How much coverage you need, how to show a photographer what you like, and what to check before the day.
What does photography cost?
On its own, $399 per hour for photography and the same for video. Drone coverage is $199. Many of our packages already include it.
Many of our proposal setups include up to 30 minutes of photography, and the Signature and Elite elopements include up to 60. Our Da Vinci photoshoot, from $549, is photography alone: up to an hour and up to 100 edited photos. Couples on a planning package pay $329 per hour.
How much time do you need?
Thirty minutes covers a proposal and a few portraits. An hour covers a small ceremony and portraits after.
A proposal is quick. The photographer needs a few minutes before to find their spot, the moment itself, then time for portraits while you are still glowing. For an elopement, the ceremony takes fifteen to twenty minutes, and the rest of the hour goes to portraits and a few pictures with guests.
Posed or candid?
Both. Candid for the moment itself, a little direction for portraits.
During a proposal, nobody should be posing. The photographer stays out of sight and catches what happens. Afterward, a little help with where to stand and where to look makes the portraits feel natural instead of stiff. Our photographers guide you through that part.
How do you show a photographer what you like?
Send ten to twenty photos you love. Pictures explain more than words like romantic or natural.
Save photos from anywhere: our portfolio, Instagram, Pinterest. Include a mix of wide views, close moments and details. Then point out anything you do not want, such as heavy filters or a certain pose. That is just as useful.
What should you look at in a portfolio?
Look at full sessions in different light, not only the best shot from each.
Anyone can show one good sunset. Ask to see a full gallery, and look at how the photographer handles harsh midday light, dusk, and backlight on the water. Look at faces. Do people look like themselves?
What if something goes wrong?
Ask who covers if the photographer is ill, and how the files are backed up.
Wherever you book, ask who the backup is and how quickly you receive your gallery. With us, you get an online gallery of full-resolution images you can share with family.