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The Real Cost Of weddings - Look Out For The Value Of Your Investment - Allie Miller Weddings | Destination Weddings | North Carolina Wedding Photographer


Your Wedding Day is coming up - you have a date and your venue, now... On to hiring other wedding vendors, you want everything to be perfect! You have waited for this moment for a long time, and now here comes the planning...

It is a perfect time to start thinking about a professional photographer who will be there that day of! Trusting those images to some hobbyist who "loves to take pictures" or someone in your party with a point-n-shoot {usually a good hearted-friend}, may sound great right?

If you are reading this blog, you have probably landed here and the title has caught your eye.

We are so glad you've decided to check out this article, because finding a wedding photographer can be a bit overwhelming.We know, we have planned a wedding ourselves.

We know, prices range from almost nothing (friends with cameras,or the hobbyist who will enhance their portfolio at your expense) to prices as high as $30K-50K dollars [ super star budgets] !! And no! This figure is not a typo. We can let you in a little secret, since you got this far - Good wedding photography is not cheap, but it is the most important investment you will make on your special day.. It is not an expense {key word} you are investing a lot into your big day's memories that will last a lifetime.

In easier terms, when your wedding is over, the food will be eaten, the transportation will be returned, tuxes taken back and the dress and decorations packed away (possibly will never worn or used again - I know, my gown is pretty in a box). Now, your photo {I Smile} - these are usually the only remaining evidence of all the hard work you put into your wedding day. Your details, the emotions of your day and such.

What we are saying is, that If you are hiring a wedding photographer, just make sure you hire a photographer that you are comfortable with, you can create a rapport with and feel like you can actually trust to take on your day personally. We crave the relationships with our couples, because we know this is important!

Even if it is not our team who you have booked your wedding photography with,please, please just make sure you are truly confident they can handle the work load of the day, your guests, the technical aspects and challenges such as lighting {that their gear can handle most lighting situations?} as well as the spaces and weather! most importantly, make sure they treat you and your bridals party with respect.

Professional photographers, we come in all shapes and sizes. We all have various levels of experience and education. So to say not all wedding photographers are created equal. We can say that we are not the low end cheap, but we are not the most expensive either. We are seasoned and we guarantee our work!

We've shot over 200 weddings, and we are truly aware of the dynamics of a wedding day, we own multiple PRO camera bodies, PRO lenses and flashes, and we are ready for anything, for example if a mechanical malfunction happens, you can trust we have backups, again not missing a moment. And this is exactly what you want when you are hiring a photographer.

Also, do not forget planning for the worst, is your photographer affiliated? Do they have liability insurance? Do they have a legal contract? Are they truly professionals? When you first met - Were they dressed appropriately to your interview? How was their demeanor? Did they answer all your questions, and offered suggestions?

With our wedding Advantage and Superior Collections, there are always two of us capturing the day from different angles and spaces. I've used other photographers before, but the second photographer is my work husband, Jody.

We love what we do and we have fun shooting weddings. Honestly, we are so grateful to work with so many couples who truly understand the value behind our craft and value their investment.

We take pride in developing relationships and we have formed some very strong bonds with the many clients who are friends.

Sometimes in conversations with friends and colleagues, we are always amazed at some of the horror stories we hear about their wedding photographers and the stuff we come across in social media.

There are of course lots of talented photographers too, but, the way of handling your day's captures are different.

So, it is important to meet and survey the professional photographers you are considering for your special day. Not everyone is a good fit ( whether be for you {client} OR the photographer), perhaps their style, and that is what makes this wonderful! For some reason if you are not comfortable with their style. Do not settle. Find someone that you will be comfortable with, remember they will be on your every moment on your day.

Keep in mind that good professional photographers get booked real FAST!

Make sure they are not double booking on your day or taking other sessions during your day. A story last year we had to turn away 5 brides requesting wedding dates in September and November. We simply could not shoot them because we were already booked - our attention is solely to you, and if hiring someone - expect nothing less!

If you find someone you really like, make sure you get in touch with them as soon as possible. If for example, our style suits your taste - send a message - even if not in the area... {hint} Perhaps, you are just researching - give us a ring- or Skype or FaceTime with us and feels like you would would just like to come by and visit.

We would be glad to let you look more closely the work we do, and our process and see if you like what I offer. Goodness! I never imagined I could really write this long blog, but I know it has gotten longer than intended.

Final words - When hiring a professional wedding photographer just make sure you like them as a person/people and you can tell a lot by first impressions. So, If you are a fit {like peas in a pod} you will likely click with them during your day and it will reflect in the outcome of your photos.

Also, make sure they have good gear and backups to handle your wedding and most lighting situations. [ Don't be afraid to ASK ]

Make sure they actually know how to use it! If you're not having an outdoor wedding with a nice cloud cover and a brightly lit reception, you might run into issues.

Saying that also, make sure you like their past work and this perhaps will be the best predictor of the outcome. So, even if their price might be right, but their style might be wrong. Always ask to see a FULL WEDDING... This should never be an issue!

What many have learned: Cheaper is NOT always better.

Sometimes cheaper is just CHEAP and the product will be shown and discussed for times to come among friends and family.... True story! Remind me to tell you when we meet! Now, there is a lot of work ahead... We are here for you!

Let's plan YOUR day!



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