. I remember these moments not just because they were my ideas or that I helped orchestrate them I remember them because they moved me and everyone in the room.

Most of the guests at the weddings I mentioned above probably couldn’t tell you if the food was good, if the couple arrived in a limousine or if there was a chocolate fountain but I promise you they remember these moments.

Most couples begin searching for DJs with the idea that all we provide is music. What some of us provide beyond the music is the ideas, knowledge, timing, and creativity it takes to help you create “moments”.

Please check out Brandon's Website at www.HeyMrDJ.net

Manor House Tasting this Tuesday!

January 16, 2011

We'll be at the tasting at the Manor House Tuesday January 17.  We look forward to seeing some of our couples and also meeting some new ones!

Wendy's Bridal Show this weekend!!

January 12, 2011

We'll be at Wendy's Bridal Show this weekend January 16 from 11-5 at the Duke Energy Center.  Come see us!

Check us out on Channel 19!

January 1, 2011

Channel 19 asked us to do an interview with them on Thursday January 6 at 9:00 am.  Check us out!!