June 18, 2020 /
What to Expect When You Meet Your Wedding Photographer
Hello, hello!! We hope you all are having a wonderful week! We’re back today with part 2 of our deep dive into The Rivas Weddings Experience. Last time we talked about why it’s so important to meet with your wedding vendors before you book them. Today? It’s all about what to expect when you meet your wedding photographer for the first time. Yep, that’s right. Even if you choose not to meet with all of your wedding vendors right off the bat, your photographer is one that you should definitely meet with.
And some of the most frequently asked questions we get about that meeting? “What should we expect? Do we need to bring anything? What do you need from us?” All of those are very valid questions, friends. And there are good answers for all of them, so let’s get to it!
“What should we expect when we meet our wedding photographer?”
Get to know each other.
This photographer-client relationship goes two ways, friends. We always, always start every meeting by getting to know our clients. Where they grew up, how they met, when they each “knew” they were with their one and only. We’ll literally talk about anything and everything from your favorite date night to what you’re binging on Netflix or the latest “My Favorite Murder” podcast.
Talk about wedding day.
A lot of photographers have to know alllll the details before they’ll even consider booking a wedding. Us? Not so much. We want to know everything about your wedding day in time. But what we’re really looking for here? What’s the most important to you? Are you looking forward to your wedding party photos more than reception stuff? That’s where we want to spend our time. The more you can tell us here, the more we can help you figure out which wedding collection is best suited for your needs.
Discuss photo wants and feels.
Here’s the deal, friends. It’s super, super important that you tell us as much about your wedding day photo wants and feels as you can. That’s right, we said feels. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again and again: anybody can take a picture of how something looks, very few can take a photo of how something feels. Our goal is for you to always feel something from your wedding photos. So whether it’s happy, sentimental, fun-filled, a party for everyone, nostalgic, classy, etc., fill us in. The information that you give us here also helps us figure out if we’ll be the best fit for your day or if we need to recommend you to someone else to get the exact thing you’re looking for on your big day.
Talk about Photo End Goals.
What are photo end goals? Photo end goals are the things that you want to do with your wedding (and engagement) photos when it’s all said and done. Is a big old, extended album your jam? Or maybe you prefer a wall art collage. Either way, we want to get to the bottom of your photo end goals so we’ll know exactly what we’re shooting for. We also want to know so we can honestly and openly discuss what your full investment might be. We’re open books over here, especially when it comes to what you might be spending with us. We definitely don’t want there to be any “price surprises” along the way.
Thoroughly go over pricing and collections.
Whatever you do, don’t leave the first meeting with your wedding photographer without going over their collection list in detail. Make sure they walk you through the entire thing and don’t leave anything out. What will I not get if I only book you for 8 hours? What does all day coverage include? How about the difference between album a and album b? Do we get a print release? How large are we able to print on our own? By the time you’ve reached the end of the price list you want to know the answers to all of these questions and to be able to determine if the photographer will fit into your budget.
Touch all the things. Hold them, feel them.
You might roll your eyes at this, but bear with us. If you’re taking the time (and money) to invest in a professional wedding photographer, you want to know what you’er getting. Especially if you’ll be taking home a wedding album or piece of art. Hold the albums in your lap. Run your hands over them. Even smell them if you want to. This album? It’s going to be your first family heirloom, so make sure that you’er absolutely in LOVE with it. Ask to see the cover options, or if there are cover options, and what the process is to choose the photos that go into it. A good photographer will automatically answer all of these questions for you. And, whatever end goals you’ve talked about from Step #4, you’ll actually be able to see and hold in person.
Ask all the questions – there is no silly question.
For real, friends. Make a list with your honey, or your mom, or your maid of honor, and bring it with you. There are no silly questions. And truth be told, we would much rather answer all of your questions than not. Around here you’ll always get more information than less from us. You can even ask for vendor recommendations and liability insurance recommendations and we’re more than happy to pass them along.
Go over next steps.
Don’t leave your first meeting with your photographer until you know what the next steps are. How do you officially book your wedding date? Where do you sign the contract? How much is the retainer? What comes after all of that. Again, a good, experienced wedding photographer will walk you through all of that anyway. But especially if you’re looking for a specific date and don’t want to risk losing the photographer of your dreams make sure you know exactly what you need to do to secure them for the big day.
“What should we bring when we meet our wedding photographer?
- A notebook for notes.
- Any and all questions that you have.
- Openness to talk about your budget and realistic expectations. The worst thing you can do when you meet with a vendor is not be open about your budget. No one likes talking money, but the more open you are with your vendors the more they’ll be able to make sure they can do everything they can for you within your budget. This way there are no broken hearts and no disappointments.
- Your boo. Friends. We just won’t book a wedding without meeting both of you. We’ll be spending all day with you and your boo, and want to make sure that we’re the right fit for both of you.
- Whoever is paying for your wedding. Yep, we went there. It’s super, super helpful if whoever is footing the bill is at the first meeting. They always have questions, and are never sure if it’s worth the investment. And honestly? We love moms, and answering all of their questions and concerns about everything from start to finish.
“What do you need from us?”
1. Honestly? Just be willing to talk with us openly and honestly. Treat us like humans and not the hired help.
And now, friends? We are so excited to share something special with you! A sneak peek from Raeann and Michael’s engagement session last weekend! I’m about 99% sure that from the first few moments we met these two that we’ve done nothing but laugh together. Like for real. And Raeann and Mike? These two lovebirds are absolutely meant for each other. They round each other out and complete each other in all the right ways. And man, can they laugh and have fun together. And if you can’t do that in a relationship, what is even the point?
Anywho, here you go, friends. Happy Sneak Peek Raeann and Michael! Family and friends – we can only imagine how excited you are to see more from these two. Feel free to go ahead and pre-register to see their full gallery as soon as it’s released in just a few short weeks!
Kansas City Engagement Picture Location | Minor Park
