There are questions that are frequently asked by brides & grooms about wedding photography and many of them are similar. So I thought it would be good to put together a FAQ post about the ones I hear the most.

Q: I really love the look and feel of your photos. What is the next step?
A: Contact me via email or phone. We can then set up a time to meet at my home office, set up a Skype call or even meet for coffee. I have many out of state clients, so I have made the booking process as convenient as possible either by meeting in person or handling it all online. I truly enjoy getting to know my couples and hearing all about their wedding details. It’s also good for me to know what they value the most in their photographs and to get to know them a bit.

Q: What information do we need to provide you in order to see some pricing options?
A: I have been a full-time wedding photographer for over 8 years and the one thing that I have realized is that simple wedding collections are key. I don’t want to give you so many options that you don’t know what to do or feel overwhelmed. I also do not have any hidden fees…you will know everything up front unless you want to add pages to your wedding album or go for a larger size. For starters, I will need to know if you want engagement and/or bridal sessions, wedding day coverage, approximate size of wedding, second photographer, wedding location and if you would like to include a fine art wedding album. There are other things we can add on such as reception coverage or a guest sign-in book, but this is a great start to provide you an amount for your investment.

Q: What about high resolution images. Do you provide those on a disc or flash drive for us to keep?
A: The simple answer is…yes. All collections come with your professionally edited images for your use.

Q: Do I need a second shooter?
A: I include a second photographer in all my collections unless you are having a smaller more intimate wedding or you only require a few hours of our services. My second photographers are with me from start to finish and all post-processing goes through me. I have second photographers that represent the Lisa Carpenter brand so there is one cohesive look to your gallery of photographs.

Q: How many hours prior to the ceremony do you begin shooting?
A: For most weddings, I will typically arrive 3 hours prior to your ceremony start time. We will discuss your timeline to determine if this works best for you. I will also ask if we are doing a First Look. Depending on the details of your timeline, it may work best to arrive 2 hours prior. It truly depends on your day, but this shares the most common scenario.

Q: Do you provide suggestions for local vendors?
A: Yes, I am always happy to help.

Q: I have narrowed my selection of photographers down to a few. How do I choose?
A: If you are happy with the image quality and style of each photographer and have seen a variety of their work, I will often suggest that you go with the one that you feel most comfortable around and you have a bit of chemistry with. We are with you all day on one of the most important days of your lives. It is imperative that you enjoy being around your chosen photographer because if you don’t, it will reflect in your final images.

Q: Do you recommend an engagement session?
A: Yes I sure do! I LOVE engagement sessions!! This is a great way for us all to get to know each other a bit more, get you feeling comfortable in front of the camera, see how I work and….get beautiful photos. We will talk about where you would like to go, what to wear and if you will want to bring any props. Engagement sessions are typically 2-3 hours of fun!!

Q: How soon do I get to see our photos?
A: Within 14 business days.

Q: We have lost our images…NOW what?
A: This has happened a handful of times and I am happy to tell each and every client that I still have their memories backed up and can provide a new disc or an image gallery to download the files. I do however strongly urge everyone to back up twice.

Q: I am so nervous that I won’t look good in my photos. How do you make me/us feel comfortable?
A: This is a very common feeling. I have such a strong passion to make everyone feel and look their best. I am always looking for the best light and will direct you into flattering poses. I am not so stiff in my posing that you feel like a mannequin…but it is important to direct you in a way that feels natural and makes you look amazing. I am always communicating with you so that you aren’t left to feel silly or uncomfortable. I want you to have fun and enjoy the day and that is a big part of it.

Q: Are you insured? Do you have backups? Will you dress professionally?
A: Ok, so that was three questions but they seem to go hand in hand. Yes to all of them. I believe in being very professional, personable and approachable. I typically wear a dress and heels for a wedding and my second photographers either wear the same or something equally professional. We will not show up in khaki’s and t-shirts.
I have backups to my backups. If something breaks..no worries.
Yes, I am insured.

Q: What if we meet with you but need some time to talk it over?
A: I am NOT a pushy person. I realize this is a big decision. If you need time to think it over, I will be sure to let you know if I get an inquiry for your wedding date. This will allow you the first right of refusal. Your date is secure once you sign the contract and pay the deposit.

If you can think of any other questions, please feel free to ask them in the comment section below or contact me at lisacarpenterphoto@gmail.com.

Thank you!!

~lisa