West Coast Weddings

West Coast Weddings

I always advise my couples that they should start with the 3 BIGGIES and lock them in - Venue, Photographer&Videographer, Celebrant. Because it's so important to lock in the right people once you have your date fixed, the last thing you want is to fall in love with someone on your shortlist that you just have to have and find they are already booked!

So as your are researching your venue you should also be researching your photographer and videographer to make a short-list. Sometimes your venue will provide a preferred supplier list that will include a photographer and/or videographer, so by all means check them out, as they are probably familiar with the venue and might even have posted some portfolio examples from that venue for you to see. However, I would also recommend doing your own research to find someone whose style and pricing suits your budget and you feel fits what you are looking for. Check out their reviews and website, not just social media. Make a short list of 3 - 5 and once you have your venue and date locked it arrange to meet them - YES I SAID MEET THEM!!!! 

You will be spending most of your wedding day with them so it's really important that you feel totally comfortable with them, their personality and the feeling you get about their level of service and what your wedding journey and experience will be like with them! When you find the right one - it's like finding the perfect fit in a wedding dress - you will just know! It might even be the first one you meet - and that's totally fine, why keep looking when you found your perfect match!

Some couples actually come and meet us first - before they have their venue locked in - so they can book us straight away when they have their date and not miss out - we recently had one couple find out what dates we were available and booked their venue to fit with us!!!! But that's the exception, generally couples will have their venue and date and then we are next cab off the rank!

Hope this helps!

West Coast Weddings

Good Question! You might be surprised to hear it, but actually MOST couples feel this way and can be a bit anxious about it. There are some simple tips and tricks that a good professional photographer can share with you ahead of time, so that you can feel more confident and comfortable in front of their camera, and in working with them. That's why at West Coast Weddings we offer a complimentary Engagement (Pre Wedding) shoot for all our couples. That way they can be much more relaxed, confident and comfortable on their wedding day - that together we have got this!

West Coast Weddings

Hi - as a professional wedding photographer/videographer we would absolutley recommend finding the person who's photography style and personality suit you and your wedding. You will be spending most of your day with them so its really important you feel comfortble with them. Hiring two different photographers  generally wont save you money (as most work on their minium hourly coverage), and you may end up with two very different styles to put into your wedding album that might not be in harmony with each other.

At West Coat Weddings we don't work on blocks of hours. All of our Collections (Packages) tell the whole love story of your day - getting ready, ceremony, portraits (on location if wanted) and the reception - which is where our coverge changes. Do you want just the first hour of it (Classic), all the formalities (Elegant), or there all night (Luxurious)? Obviously, with more coverage you get a bigger album and longer film included in your Collection. For most of our couples we would start around 10.00am and finish at night. If we are able to drone at the location, we would be up at sunrise! So even our Classic collection genrally gives at least 11 hours coverage for our couples. 

Hope this helps answer your question.

Karen