{Wedding} FAQ
How far do you travel for weddings? We currently cover all of The Washington DC Metro area, Hampton Roads and Destination Weddings on an individual basis.
Is there an additional charge if my wedding is outside your range? For weddings outside Washington DC and Hampton Roads we do charge a travel rate based on distance from studio.
Do you offer a CD of digital negatives in any of your packages? We offer Photo CD's on orders over $500.
Does it cost extra to have the images edited? All printed images have basic Photoshopping and touch ups as needed, custom touch ups are billed on an hourly basis.
Do you offer professional retouching services of blemishes? Basic retouching will take care of most blemishes, custom retouching is billed hourly.
Do you offer albums/prints in any of your packages? We offer a full line of competitively priced albums, prints and specialty photo products.
Can I see an example of your albums/prints? We will bring samples to your custom Bridal Consultation.
What can I expect to spend on my wedding package? Your total wedding investment will typically range from $1000 to $3000.
What if my family/friends would like to order the images online? Is there a website they go to? Your friends, family and guests can view and purchase the images online, for one year, on your custom wedding website.
What is the first look? The first look is a private intimate portrait of you as a couple immediately before your ceremony.
Do you make all your couples have the first look, or is it optional? The first look is optional as many couples prefer not to see each other until they walk down the aisle.
How much time is typically needed to shoot a wedding? 4-8 hours is our average wedding.
Will you come for the rehearsal dinner? Covering your rehearsal dinner is an option you can purchase separately.
How many photographers come with you on the wedding day? I shoot each wedding with two professional photographers, myself and a second shooter.
Do you bring any assistants? We have one assistant for all but the smallest weddings.
Do you have backup equipment? Yes, both my second shooter and I have backups for every piece of equipment.
What do you wear to your weddings? For the most formal weddings we wear formal attire, otherwise business attire.
Will my images be posted on social networking sites? With your permission, we post a sneak peek of your wedding to our Facebook Page and tag you in the images. Select weddings will also be used for advertising and marketing purposes.
Is an engagement session included in any of your packages? An Engagement Session is an option we highly recommend.
If I don’t want something in a package, can you remove it from the package? We don’t have static packages, all our items are available individually and when we sit down with you after your wedding, for your print and album consultation, we will work with you to build a custom package of only items you want.
What forms of payment do you accept? We accept Cash, Credit, Check and PayPal.
How much is the deposit? Our wedding deposit is $250 and is required with a signed wedding agreement to reserve your day.
When is the remaining amount due for the wedding? The balance is due no less than 60 days before your wedding date.
Do you offer a “pay in full” discount? Yes, we offer a 10% discount if you pay your invoice in full upon receipt.
Do you offer a military discount? Yes, we offer a 10% military discount.
Do you offer a Friday/Sunday wedding day discount? No, we do not offer Friday/Sunday wedding day discounts.
Do you offer payment plan options? Yes, we can setup a monthly payment plan option upon request.
If we would like to have several locations for the bride/groom and bridal party photos, do you charge for each additional location on the wedding day? No, we do not charge extra for additional locations, but travel time between locations is considered photography coverage time.
Do I have to use the wedding time coverage consecutively? Yes, once we start shooting for your wedding our time is consecutive.
How far in advance do I need to book? We recommend booking at least 9 months in advance of your wedding date to assure the best chance of your date being available.
Can we meet before I book? We meet all our couples for a bridal consultation before you book, to get to know each other and to answer any other questions you may have, not covered here.
How would you describe your wedding shooting style? We shoot in a relaxed candid style; our images are shot to tell the intimate love story of your day and your new life together. Your album won’t be just a book of snapshots but a custom story, told in images, of your love.
How long have you been shooting weddings, and how many per year? I have been shooting professionally for over 18 years and combined with the other photographers that work with me we have over 35 years of experience. We limit our weddings to 20-30 per year.
Do you use flash for any of your photography? We use on camera and off camera flash and strobes for your ceremony and reception as dictated by the space and venue requirements and limitations.
Are you a member of any professional photographer organizations? We belong to several professional organizations including PPA and we place a high value on continuing education to constantly improve our craft and stay current with new trends in the wedding industry.
Can you send me a list of references? We can supply a list of references upon request as well as have many testimonials on our website.
What happens if my wedding gets canceled or I need to change the date after I’ve booked? We will make every effort to work with you if your needs change.
Do you offer annual anniversary sessions? Yes, we love to do special anniversary shoots for our clients.
Do you typically shoot for the whole wedding day? Yes, we shoot full coverage of your ceremony and reception.
Do you work with any specific vendors? We have a list of preferred vendors that we have worked with in the past that we can provide upon request.
Can you hold my date without a deposit? No, we require a deposit and signed wedding agreement to hold your date.
How long does it take to receive my photos after my wedding? Typically your proofs will be online for your review and approval within six weeks of your wedding date. Once you have approved your proofs we will touch-up and finalize all your images and post to your custom website within two weeks.
How many photos should I expect from my wedding day? The number of proofs from your wedding will depend on a lot of variables, but mostly length of event.
How long does it take to get my albums? Once we have designed and ordered your album, at your album and print consultation, the turnaround time is approximately six weeks.
Do you offer videography? No, but we have an excellent videographer, that we have worked with in the past, that we can highly recommend.
Do you offer slideshow presentations at the reception? No, but we have worked with other outside vendors to accommodate this request from brides.
Do you offer live photo booths? Yes, we have an outside vendor we work with to provide that as an option.
Do you offer save the date/thank you cards? Yes, we have a wide selection of custom designed cards for all occasions.
What happens if you get sick on my wedding day? In 18 years I have never missed a wedding, but I have a network of photographers that can be called upon to fill in, depending on availability, with my second shooter for last minute emergencies.
How many events do you typically shoot on a wedding day? Your wedding will be the only event we shoot that day; our whole focus is upon you and telling your story that day.
Does it cost extra for black and whites or adding a vintage look to my photos? No, your guest, family and friends will have the option to choose Color, B&W and Sepia versions of all images from your custom wedding website at no additional charge.
What will you do if something happens to my wedding photos? Periodically digital files can become corrupt, we use a professional data recovery service to recover data from equipment and storage malfunctions.
Do you shoot with film or digital? 18 years ago when I started my wedding career I shot film, five years ago we started shooting digital. Now we shoot digital only unless film is requested before hand and will includes a surcharge.
If you have any additional questions not covered here, please feel free to contact us!
bryant@bpaydenphotography.com