Frequently asked questions
On this page I am going to go through some of my frequently asked questions from couples who enquire with me. Hopefully this will help answer any questions which have sprung to mind as you have been browsing my portfolio and my website or socials. If there is anything missing though and you still have questions, why not drop me a message and lets have a chat?
How do we book you?
It is always my aim to keep things as simple as I possible can, why make anything more complex than it need to be? We start off by completing my contact form so that I can see if I have your amazing day available and then we book at video call or telephone call in. The purpose of the call is to gather as much information as possible about your wants and needs, opportunity for you to ask questions etc. At the end of the call I would email to your the formal quotation which will reinforce anything we have discussed or agreed on the call. If you are happy with the pricing, the quote has a section where you can accept it and make payment of the booking fee. As soon as the booking fee of £250 has been paid it will secure your amazing wedding into my diary. If you don’t want to do the contact form, that is no bother either – drop me text, a call, whatsapp, email or social media message (or if you are really remote and still use carrier pigeon we can try that too lol)
What is your photography style?
This is something that is hard to describe I guess because we often thing of styles as “Formal” or “Candid”. Predominantely my style aims to combine the candid natural photography with minimum posing (there often will be posing for groups or couples portraits) but I like to try being creative at times. This may mean staying until after dark or making the most of the darkened winter evenings to create you some amazing photography. Below are some samples of my creative work.
Do you offer engagement session as part of your packages?
It is one of my recommendations to have an engagement shoot or if you have been engaged for quite some time, I call it a pre-wedding photo session. These are opportunities to get some amazing photographs which can be used in some of your decor maybe; such as guest signing book, signing frames or table plans etc. Predominantly they are a great tool for couples who are nervous or uncomfortable about having their photograph taken but aside from that, it is the best opportunity to get to know me and how I work on a wedding day (plus its a good time to have a laugh and get to know each other).
I do appreciate though that engagement shoots and pre-wedding shoots are not for everyone, so if you are booking my Sapphire or Emerald packages these do not have engagement shoots included and can be booked for an additional cost of £120.
Do you photograph multiple weddings per day?
I am a firm believer in not overstretching yourself and taking on something that could be impossible. It is for that reason that I only take 1 booking per day. There are times when I will photograph 2 weddings in the same weekend but never the same day. This is because I do not want to compromise your amazing day – what if I had 2 bookings on the same day and you are the 2nd wedding but something happened earlier in the day? I would fine it utmost unprofessional in ruining anyone’s special day. Professionalism for me runs through and through, I put 100% of my attention into each wedding and I can only do that by having 1 event at a time.
Can we provide you a list of specific photographs?
Absolutely 100% yes. When you book with me there is a questionnaire that I ask you to complete and keep updating as your plans evolve. Within that document there is a specific section about group shots and anything important that you consider a MUST document moment. This list is then brought with me on your wedding day and I reference it throughout. One thing that I usually ask for is a helper on the day – best man, bridesmaid or a relative that knows people to help “gather the troops” because it can be a time consuming task and I want to get the formals out of the way quickly to enable you to get on with celebrating with your guests.
How soon will we received our photographs and how will we receive them?
I always say to couples that the finished images will be supplied within 6 weeks of your wedding day. It is possible that you will get them earlier than this though, I won’t want to hold up you reliving your wedding day. Your beautifully edited images are supplied in JPEG format in a high resolution which is suitable for printing. The files are provided to you via an online gallery where you download and store on your devices how you please.
Do you have backup and continency plans?
I am a person who plans most things and these plans are well into the future e.g we plan our holidays 12 months ahead and generally have a plan ready to the holiday 2 years later (I know it is different but aren’t we all). That said, it would be unprofessional for me to not have backup equipment. On the day I bring with me 3 cameras – the 2 that I use throughout the day and a 3rd “just in case”. In the event of adverse weather I have a plan for that too (you need to don’t you, we live in the UK lol), and this will mean me having a plan for indoor formal photographs, seeking indoor opportunities for those creative moment but I also like the outdoor wet creatives too. The important thing is that I am fully insured and with all my files I have an extensive backup process at home to make sure your files are safe. So far I haven’t missed a wedding due to illness but I do have backup processes in place should anything happen in the future and this is thanks to networking in a couple of national photographer networks where we help each other out and I have trusted experienced colleagues who can step in for an emergency situation, ensuring that you still get a professional photographer on the day.
Are you familiar with our venue or do you visit before our wedding?
The strong answer to this is that I am a photographer who shoots the wedding and I am not there to shoot the venue. In this statement I am getting at the point of your wedding is about the people who you share it with, whilst the venue will have been carefully chosen it isn’t the sole maker of the day. I love shooting at new venues aswell as previously worked venues because I can seek new opportunities and stretch my creativity. That said though, if I have photographed at your venue before, I will seek new photographs and scenes so that my work is mixed and you don’t get a carbon copy of a previous wedding – your wedding is unique, just like each person is unique and I believe my work should reflect that in every wedding.
Can I see a previous full gallery?
Absolutely YES you can. I am more than happy supplying a previous gallery to view prior to booking because this will give you opportunity to check style and consistency in my work. It also give you opportunity see how I supply the images and the platform that is used. One of the key things I recommend when getting your quotes from other creatives is to ask to see a full gallery so that you can really get a feel for their work. Remember, as creative people we only share less than 8% of our work on social media…..what does the other 92% look like?
How far in advance do I need to book?
There really isn’t a right or wrong answer here but I do recommend booking as soon as you can on your wedding planning journey. The regular key dates do fill fast with all suppliers and it is highly recommended to book suppliers as soon as you possibly can. The earlier you book the longer you may have to pay for the service and if that means saving on the journey it will help you too. The majority of couples will book their venue and officiant first and then book their photographer once they have a date locked in. Once you get these “big” services booked you can enjoy the rest of your planning journey. Once booked I do keep in touch on the journey too and not leave it to last minute to speak again.
What areas do you cover?
Whilst I am a Staffordshire / West Midlands photographer, I am not exclusive to the area and I love to travel. I cover the whole of Central England (Shropshire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Birmingham & the Black Country. I am a Northerner too which means I love to go back to my home roots and document weddings at the place I still call “home”, this means that I love to take enquiries for Cheshire, North Wales and Manchester regions too.
