What happens after you inquire with your dream wedding photographer

This is most likely the first time you’ve ever hired a wedding photographer, so you might not know what to expect or what comes next. I’m going to talk you through what happens after you decide to contact me at Studio Starling so you have a pretty good idea of the fun-filled rollercoaster of hiring one of your most essential wedding vendors! Let’s get into booking a wedding photographer.

Do your research on your wedding photographer

It’s generally a pretty good idea to feel confident that the wedding photographer you’re inquiring with is one you might want to work with. You can get a good sense for this by browsing my website. Let me tell you what to look out for specifically: you want to read the text and nod along. You want to feel like this person might be fun or easy to work with, or simply that it’s the style of professionalism that you’re looking for. I won’t go into the photography style here, because if you’ve gone so far as to start poking around someone’s website, I bet you already know you enjoy their artistic style.

For example — as a wedding photographer, I like to be lighthearted and fun. For your wedding, I’ll be smiling in the corner, winking at you if you send a glance my way during a fly-on-the-wall moment, or giving you some friendly encouragement as the day goes on. If you’re ever feeling nervous during photos, I’ll help you let go and feel easy by bringing you back to the moment with your person. There’s a lot of camera-up moments, but there are a few fun coaching moments too to help you get the photographs of your dreams. You’ll get a sense for a lot of that by browsing my about page and portfolio pages, same with any other photographer.

Inquire with the photographer

This accomplishes a few things; you’re winking across the room and letting them know you’re interested. When you inquire with me, the first thing I let you know is if I have your date available. I don’t book every single weekend of my year (I love spending off Saturdays with my family!), so I always recommend reaching out as soon as possible so you can reserve your day.

On the inquiry form, I ask you to tell me a little bit more about your wedding. This isn’t trivial, I actually want to know more about you and what you’re dreaming up. As we’re connecting and getting to know each other, it helps me build the vision of what you’re hoping for, the types of photos that feel most like you to you, and what details matter the most. Some couples tell me about their relationship history together or why they chose the details they did, or about a particular photo of mine they saw that resonated. I’ll take it all.

If I’ve got your date open, I’ll send you more information for you to consider about your wedding photography. Generally I keep a lot of this public on my website (like pricing, process details, etc.) because I honestly don’t like to be annoying about it. I don’t think it’s worth hiding pricing information just to try to sell you on it later. I try to pack as much value into my packages as I possibly can for you, and I want you to see that upfront.

The consultation call with your potential wedding photographer

So when I reply to your inquiry, much of it is opening up the opportunity to have a conversation. This is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make in terms of your wedding planning journey, so I want you to feel comfortable and confident. Having a quick phone call to discuss your questions or thoughts helps us get to know each other a little and gives you peace of mind that I’m the type of person you’d have fun with–or, alternatively, that you want nothing to do with me because our personalities didn’t mesh at all. I’m good with both! I honestly want to work with people I’d have a great time with, and I want that for you too.

That said, regarding consultation calls, they’re not strictly speaking necessary. They’re very helpful, but if you’ve made up your mind based on what you’ve seen from my portfolio, social media, and website and the call just feels like another thing to get done, no sweat. If this is your vibe, let me know. I won’t force you!

Sealing the deal & booking a wedding photographer

This is where it starts to become official! I’m reaching out my lil pinky finger for yours so we can do some skipping into the sunrise.

I’ll send you a booking page that allows you to easily select the options you want for your wedding day–that is to say, you can pick your package of choice and any add-ons that feel exciting to you. There’s a lot that goes into deciding how many hours of coverage you want, so choose carefully. I’m always here to help, too, if you want some guided advice.

After you’ve chosen your package, you’ll move onto the contract. This is a lot of legal speak, sorry about that, but it is important. I do this to protect both of us and I’m happy to sent you a super-simple version that’s in plain language so that you know everything you’re signing (though that’s not legally binding, I always recommend reading the official contract).

Basically the contract says: I’ll show up for you and give you everything I’ve got according to what we’ve agreed to when you set out in booking a wedding photographer. You’ve got to feed me while I’m on the job and you can’t hire another wedding photographer for your wedding once you’ve got me locked in. If I break my leg, get sick, or unexpectedly give birth to a baby a few days before, I have about ten backup plans in my back pocket to make sure your wedding is photographed according to everything we’ve gone over even if it isn’t physically me shooting because of those unforeseen circumstances. Also, I’d love to use your photos on my website & social media once they’re finished (if you’re not okay with this, let me know!) and by signing you agree that I can. That type of stuff, but definitely a bunch more too.

Having booked, you can breathe a sigh of grand relief. Now it’s back to the rest of the process.

Because wedding photographers book up fast, especially in the Philadelphia area. That you’ve checked this off your list is a big deal.

I’ll send you a list of my favorite vendors if you’re looking for any others (at this point, you probably should be!). It may not be your first thought, so let me quickly point it out to you: your vendor team working together well is important. And most vendors do! We’re all in the same business and we get it, plus if you’re into both of our teams you probably booked some great people. However: if we’ve worked together before and one of us recommends the other to you (for example: I can recommend great videographers), it’s a special nod that tells you: “I liked this team. We didn’t get in each other’s way and we were both there to make sure the couple had the best day ever.” and we’re singing off on that.

Check-ins and planning

Along the way I’ll check in with you a few times. I want to make sure you’re feeling good and you know you have access to your photographer for anything you might be wondering about. I’m always curious about what you’re planning, like if you’ve selected your wedding dress, want to plan an engagement session, or are just wondering about other wedding vendors in the Philadelphia area that might be perfect for your wedding.

Your Wedding Day Photography Timeline

A few months before your wedding, I’ll send you a questionnaire to get all the good details about your day. I’m happy to help with any piece of it if you’re not sure. For example–I’ll ask you what time your ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception start. I’ll check about your comfort level for different types of photos and we’ll get on the same page about what you’re hoping to capture. You might be super into pajama photos with your bridesmaids or all about a first look with your dad or fun flash photos at the end of the night. These are all things I’ll want to know ahead of time and I’ll give you plenty of prompts and suggestions to go from. You’re not alone!

During this time I’ll also help you get a good sense, if you don’t know already, where you might want your photography coverage balanced. Some couples love morning coverage for those sweet moments with your wedding party and closest family, and some are more about the party and dance floor. My general recommendation is to weigh your coverage toward the morning, because I don’t need much time on the open dance floor to get a good overview of what it felt like and get key moments (plus I don’t want to overwhelm anyone by being present for too long).

Keep in mind this is your wedding photography timeline, so while I’ll share it with your other vendors and they absolutely might find it useful, it focuses on your wedding photos. Your catering team, DJ, wedding planner, or venue might have different needs or different ideas for how your day will go. My questionnaire asks for contact info for all of your vendors so I can connect with them, chitchat, and get on the same page with everyone, but I’ll also ask you for anything they might have told you or conveyed to you for best clarity.

Leading up to & your wedding day

I won’t bug you a ton right before your day. At this point we’ll have most of everything sorted out! However, I will be ready to be there for you if you need anything last minute. Some couples have reached out in the week leading up to their wedding day about what to have in their detail photos, questions about the weather if it’s looking iffy, or just refreshing notes about family members who are going to be present. When in doubt, shoot me an email, I’m more than happy to help you feel comfortable.

On your wedding day I’ll show up early, do my best to learn names and say hi to moms, and scout out great locations for your photos. I’ll be a fly on the wall and use gentle prompting (e.g. “I see you’re about to get into your dress. Don’t let me get in the way! But could you do it in this spot right here where there’s great light? Okay wonderful, continue!”) and guidance (e.g. suggesting first look locations if we don’t have one yet) to help your memories have their beautiful moments. When it comes to more active photos, like when I’m directing you for your couples portraits or group photos, I’ll be upbeat and helpful wherever I can. I have a few really bad dad jokes in my pocket to get a giggle if all else fails, and I’m always looking out for candid moments that are more like memories between the two of you, your families, or anyone nearby that is important to you.

After your wedding

While you’re busy glowing and basking in the newlywed love bubble, I’ll be working hard to get your gallery ready for you. I’m having film developed, I’m processing photos, and I’m working on your wedding magazine if your package included one. You’ll have your digital gallery in your inbox within 6 weeks, so you’ll still have a romantic lil smirk on your face about all the ooey-gooey feelings you’ve got as a newlywed by the time you see your photos.

After that, I say don’t be a stranger – but I know life takes us on different winds. I’m always here for a family photoshoot or a little check-in.

Generally, this is what you can expect when you set out on booking a wedding photographer. It’s a process that should be nearly as long as your wedding planning process, so it might feel like a lot. But we’re with you the whole time, a member of your team and a friend in your corner.

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