Looking for the perfect wedding photographer can sometimes be stressful and leave you with more questions than answers. I've done my best to answer every question I could possibly think of, but if there's anything I forgot then don't be afraid to ask! (:
General
What would you consider your Wedding Photography style to be?
I would describe my wedding photography style as vibrant, colorful, bright, and candid. I prefer candid photos using natural light to really capture the way your wedding day feels. Posed photos are great, and I will certainly provide instruction during family photos and bridal party photos, but nothing will ever tell the story of your wedding day the way genuine, raw displays of emotion will.
Can we see a full gallery from another wedding?
Definitely! In fact, I always send the link to a full wedding day gallery anytime I respond to an inquiry. As wedding photographers, we love to show off our favorite wedding photos, but full wedding day galleries are a great way for you to see the quality of photographs you'll receive over the course of an entire wedding day!
We aren't good at having our photos taken and we're worried they're going to look awkward and forced. Can you help??
Don't worry, you're in good hands! Everyone looks a little awkward when you tell them to stand still and hold a smile... There will be none of that. Getting real, natural reactions and emotions out of couples is kind of my thing (: I've got a ton of games and prompts I love to use that bring out genuine smiles and laughs. Combine that with how much fun you'll be having and how comfortable you'll feel while taking your photos and you'll be wondering if a career in modeling is in your future (; You have enough things to worry about after you get engaged. Photos shouldn't be one of them.
Wedding Day
WHAT IF OUR Wedding VENUE IS DARK WITH NO NATURAL LIGHT?
Not a problem! I only use top-end professional Canon photography equipment that has incredible low-light capability. Between my photography equipment and any lighting provided by your DJ, there will be plenty of ambient light to make your wedding photos turn out amazing. In a worst-case scenario, I will certainly have my own lighting I can use; however, I only use it if ABSOLUTELY necessary. You put a ton of time, effort, and money into making your wedding reception look perfect. I would never want to ruin that vibe by bringing in a bunch of artificial lights.
WHAT IF YOUR FANCY photography EQUIPMENT BREAKS ON OUR WEDDING DAY?
Even the best equipment isn’t completely resistant to failures. While I’ve personally never had an issue with my photography equipment during a wedding (knock on wood), I always bring multiple back-ups of all my gear, just in case. If my camera were to fail or if I were to accidentally drop one of my lenses and smash it, I’d simply grab another from my bag and continue photographing your wedding like nothing happened (:
SPEAKING OF BREAKING THINGS, DO YOU HAVE INSURANCE?
Absolutely! Some wedding venues require wedding photographers and other wedding vendors to provide proof of insurance before your wedding day. If your wedding venue requires a copy of my general liability insurance, I’m more than happy to send that to them!
Do you charge a travel fee if my wedding is outside of the Cleveland area?
Nope! Not a penny more than if your wedding were here in Cleveland, Ohio! While it may seem like you have to be limited to only searching for "wedding photographers near me," to find a wedding photographer that will capture your wedding day without charging you an arm and a leg in travel fees, I'm definitely one of the few that doesn't mind traveling to be with you on your wedding day (: You and your fiancé pick the perfect venue that will help you have the wedding day of your dreams and I'll be there to capture it - even if I didn't show up in the search results for "wedding photographers near me" (:
Engagement Photo Session (free when you book 8+ hours of wedding day photography coverage)
WHY DO YOU OFFER A FREE ENGAGEMENT photo SESSION WHEN OTHERS WANT US TO PAY FOR IT?
I love shooting engagement photo sessions with my couples! They’re a great chance for us to get to know each other and become friends so that on your wedding day you know who I am and what to expect from me. It’s also a great chance for you to see the quality of photos I’ll create for you two and to get you comfortable in front of a camera. Engagement photos are perfect for Save the Dates, wedding websites, and to have professional photos of you two aside from just your wedding photos. Most couples only have selfies and snapshots, so it’s great to have nice, high-quality photos!
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR US TO GET TO KNOW OUR wedding PHOTOGRAPHER BEFORE OUR WEDDING DAY?
Think about it this way - of all the wedding vendors that will be there on your wedding day, who is the only one you’ll be with throughout the ENTIRE day? Your wedding photographer! From getting ready before the ceremony to the fun and dancing at your reception, your wedding photographer is there throughout your entire day. It’s incredibly important that you hire a wedding photographer that can not only take great photos (to be honest, there are a lot of Cleveland wedding photographers that take incredible wedding photos out there), but that you hire a wedding photographer that is going to make you feel comfortable and allow you to be yourselves. That is something that often goes overlooked in the wedding photographer hiring process but is something that will 100% make a difference in the way your day feels and the way your wedding photos turn out!
(brief pause for a little shameless plug)
Casey & Jeff
"Our wedding photos are absolutely stunning and my heart is so happy I can’t even express my gratitude! Eric was so amazing and our wedding photos are breathtaking! I’m sure I told him thank you so many times, however thank you isn’t enough to show how impressed I was with the entire process from beginning to end! His photos forced me to invest in picture frames for my entire home! Thank you Eric!"
Carry on (:
Photo Delivery
DO YOU EDIT ALL OF YOUR photos?
Of course I do! That little bit of extra professional editing is what takes your engagement and wedding photos from ordinary to extraordinary. This includes everything from color corrections and lighting adjustments, to contrast and tone tweaks, to cropping and rotating when needed. My editing process is also what allows me to add my unique photography style to each of your photos before delivering them to you!
HOW MANY PHOTOS WILL WE GET from our engagement photo session and wedding day and WHEN WILL WE GET THEM?
Every wedding day is slightly different, but typically I’ll deliver between 60-70 photos per hour of wedding photography coverage. The same applies for engagement photo sessions as well. I aim for high-quality, not high-quantity. I would rather deliver incredible wedding photos that make you say, “WOW!” than to deliver 2,000 “okay” wedding photos. My goal is to deliver your wedding photos to you within 2 weeks after your wedding day!
HOW will you DELIVER OUR wedding PHOTOS TO US?
I set up a personalized online gallery for you and email you a link to access your gallery. From your gallery, you can view, download, and share all your wedding photos! Think of your gallery as your own personal website and you can share that link with all your friends and family so they can relive your incredible wedding day as well. And don’t worry, your gallery is not public and no one (aside from you and the people you share it with) will have access to it!
Payment
When we decide to book our wedding photography package, HOW DOES PAYMENT WORK AND ARE YOU GOING TO SURPRISE US WITH HIDDEN FEES OR CHARGES?
No hidden fees or shady charges, I promise! In fact, it’s specifically in my photography contract that there will be no fees, taxes, or charges that we’ve not previously agreed upon. As far as payment goes, when booking 6 or more hours of wedding photography coverage, a 50% initial deposit will reserve your wedding date. The remaining 50% balance is due one month before your wedding date. When booking less than 6 hours of wedding photography coverage, the total price of your wedding photography package will be due to reserve your wedding date.
WHY DON'T YOU HAVE "COOKIE-CUTTER" wedding photography PRICING PACKAGES like all the other wedding photographers near me?
Every wedding photography package is custom-made based on your personal needs. That way, you'll never pay for any wedding photography coverage you don't need or want. You wouldn't want to pay for 12 hours of wedding photography coverage when your wedding is only 8 hours long! Use the form below to tell me about the details of your wedding and I'll send you pricing information based on your needs!
Tell me about your special day!
It might seem like a long form to fill out, but I promise it makes a HUGE difference in getting to know your personal wedding photography needs and creating the perfect wedding photography package for you and your fiancé (:
Once I know the details of your wedding day, I'll send you an email with pricing and availability, as well as a few links to full client galleries from past weddings for you to check out. I can't wait to hear from you!
For general questions, feel free to email me: ericmcbridephotography@gmail.com