Why you should hire a Professional Photographer for your Wedding. We are proud members of Professional Photographers of America and Southwest Professional Photographers of America.
We apologize but we will be updating the website this entire month with new images and new tips. We will also be adding a seperate blog for the photographers that follow us with tips and tricks. These tips will include but are not limited to photography and editing! This year we will also be helping out our Senior and Wedding Clients on making a good decision on your photographer. Thru the years we have been asked several different questions by our clients to decide on which photographer to work with whether it be Senior Portraits or Weddings.
Thank you for your patience and understanding while we go thru these big changes.
Regards,
Ryan Gonzales
1. What is your filming style?
2. Have you shot indoors and outdoors, by candlelight and twilight?
3. Do you shoot weddings primarily?
4. Do you use a video light or any type of supplemental lights?
5. What other types of videography have you done?
6. How many hours of service and raw footage does that include?
7. What is your fee?
8. What is the cost of additional DVD’s?
9. Is the final copy uncut or edited?
10. If we are getting an edited DVD what happens to the raw footage.
11. Can we purchase the raw footage?
12. What is the cost for the raw footage?
13. Can you lay music over some scenes?
14. Is there an additional cost for the songs? How much is each song?
15. Can you include titles and credits?
16. Have you shot at our wedding site before?
17. Do you know good places at our site to shoot?
18. Will you come early to shoot us getting ready and having formal pictures taken? If so is there an additional cost?
19. What type of equipment do you use? Is it portable?
20. Can you be inconspicuous during the ceremony and reception.
21. If you’re ill on the wedding day, who will take your place?
22. When will we receive our DVD’s?
23. What will your attire be on the wedding day?
24. Do you require meals?
25. How much of a deposit is required? When is the balance due? What is your cancellation policy?
These are all just suggestions that we have expereienced from working with several brides and grooms.
Thank you for reading! We will be adding some questions to ask your wedding vendor before you hire them.
Before Booking Your Wedding Photographer Here Are Some Questions To Ask!
1: What is your style of photography?
2: How many locations do you primarily allow for formals?
3: How do we get to view our proofs?
4: How long should formals take?
5: Do you use a contract?
6: How many photographers and assistants will be there?
7: How much of a deposit is required to book our date?
8: Will your second shooter be with you during the day?
9: Why would we want to have two photographers?
10: Do you have liability insurance?
11: When is the balance due?
12: What happens if the main photographer gets sick or something happens that he/she cannot be there?
13: Will you photograph our details like the cake and the other decor?
14: Will you come early on the day of the wedding to get the getting ready shots or is that extra?
15: How many weddings do you photograph per year?
16: How much experience do you have specifically photographing weddings?
17: How many shots will be taken? How many will we get to see?
18: If you are unfamiliar with our site, are you willing to visit it and scout the locations?
19: What other types of photography have you done?
20: What are our size options for portraits?
Consider taking some, if not all, formal portraits before the ceremony to avoid spending valuable reception time posing for the camera. This would be a good time for a trendy creative shot or the “first look”.
These are all just suggestions that we have expereienced from working with several brides and grooms.
Thank you for reading! We will be adding some questions to ask your wedding vendor before you hire them.
Name | Spencer & Christina
Date | 09.08.12
Ceremony Location | El Paso Train Depot
Reception Location | El Paso Train Depot
Makeup Salon/ Artist | 1st Impressions Salon
Florist | Dov
DJ/ Band | El Paso’s Finest DJ
Live music (Brother: Ryan Snodgrass, Bridesmaid: Elyse Wieland, Friend: Joe Cueto, Friend: Dominic Heredk, Dad: Tom Snodgrass)
Dress Designer | Bridesmaid
Hair Salon/ Stylist | Impressions Salon
Cake Shop/ Designer | Baby Cakes by Marcy
Wedding Photography | Gonzales Photography
Second Photographer | Ray Quezada of Ray Quezada Photography Dallas
Tell us how you first met?
(Her):He met my brother at church, then came over to our house for lunch. that’s where it all began, 3 years ago.
(Him): I had seen her in church but did not know she was the sister of my friend when I went over to his house.
When did you know he/she was the one? Was there something he/she did?
(Her) It happened over time, at first we just hung out then became good friends which led to boyfriend/girlfriend and now we’re married.
(Him) Yes, that’s basically what happened. Overtime we became the couple we are now.
Tell us about the proposal. (Did you see it coming, how long was it in the planning? How did you feel?(nervous, excited, freaked out?)
(Her): we were in Lake Tahoe on a walk by the lake. I did not know it was coming, but all of my close friends predicted it would happen on that skiing trip
(Him) I planned the entire trip for the soul purpose of proposing to Christina. I was pretty nervous but when the time came to give her the ring, it all came together.
What is the one thing you love most about each other?
(Her) That’s hard to say, I don’t think there is just one thing that I came single out in him.
(Him) It has to be her personality, she is so easy going that I always want to be around her.
Besides getting married – what’s the one thing you are looking forward to on your wedding day?
(Her) That’s hard to say since I was so excited about getting married. I really didn’t stop to think about everything else.
(Him) Getting married is the whole point of the wedding day so besides that, nothing else seemed important.
Thank you from Gonzales Photography!
Check this out, this has to be one of the greatest promotions we have ever offered for weddings. You will get two full hours of our signature photo booth which is valued at $299/hr absolutely free when you book your wedding with Gonzales Photography in the month of September thru the 17th of October. That is one full month so please take full advantage quickly because our dates are filling up rather quickly! Thank you and congratulations to all of our newly engaged,…
Hiring the right team is critical to planning your dream wedding…and it can also be quite stressful.
How do you find the right match for you? How do you know who to trust? Where do you go for advice?
First of all, this is not an easy task and it’s totally normal for couples to feel overwhelmed, frustrated or confused.
It’s not like you plan a wedding every day! This is all probably brand new to you, so be patient with yourself.
A few tips to finding the right ones for you…
• Do Your Homework. You’ll get much more out of a meeting or conversation with a wedding professional if you do a little background homework first.
Spend some time on the internet or talking to friends who’ve recently been married. Find out the average prices in your area and what services are available. Get an idea of what you like and don’t like. Wedding websites and chat rooms can be a great resource. This way when you meet with a wedding professional you’ll be able to ask better questions and have an idea of what to look out for.
• Meet With Them. An in person meeting is the best way to interview a potential wedding vendor. It lets you get the full experience of their personality, style and professionalism. If that’s not possible, have a phone conversation.
• Ask Questions. There are no stupid questions! Make sure you get clear, specific answers to your questions. If you aren’t sure what something means, ask them to clarify. Keep asking questions until you completely understand.
If a wedding vendor has a problem with you asking questions, they probably aren’t the one for you. The best wedding professionals are patient, understanding and take the time to help you make the best choices for your wedding.
• Listen. Don’t just hear the words they say, really listen. Watch the vendor’s body language. Are they confident and comfortable with their response? Do they look and sound nervous? Do you get a “funny feeling” about them? Take all the sights, sounds and feelings into account along with their responses; if your gut tells you something isn’t right, it probably isn’t.
• Check References. Portfolios are hand-picked to show off the best work, but they may not represent the “average” wedding performance. Videos are edited for the optimum presentation. But real referrals from satisfied clients are hard to fake.
Call up both client and professional references. Ask questions and use those listening skills. Even if they give a rave review, you’ll often be able to “read between the lines” if there were any issues or problems.
Ask around and search the internet for reviews. Check the Better Business Bureau for any outstanding complaints against the business. Weigh all of this information into your choices.
Here are 8 Must Ask Questions to ask ALL your potential wedding professionals before booking:
1. How many weddings do you do per year? How much experience do you have?
This is an extremely important question. Ideally, your wedding professional should have ample experience specifically with weddings. Not only will they be more skilled in their craft, this also makes them a valuable source of information and ensures that your wedding day goes smoothly.
2. How much do you cost?
Price is often relative, especially when you factor in experience, reputation and expert skill. Generally, the most talented professionals have a higher price tag because they are worth it.
3. How much is the deposit?
4. What specifically is included in that cost?
Because packages often vary, it’s likely that you won’t be able to compare one vendor exactly to the next without doing a little figuring. The lowest cost isn’t necessarily the best deal; some higher quotes include services that you have to pay extra for in other packages. Make sure you take this into account.
5. What happens if I cancel? What happens if you cancel?
Find out if your deposit is refundable under any conditions. Does the wedding professional have a back up plan if something happens to them?
6. Do you use a contract?
If the answer is No, RUN! A contract is designed to protect both you and the wedding professional. Don’t settle for a verbal agreement that won’t hold up in court.
7. Are there any additional fees?
Taxes, service charges and travel fees can add up quickly. Make sure you understand exactly what is included and if there are any other fees you’ll have to pay. This should be clearly defined in your contract.
8. Do you carry liability insurance?
The answer you’re looking for here is Yes. This protects you in case an unfortunate accident should occur on your wedding day. It’s also a sign that this is a reputable business, since most “fly by night” operations don’t invest in insurance.
If chosen wisely, with the right wedding vendors you get expert help and advice…for free!
Here are a few of the images I captured while telling this wonderful couples wedding day story.
Wow, talk about an amazing place to have a wedding. The Lodge in Cloudcroft, NM is something you have to see and experience the beauty of this amazing hotel and ballroom. As soon as we stepped foot off of the car we were marveled at the beauty and elegance of this amazing hotel. Once we had the opportunity to enter the ballroom the elegance continued throughout the venue. Here are just a few images from a very elegant and beautiful wedding. Thank you Laura and Raul for allowing us to tell your story through our viewfinders and creative eyes. Good luck in the future, I am sure we will see you soon for photographs of the family.