Babydoll Weddings is excited to introduce Alan and Adrian. Our team is delighted to provide hair and makeup services for their entire wedding party this coming January, 2018. We fell in love with them instantly and were beyond thrilled when they agreed to let us share their love story with you. For the past several weeks we have been sharing their wedding planning experiences as a newly engaged couple planning a same-sex wedding. We hope you love them as much as we do!
Hiring a Photographer and Videographer
We love weddings – and by weddings, we mean everything about weddings, especially talking with our couples about THEIR big day. With fall wedding season in full swing, we hadn’t had the chance to catch up with Alan and Adrian. The wedding date is approaching – in one month to be exact – so we seized the perfect opportunity this past weekend and crashed their hair and makeup trials for their groom’s maids to pop bubbly and ask some pertinent questions that bride’s to be may want to know about booking a photographer and videographer .
Say Cheese
Q: Alan, you are one month out from your wedding. This is the first large party that you and Adrian will throw as husband and husband. How has the planning process been so far?
A: There is one piece of advice we have been given that is true – no wedding is perfect. There are hiccups but we are flexible in changing direction if needed. This advice came in handy when we had to change photographers unexpectedly.
Q: Finding one vendor that you love can sometimes prove challenging. How did you find two?
A: Actually, we found THREE! When we starting to look at photographers, we originally selected Ily Grantham. Our venue, Aldea, made it very easy for us because they have a selection of photographers included in their packages. After asking Ily all the pertinent questions about her style, we loved the quality of her work and the amount of detail she puts into every picture she takes. We discovered that we shared the same vision and we loved her high energy and enthusiasm to make sure our day went perfectly. She even effortlessly crafted our timeline that day. But, due to forces outside anyone’s control, we terminated the contract.
Choosing Between Two Favorites
Q: You mentioned that you found three photographers that you loved. What factors helped you decide between the next two?
A: With the help of Aldea (which we’re thankful for going with an all-inclusive venue with multiple vendor options to choose from), they introduced us to Mandy Reed from Mi Amore Photography.
Mandy’s photography was slightly different than Ily’s, but still exceptional quality. She likes to use her surroundings to help frame what she’s focusing on, she’s not afraid to play with movement and action shots to give the photo a sense of of life, and likes to use multiple cameras and lenses for a variety of shots. We decided to use her for our engagement shots in that took place in Payson, Arizona. Mandy was very clear in directing how we were to pose (which is great for people who had no idea how to pose in photos beyond selfies). We tried several different outfits in several different areas of the Mogollon Rim and when we received the final photos, we had lots of great options to choose from.
Photo Credit: Mi Amore Photography
Photo Credit: Mi Amore Photography
Changing Mid-Stream
After reviewing the photos, Adrian and I discovered that we wanted our photographs to be a darker style than what we saw in our engagement photos. In order to accomplish that, we researched photographers that aren’t included in our venue’s packages. After a long search, we decided to go with Jonathan Allison Photography. We love his ability to capture vivid colors, the artistic eye he conveys, and the ability to view each of his photographs as works of art. Because we decided on a vendor that’s not part of our wedding package, we were able to negotiate a reduced rate with Aldea.
Photo Credit: Jonathan Allison Photography
Photo Credit: Jonathan Allison Photography
Lights, Camera, Action
Q: Let’s talk about videography. It still seems to be a “nice-to-have” for some couples. Did you decide to add this element?
A: We honestly feel that being able to watch and listen to our vows years from now is priceless.
Our search for a videographer wasn’t as easy. When we originally booked with Ily Grantham, we wanted to keep the photographer and the videographer within the same company because they know how each other works and understand each other’s styles. After we changed services to Mi Amore Photography, we decided to do the same thing with them, until recently our photographer dropped her videography services due to personal reasons (she’s still keeping her photography business). We finally decided to go back to the original plan of hiring a company that specializes in videography services and not attached to a specific photographer.
And the Emmy Goes To….
Q: Which company did you end up selecting? What do you feel set them apart from other companies?
A: Legacy Videography (http://www.legacyhdv.com) has been noting but exceptional. Legacy is very responsive and will help you pick the right package for your needs. They are also same-sex wedding friendly, very customizable, and work with our venue often so they are familiar with the layout. His cameras are 1080P HD cameras and have microphones they use have the ability to filter out unwanted sounds (kids crying, unwanted background noise, etc.). Bonus!
As part of the final product, they will give us a 1 to 2-hour long video that covers pre-ceremony, all of the ceremony, and the reception (dance clips, and complete coverage of all the major milestones of the night). This is by far a great company that is well worth the money.
Once in a Lifetime
Q: What advice can you give other couples about finding the right photographer and videographer?
A: You can’t retake your wedding photos so you need to be sure to select the right photographer. Choose someone that you know cares enough about your day to capture those special. We feel that this is the MOST important piece of your wedding day because other than your rings, they’ll be the only thing you have to remember and look back on the day.
For videography, find one that will fit in your budget. They will not only capture the entire ceremony including your vows, but all those special moments that might be too quick for a photographer to capture, like a gesture, or a kiss. Being able to watch your day over and over again in the future will help you remember all those special moments that that made your wedding day special.