Deciding on and hiring a wedding photographer for your wedding day is a BIG decision to make, and not only because they’re the ones tasked with capturing your wedding day and delivering your wedding album with images that let you reminisce and relive one of the best days of your life! No, a wedding photographer is SO much more than that. They’re the person you’ll spend the most amount of time with on your wedding day, and the experience of choosing and working with a wedding photographer extends far beyond just the photos. That’s why today we’re going to take a look into how I document a wedding and what my client experience is like as your Chicago wedding photographer! 

My Client Experience

I Look Out for YOU

As I mentioned earlier, the profession of a wedding photographer extends SO much deeper than just taking the photos, though that is a VERY important aspect as well! My goal though as a Chicago wedding photographer is for my clients to have a wedding day and wedding planning experience that maximizes their enjoyment while minimizing the stress. This means that I am there for you every step of the way! From the moment you book with me until I deliver your album I am your number one planner, supporter, and hype girl!

Timeline Help

One of the most common stressors in wedding planning is coming up with your timeline. How do you fit everything you want into your wedding day while leaving time for things like portraits, travel, meals, and everything else in the day? When you hire me as your Chicago wedding photographer I make it a top priority to help you make your timeline and plan out each part of your day. We’ll go through everything you and your partner want included in your day from the events to the photos you want. From there, with my expertise and experience in the industry, I’ll be able to walk you through each step to create the wedding timeline that best fits your vision for your day!

Makes Space and Time

A huge thing that a LOT of couples overlook on their timeline is something that I often help them include to bring their wedding day to that next level of enjoyment. That’s planning in and creating time and space for you two to enjoy each other’s company, away from everyone else. Wedding days FLY by and oftentimes even though a couple will be together the majority of the day there really isn’t much time to reflect and enjoy the moment with one another. Planning in and creating that time for the two of you to just exist is crucial for the experience and something I always strive to include for my couples. This also creates some great portrait photo opportunities as a plus!

Experience You Can Count On

In my years of wedding photography and being a wedding photographer I have pretty much seen it all! This experience is invaluable for my clients as they can rely on me to know what to do and how to make things work. Think about it, your wedding day is often the one and only time you’ll be in this position, so there’s no real experience to draw from.

That’s where I come in! Being there every step of the way for my clients for TONS of weddings in the past has allowed me to grow and learn as a photographer to improve my experience. Whether you need someone to think quickly on their feet to make a timeline-saving decision, you need someone to fluff your dress for your photos, or you need help getting friends and family where they need to be at any given time, I am your gal!

A Typical Wedding Day Outline

Now that you know what my client experience looks and feels like, let’s take a look at what a typical wedding day itself would look like with me as your Chicago wedding photographer! Keep in mind every wedding day is different so this isn’t a one size fits all breakdown.

Getting Ready Through Your Ceremony

As your wedding day starts I will arrive while you are getting ready for your day to capture detail photos as well as getting ready photos. If you and your partner are both getting ready in the same location I’ll photograph both of you, however, if you are getting ready at 2 locations my second photographer will be there to photograph your partner and will start their day around the same time as me. From there depending on your day we will either have a first look and some time for portraits, or we will head to your ceremony space.

Once the Ceremony is over we will have some time for family portraits. I pride myself on my efficiency in taking family portraits. These are super important as you rarely get to have your whole family together like this, but it is also crucial to be efficient with them so that you can enjoy the rest of your wedding day as well!

Cocktail Hour Through Your Reception

Once family portraits are finished it is usually time for cocktail hour before the reception. This time will usually be spent by us capturing some newlywed portraits. We will already have a list of preferred and important portrait locations from our timeline planning, so we’ll know where to go and how to get the most out of this time! When it comes to these portraits I make sure to bring the energy as you should be feeling over the moon with excitement. You just got freaking married after all! 

Once the cocktail hour is complete your reception will start and there will be some time to refuel and recharge. During any speeches, cake cuttings, or other events of the evening, I will be making my rounds and capturing these moments for you to look back on. I’ll also be there to capture your first dance(s) and then once the floor opens up to your guests I am in there! I LOVE getting on the dance floor with my clients and their guests. It gets everyone so hyped up and makes for some of the most fun photos of the day! 

As you can see, my client experience is something I take VERY seriously as a Chicago wedding photographer. You really only get to experience your wedding day once. I want to make sure you experience and enjoy not only your day to the fullest but every step leading up to it as well! If you’re ready to book me as your photographer be sure to send me an inquiry through my contact page. Otherwise, if you’re looking to see more of my work check out my Instagram or other blogs!