Why do you need a professional photographer?

You're planning your wedding, there are a ton of things to pay for, how do you decide what to allow for each item? You need to decide what is a priority for you. Is it having a designer dress? or will you hunt on ebay or thrift stores for a bargain? Will you choose a beautiful hotel or resort for your site? or will a local park or a family members yard be OK? Will you hire a professional caterer? Or have a potluck?Visit with a florist? Or go out and pick wildlfowers? Only you know what is important.


DIY most certainly has a place in your wedding planning, and there are many items that you can do yourself and they will be beautiful and personal.

Photography is not one of those things.
Your images from the wedding will be one of the few things that lasts beyond the day. Flowers wilt, food is eaten, the dress is put away....

One of the most important things that should happen on your wedding day is to have confidence in your vendors.
Whether it's a florist that you've used for years, or a caterer whose food you've tasted many times, you know that you'll get what you pay for. You may have a friend or relative with a great camera, and maybe you were going to invite them to the wedding anyway, so maybe you're thinking about asking them to take pictures too. That's all well and good, and they should take pictures at your wedding. But they should not be your wedding photographer. Your wedding photographer has experience, and equipment on their side. They have backup cameras just in case. They know where to stand and what to do during the ceremony. They either have been to your venue or will check it out ahead of time. If they're like us, they have 2 photographers covering different angles during the whole day. We don't lure you in with a low rate and then charge extra to upgrade to a second photographer. And we much prefer to be there for your whole day. To get to know and work with your whole family. Make sure that you're comparing apples to apples when pricing out photography companies. Do you want a disk of your pictures? An album? What sort of album? Medium priced? High end?
Look at galleries, does someone have a style that appeals to you? Is there a mix of formals and candids that tells the story of your day? Check to see if they have insurance. Are they a real business, registered to do business. Be wary of people who are not, reputable businesses have all these things. Including references.

Back to the friend with the cool camera. Will they be taking pictures all day? Will they make sure that you get all the family formals that you want? Will they take pictures during your First Dance? or during the dance party? Or will they be dancing themselves and not worrying so much about you any more? A pro focuses on you, all day. No distractions.

Is it worth it to hire a professional?
Do you want beautiful pictures from your day that you can look back on and enjoy with your children and grandchildren?
Then the answer should be, yes!

New albums designed this week!

This week was busy with designing albums. The first was Jessica & Carter. they got married July 3, 2010 at Christos in Poughkeepsie. Christos has a beautiful screened room for ceremonies(complete with ceiling fans and a great view of the golf course). The cocktails and reception took up the rest of the space, food was plentiful and very good. This is a facility that knows how to do an event! Only one event at a time too. Jessica wore a beautiful gold gown, Carter had a black tux. The girls were in an olive-toned green.
Click the link below their cover image to view the entire album.

Jessica & Carter's Wedding Album

Cara and Phil's Saratoga wedding

We have known Cara and Phil a long time. Jeff originally met Cara volunteering with County Players (a local theater group) and they have been friends for years. Although Cara and Phil moved to Albany recently to pursue career options, we have tried to stay in touch. And when we heard they were tying the knot we were incredibly happy for them. So we were even happier when Cara wanted us to do the pictures for their wedding!

Arts and Crafts time, getting the programs done before the ceremony.

 

Details: The Lodge at Saratoga Raceway, a beautiful restaurant adjacent to the track. The Celtic/Fall theme was reflected in the waterfall centerpieces, wedding bands, toasting horns, and flowers.

 It was a team effort as the ladies helped each other get ready!

 Phil getting some help with his bout.

The outdoor ceremony couldn't have had a nicer day.

 Outdoor formals had a lovely backdrop. The lawns alongside the building had gardens and a split rail fence.

And the reception included toasting the happy couple, cake, dancing, and just plain hanging out with friends and relatives.

 We had a great time and wish Cara and Phil well as they embark on their life together!

Engagement coming up soon?

The holidays are coming up soon, and although it's a fairly traditional time of year to "pop the question", there's no reason why the man has to do it! Why not get down on one knee and propose to him? Are you talking with your partner about marriage and they're saying that they can't do it until they have moo-la for the ring?
Try Off Beat Brides examples of rings for both him and her! Unique, less expensive, and definitely eye-catching alternatives. The link is here
And when you've decided who you want to spend the rest of your life with, give us a call to set up an engagement session! Perfect for helping you out with DIY projects for your special day. Use your images for Save The Dates, instead of table numbers, frame pictures of yourselves and use those instead. Create a beautiful collage for your wall. Let us design a custom guest book for you, or use one of the pictures in your signature mat. Lots of options and ideas!