Welcome!
So many good things to come!
Thank you for choosing me as your wedding photographer! I appreciate your trust more than you know and can’t wait to start digging in with you.
Now that you’re here, I want to walk you through the process of working together so you feel comfortable with all the important need to knows and expectations. There is a LOT of information in this guide, so take the time to absorb at your pace and hopefully utilize it often as you continue to plan!
I’m an open door of communication and want you to feel comfortable reaching out to me whenever you have questions, concerns, or ideas to share. However, don’t feel like we need to be in constant communication in order for me to be invested! Some of my couples are open books and love to share everything from their dress to their table decor. Some are comfortable plotting along on their own and don’t need me for much until the day gets closer. I’m that friend that’s here when you need me to be and isn’t offended when you disappear for a bit. I’ll be here for you on your terms!
My expectations are simple - keep in touch with me if anything changes (especially a change of date or venue) and be open and willing to dream with me about what your wedding day could be, regardless of the schedules and expectations that may try to dictate how you celebrate. Give yourself plenty of space to think about what it is YOU truly want out of your day and allow me in that space with you! Welcoming me into that vulnerable place where you dream is where the magic of our collaboration truly lies.
I encourage you to follow along with me on social media so we can continue to chat and get to know one another! I’m happy to keep up with you and all your adventures leading up to the big day.
-Jess
SO, here’s how it all breaks down.
You’re booked in and ready to go! Now what?
01.
Developing a Wedding Vision
Planning is one of my favorite parts of the process. It’s where we begin the blend of your vision and my artistic voice. Most of my brides already have a wedding Pinterest board they’ve been developing for months (or years, I don’t judge), and I’d love to be invited to take a peek! As you plot out the details that fill your day, I’d love for you to create a separate section or board where we can collaborate on how you want your photos to FEEL. Not just how they look, but the emotions you want them to capture. How do you envision your story being told? In a way that is thoughtful and peaceful? Electric and full of energy? Intimate and romantic? All of the above?
I want you to put together a mood board between 3 and 6 months out from your wedding day that encompasses all the things you’re inspired by. It can be photos of mine, photos from photographers you love from all over the world, colors, textures, even words and lyrics. I want this board to be filled with things that make you HAPPY and excited to get married. That evoke all the good feelings when you think of your wedding day. And then send it to me! I want to meditate on it and add to it things that inspire me about you as a couple and how your mood board makes ME feel as your photographer. This board will be inspirational for us both as we prepare to create and document all the deep feelings and emotions from your wedding day. We’ll discuss this more during your one month out call that I’ll talk more about below.
PRO TIP!
Learn to analyze (and communicate!) what you love about the photos in your mood board. Is it the outfits? The background? The lighting? The posing? Sometimes different people fall in love with different aspects of the same photo. Being able to understand what YOU’RE seeing, will help me to see through your eyes. For example, you can explain to me that you love the way the lighting looks in one photo but adore the posing in the next!
- A note! -
This board is to help inspire us and help us envision how the day will feel. It’s not to be used as a benchmark for what your wedding photos should look like. Your wedding will be unique and filled with authentic memories of YOUR day!
02.
one month out
Just before the one-month mark, I’ll send out your wedding day questionnaire!
This questionnaire will be an in depth look at the timeline of your day and the people, places, and things that will make your wedding come alive. This questionnaire will be used to create my photography timeline and will be frequently referenced throughout the final stage of our wedding journey together. It’s important to be thorough and accurate! Once completed, we’ll schedule a call where we’ll go over the questionnaire together, run through the timeline, and discuss your wedding photo vision more in depth. I want to make sure no stone is left unturned!
Once that call is complete, I’ll type up and send out a little document with the notes from our call so that we both have a copy to refer back to.
03.
execution oF your day
This is it!
Wedding day is here, and we are ready and excited to celebrate with you! I want you to know we’re prepared for anything - any weather, any time restraints, any family situations, any anything. We’ve seen it all and are ready for whatever the day throws our way. The beauty of what we do is that we can read the room and intuitively step in when you need us, and step back when you don’t. We’ll make sure we stick to the timeline but are flexible enough that if things run behind, we can make room elsewhere. Wedding days are often filled with a lot of last-minute decisions, and that’s normal! The key is to let us worry about the formalities - you just focus on soaking up every bit of your wedding day.
Tips for Magical Wedding Photos
Breathe. Relax.
The best tip I can give you is to ground yourself in the WHY of your day.
Everything else is just noise.
I always talk to my couples about the importance of trust and allowing us to do what you hired us to do - to document this day thoughtfully and artistically. That can’t happen naturally if you’re stressing out over how things “look.” Let us worry about what we’re seeing! All I want you to do is focus on experiencing this day fully and completely with your spouse. Interact. Play. Touch. Those authentic interactions are what we LIVE for in your photos. Give yourself grace and allow yourself to be fully present in the moment. It’ll make for the most magical photos, I promise!
04.
file delivery
I know I’m going to be SO excited to share these photos with you!
Expect a sneak peek gallery within 48 hours (72 hours max if something important pops up!) You’ll be able to download and share photos right away so your friends and family can celebrate with you! My contract covers full gallery delivery in up to 12 weeks' time, but I always aim for much sooner! I will keep in touch with you if there are any delays that would prevent me from delivering your gallery within that time frame.
IMPORTANT Things we need to discuss…
FLAT LAYS
Flay lay details are huge right now, and for good reason! They’re a beautiful collection of your wedding design & aesthetics all in one photo. If having these details photographed is important to you, keep in mind that I will need ONE HOUR before the start of your getting ready coverage begins to photograph them. This is the amount of time it takes to photograph a fully styled and well executed flat lay. You will also want to ask your florist for extra florals to add to the design!
You do NOT need to plan an hour for details if a styled flat lay is not important to you. I can photograph details in a more casual way in 15-30 minutes. This is something we can discuss on your call if you’re unsure how much time you’ll need!
Either way, have ALL details you want photographed in a box ready to go for me so that I can photograph them as soon as I walk in the door!
FIRST LOOK
If you’ve been going back and forth about this, there’s some truths I want to discuss as a seasoned pro in this industry.
The truth is that there are really no cons to a first look, only pros. THAT SAID, I will always support my couples in what they want to do. It is not about me or any other vendor. But I do want you to make a choice based on the realities of doing or not doing one.
First, it will definitely cramp your timeline to not do a first look. You will be stuffing an entire wedding’s worth of photos into your cocktail hour, which can be very stressful for all involved. If the weather is bad? It can make that time restraint nearly impossible to work with, and it may mean sacrificing a lot of the shot list and making last minute decisions on which parts of your day to save and which to let go of. This is not the experience I want for you.
But the most important factor to me is how much of your day you’ll spend apart from your partner! If you have a summer wedding, ceremonies might not take place ‘til 5 or 6pm. That means you’ll spend the vast majority of your day apart from the person you’re marrying! Again, it means far less photos of the two of you on your wedding day.
I could go on and on, but the point is this. I have only seen first looks create more time, less stress, and more happy experiences on a wedding day. I have never heard from a single couple who regretted having one. I have heard from many who have regretted NOT doing one.
All that said, there are circumstances where NOT doing a first look makes total sense! Church ceremony? As long as we head to the church right after you’re done getting ready, that’s perfect! No bridal party? Then a first look might not be necessary at all. What I recommend is going to be very dependent on the layout of your day, and your personal priorities, and I’m happy to discuss if you’re feeling unsure!
COORDINATORS/PLANNERS AND WHY THEY MATTER
This one’s important, and I always hope my couples understand where I’m coming from when we discuss!
I am an important part of your wedding day, and I control a lot of the timeline and day of coordination naturally. A lot of things don’t “start” unless I’m in the room to capture them.
But I am NOT a wedding coordinator. And to do my job well, I can’t take on the responsibilities of one.
I’ve shot a lot of weddings with coordinators & planning teams, and a lot without. There are times on the days without that I find myself wrangling family members, searching for bridal party members that have gone missing, or chasing down food/drinks for the couple. While I will do whatever it takes to give my couples a stress-free day, and never ever mind assisting my fellow vendors, I realistically cannot focus on my job if I am focusing on duties outside of my job description. My job is to photograph your day artistically and with thoughtful intention. If I am constantly pulled in 12 different directions, not only does the timeline suffer, but so does my creativity. I can’t watch for those in between moments if I’m not present for them, you know?
None of my couples have ever put me in this position on purpose, and I never want to make it sound as though I don’t want to go above and beyond to assist or give them the best experience possible. I absolutely do! I just think it’s worth the discussion now so that you can A. Decide if a coordinator or planner is right for you if you have not hired one already & B. Make sure that you reiterate to members of your bridal party and/or family members on the shot list that their job is to help you by being where they’re supposed to be when they’re supposed to be there! It may seem obvious but take it from someone who’s attended over 200 weddings - nothing kills a wedding timeline faster than a photographer searching for people that aren’t where they’re supposed to be. Just something to think about as you continue to plan! I have some recommendations for planners and coordinators I love below!
Frequently Asked Questions
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Scheduling your session is mostly up to you! If you need them for save the dates, consider booking yours around a year out. If your session is just for fun, we have a bit more flexibility! Some couples like to book their session during the OPPOSITE season that they’re getting married in, for variety! Others prefer to book a couples months out from their date so everything feels fresh. There is no set rule, other than to keep an eye out for my availability (updated on IG!) to make sure I can accommodate you!
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Absolutely! The whole day belongs to you, so time can be stretched in either direction. If you find the need to add hours to your coverage or are considering adding rehearsal dinner coverage to your wedding weekend, reach out! The sooner I know, the more likely it is I can accommodate you!
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Once you’re booked officially, contact@valorandvine.com is the best email to reach me at! You can text me at 6107396800 as well, but please allow a little more time for text responses!
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On a wedding day, I pride myself on being exactly who you need me to be. Some couples love all the excitement, electricity, and joy on a wedding day. Some really benefit from a quiet, calm presence. I am here to support you and make you feel comfortable, in whatever way that looks like on the day of. I am a very intuitive, read the room kind of personality, so I like to check in, get the pulse, and blend in seamlessly. But if things are getting a little chaotic, I’m happy to step in and direct so you can relax!
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I can’t say it enough - energy is so important when it comes to the outcome of your photos. I don’t care what that looks like for the two of you, as long as it’s devoid of STRESS. Don’t let stress take away from the joy of this day! I am here to help you and to keep things as simple as possible. Let me (and your other vendors) work our magic! Stress isn’t something I can “photoshop out” of a photo. The key is to trust and relax into the process. It’s going to be AMAZING, I promise!
sAMPLE tIMELINES
A timeline can make or break a wedding day! Here’s an example of both an 8 and 10 hour timeline to give you an idea of how much time we need to accomplish each portion of your wedding day.
8 Hour Day
1pm: Photographers arrive, begin getting ready coverage - details casual in the bridal suite
Guys getting ready coverage in groom’s suite with second photographer
2pm: first look at ceremony site leading to private vows, beginning of couples’ portraits
2:30pm: Bridal party photos
3:15pm: Family photos
3:45 pm: Remaining couple’s photos
4:30pm: tucked back into venue
5pm: Ceremony starts
530pm: Cocktail Hour begins, photographers photograph reception details
6:45pm: - announcements leading into first dances and parent dances - welcomes speech right after
7:10pm: first course served, speeches
7:45pm: Dinner served
8:15pm: cake cutting followed by open dance coverage
9pm: dessert served - photographers depart
10 Hour Day
12pm: Photographers arrive at bride’s house; second photographer will travel to groom’s location. Begin with flat lay.
12:30pm: second photographer arrives at groom’s location for groom prep
1pm: Bridal prep and getting ready coverage before heading to venue.
2:15pm: Bridal party leaves for venue
3pm: Ceremony
3:45 approx : Receiving line followed by formal family photos at the church.
4:30pm: Bridal party photos
5pm: Cocktail hour begins. photographers capture couple for 30 minutes before capturing reception details
6pm: Reception begins. Announcements followed by 3 first dances and blessing; 3 toasts during first course.
7:30 approx : Dinner served ; reception coverage begins as soon as dinner ends
8pm approx : Sunset photos with couple
9:15 approx : Cake cutting
10pm: Photographers depart
Let’s talk vendor recommendations! Hiring a team of vendors that mesh well together is more important than you might think. I have a million vendor friends I know and love, and I meet new ones every season! These are just a few of my favorites that I’d love to work with again and that I trust implicitly to care for my couples.
Vendor Recommendations
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01 Videography
Roslyn Films
Stagger Films
Estoria Wedding Films
Its Joe Torres
Oscar Alexis Films -
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02 Hair & Makeup
True Beauty Marks
Dew Harbor
Makeup by Roxy
Happily Every After Hair
Ms Alisha Nycole
Jazmin Rae Bridal -
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03 Planner
Evviva Studio
Studio S Events
Love Haus Events
Musa Weddings
Carly Black Events
Opal Avenue Events
Kelab Events -
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04 Florist
Twig Gardens
Flowers from 12th
Feel Good Floral
Blue Jasmine Floral
Ornitha
Steadfast Florals
Waverly Flower Co -
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05 Day of Coordinator
Butterfly Effect Weddings
Allure Weddings & Events
Studio S Events
Bullsnake Events -
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06 Content Creator
Scorpio Media
Vivid Moments by San
Blissfully Content Creation
Unveiled Brides Co
Happily Ever Socials
Extra considerations
Engagement Session
If your package includes an engagement session, AMAZING! It’s the perfect time for us to meet and get to know one another before the wedding. Engagement sessions are for much more than your save the dates, it’s for me to get to know the ways in which you like to be photographed, and for you to get used to the way I help direct you! It’s perfect practice for us both for the wedding day and I absolutely love getting to know my couples in this way.
If your package doesn’t include an engagement session, you can purchase one a la carte and at a discount for $700!
Albums & Prints
Once your gallery is delivered online, there will be a prints and products store attached! There you can shop prints, wall art, and albums with multiple cover options. I always give my couples a little discount as well!
Average print pricing ranges from $10-$100, with multiple sizes and finishes offered. The standard size, luxury & heirloom quality wedding album included in my top package is worth $1500 a la carte. If pre purchased before your wedding, I’m happy to give my couples 15% off their purchase!
If you don’t see a size or finish option offered in your gallery, ask! There’s a ton of options available in my back office!
Rehearsal Dinner & Day After Coverage
If you’re the couple that wants it all and is excited by the thought of your entire wedding weekend being documented in some capacity, let’s chat! I offer 3 hours of rehearsal dinner coverage for $2500 and will often customize packages to suit your specific needs. Please reach out about your desire to book this coverage as soon as possible to make sure my schedule is left open for you!
I’ve had couples opt for more photos in their wedding attire at a designated time and place if their wedding day schedule doesn’t allow for golden hour portraits or photos at a desired location. Day after coverage is a great option in that case and is comparable in pricing to a couple’s session!
Honeymoon Sessions
Similar to rehearsal and day after coverage, if you’re interested in having the entirety of your wedding experience photographed, consider bringing me along on the honeymoon! Yes, couples do this and no, I won’t need to be with you the whole time!
I may already be traveling to your honeymoon destination (check our travel dates here!) OR I can build you a custom honeymoon package depending on the season and your destination. You’ll never experience this time in your life with your beloved ever again, and this is a unique and memorable way to document the beauty of your beginning!
If you’ve got questions, I’ve got answers!
If there’s anything you’re unsure of or if you want to chat more about the options for your wedding coverage, feel free to email me at contact@valorandvine.com at any time!
