5 Questions I get asked often by brides-to-be You found the Guy, you Said YES, now comes the hard part.... Planning the wedding! Becoming a Bride-to-be is very exciting and I have no doubt you are head over heels with every emotion. I am certain you have the wedding planned out with every detail engrained in your head. Finding a venue and vendors to make your day perfect is very important. A wedding photographer is one of those vendors that you must pick carefully. I answered five commonly asked questions from some of my Brides. I answered them based on my opinion and the knowledge I have gained being in this industry and learning from other wedding photographers. I decided to pass this along in hopes that it helps you when deciding on a photographer. 1. How do I pick a good photographer when there are 100's in the area? Marilyn Rays Answer: Pick one that appeals to your style. Once you have found a few photographers that have the style you like, narrow it down to one or two and meet with them in person or talk to them over the phone. It is extremely important you like the photographer. You will be spending a lot of hours with them and trusting them to capture moments you weren't aware were even happening. I am someone who adores those candid moments. The real laughter and the real genuine smiles are everything to me. I let you be yourself. Those are the things you need to know when finding a photographer. Do you want to be guided and posed through most of the day or do you want most genuine shots? Do you like very vibrant coloring or do you like a more subtle look to your pictures? Find what it is that you like and what you are looking for and find a photographer that best fits that. 2. How many photo's do I get? Marilyn Rays Answer: Wedding Photographer's typically deliver anywhere from 50 to 100 pictures per hour. That may seem like a lot and can be a tad overwhelming when looking through them but I promise you will be extremely happy once you realize not one single moment was missed. Some photographers may only give you samples to look through to purchase later, while others let you have them all, like myself. That is something you need to talk about and understand when choosing a photographer. 3. Why is wedding photography so expensive? Marilyn Rays Answer: This is the question that I see and hear most. Wedding Photography seems like easy money. I work for one day and rack in the cash. But Most Full time wedding photographers carry around at least $5,000 worth of equipment and work at least 40 hours a week. Remember the pictures we talked about in question number 2? It takes days to edit all of those and get them to you in a timely manner. The job doesn't end when we leave the wedding. We still have 1000's of pictures to go through and edit. Not to mention most of us have insurance we have to pay for, an assistant, software, marketing, shipping, etc.. All costs that most don't understand we have. 4. You can photoshop that right? Marilyn Rays Answer: That depends. As a photographer, I want to get everything as perfect as possible on camera. Posing you, location and lighting, and camera settings can "fix" most things before I even click the shutter. If your brother photobombs you, I'm going to retake the photo — it's much easier to get the photo right than to fix it with photoshop. Many photographers charge for extensive editing in Photoshop, because it can be very time-consuming. I don't typically use photoshop at all. I work very hard at making sure that picture I take on my camera is perfect. Again this is something you need to ask a photographer before hiring. 5. Do I give the wedding photographer a tip? Marilyn Rays Answer: Well.... The big secret is... There are zero rules on tipping your wedding vendors. I always tell my friends this, If you loved them and really felt connected and wanted to show your appreciation, then absolutely tip them. Otherwise, we are not expecting it, so you are not going to be the "terrible human" you think you are by not giving a tip. It's always appreciated, Never expected. Also, Tips don't have to be in the form of cash either, Small trinkets from your wedding, a heartfelt thank you note, or a good review, sending your friends their way, all work well with showing appreciation for your vendors.
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