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My mission as a wedding photographer is to help happy couples celebrate life's biggest joys with high quality photos and a dang good time. I believe the experience is just as important as the photos and that you deserve beautiful, lasting memories.

Hey!! I'm Gabriella.

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How To Choose Your Wedding Photographer

Finding a wedding photographer is no small task! If you’ve started the searching process, you’ll know that there are SO many photographers out there with so many different styles and price ranges!! As a wedding photographer myself, I know that I’m not for every couple … and that’s okay!!! To get you started with inquiring with a wedding photographer, there are three things you must look for to start narrowing down your list.

STYLE

Kinda obvious, but you need to like your photographer’s editing style. This means you need to spend some time looking through their work, either on their website or on Instagram. Get a feel for the tones (warm or cool? pink or green?), the exposure (is the sky washed out or is it true to life?), the colors (muted or enhanced?), and the actual images themselves (soft focus or sharp focus? wide, tight, or a mix of both? natural and informal or posed and formal?). Pro tip: Make a list of which of these things you like and don’t like so you can more easily find photographers whose style you love!

PRICING

Okay so here’s the deal — photography is an investment. Why? First, you’re paying for a lot more than just the actual picture taking and editing. For example: camera equipment, computer equipment, other gear (bags, harnesses, cases, etc.), editing software subscription, business insurance, bookkeeping & accounting, transportation, props, website subscription, data storage, gallery delivery subscription, contracts & legal documents, weekends away from family, house spent planning/emailing/researching/calling/scouting … to name a few . Second, what’s going to actually last after the wedding day? The guests leave, the flowers die, the food gets eaten and beverages get consumed, the dress gets put away, the makeup gets washed off … but the pictures last forever. Photography is an investment into your future, so you can look back at your wedding pictures in 50 years and get those same butterflies you felt the day of.

So now that we got that down — do NOT break the bank on your photographer!!!!!!! You want to make sure you are hiring a professional whose pictures you love and who will keep your pictures safe, but that does not mean you need to spend $8k on a wedding photographer if you don’t have the budget for it. Plan to invest in your photographer, but don’t go into debt because of it.

PERSONALITY

Here’s something you might not have considered: your wedding photographer will be with you ALL DAY during your wedding. And weddings can be a bit more stressful than any other day. You’re going to want to have someone by your side who makes you feel GOOD. Who encourages you. Who gives you personal space. Are you someone who gets overwhelmed by loud people? Look for a soft-spoken photographer. Are you someone who doesn’t want to think on their wedding day and just wants to be told what to do? Look for a commanding photographer. This definitely involves more stalking, but trust me — us photographers LOVE when you stalk us before inquiring!!

This is also why it is oh-so-important to meet with your photographer (virtually or in-person) before booking them. Ask them questions, chat about life with them, make sure there are good vibes before dropping that deposit.

One more thing before I sign off — it’s totally okay to talk to multiple photographers. Your wedding pictures are a big deal so the task of choosing a photographer should not be done lightly! I do ask you one thing, however. Please, please, PLEASE do not ghost the photographers you inquired with but did not end up choosing. There are NO hard feelings!!! We would much rather know if we’re no longer being considered than spending a few weeks wondering if you’ll respond to our emails!

Okay, that’s it from me. I hope this helped! Feel free to share this with any other friends who are also struggling with choosing a photographer for their big day!! Sending you good vibes, friend – you got this 🙂

 

*photos taken by Abby Shepard, www.abbyashepardphotography.com

Reply...

- Melissa d.

“Gabriella was absolutely amazing!!! Words cannot even describe how perfect she was, but I’ll try my best. Right from the beginning, I knew she was the one. She was so caring, calming, organized, and just a genuinely happy person. She made me feel even more excited for my wedding. She was so helpful throughout the entire process right down to the big day. AND THE PICTURES - OH MY GOD. They are absolutely breathtaking and she definitely tells the story of your day in the most perfect way. She captures every precious moment while having a smile on her face the whole time she’s with you. I can’t say enough amazing things about her. I would absolutely recommend her to anyone looking to have the BEST photographer for any occasion. We had such an amazing experience with Gabriella and we can’t thank her enough!”

"Captures every moment"

- Dawn g.

“Gabriella is a very great planner, very organized and an absolute delight to work with. Her planning and organization helped me prepare for the big day without any fear that I left any important photo out. Her planning skills ensured I didn't miss any details. She is such a delight to work with she was even happy to help me with my little surprise I had for my husband, it went off without a hitch. She captured all the photos we could imagine....all the fun, sweet, sincere moments throughout the day. She even provided the photos to us in a timely manner. I HIGHLY recommend her; she's highly energetic, personable, easy to work with, a planner, organized, and she captured lots of beautiful pictures. She exceeded all of my expectations. She was such a great photographer.”

"Exceeded all my expectations"

- Melissa N.

Making my dream wedding come true!
Gabriella was hired by my (now) husband, as a surprise photographer for our proposal. She was phenomenal and we hired her for our wedding as well! Her energy and vision for our wedding photos captured every moment and emotion. She was amazing in every way. Her attention to detail and knowing what was important to me on my big day was awesome - she went the extra mile. I would 10/10 recommend her to any one wanting to capture beautiful moments in life - for their engagement, wedding, and more.

"She went the extra mile."

- Megan W.

Hiring Gabriella was one of the best decisions that we made during our wedding planning. From our very first conversation, Gabriella was warm & bubbly. She radiates positive energy that I knew that we needed for our big day. Gabriella has a vigorous work ethic and eye for detail. Her ability to transform any setting is pure magic. We enjoyed working with her throughout the planning process and are absolutely thrilled with our engagement and wedding photos (which she had edited and back to us in less than one month!).

"One of the best decisions"

- Lisette & Tyrus b.

What can we say about Gabriella Marie Photography. There are so many words to describe the amazing job Gabriella did on our special wedding day. Gabriella will not only shoot your wedding, she can help you design what your wedding will be. She is there every step of the way. She has amazing attention to detail. Before the big day, Gabriella has a plan that will ensure that your day will be spectacular. She is always available via text, call, direct message, FaceTime or Zoom. Gabriella is the absolute best photographer ever. The best quality that she has is that she is more than a photographer, she is a true friend. She cares about her clients and makes us feel like a trust-worthy friend is there to help. For example, she sent my wife and I a pre-wedding care package. This gift proved to be so valuable for us while dealing with wedding stress. This gift was the most thoughtful thing my wife and I ever received. A simple thank you is just only the tip of the iceberg with regarding Gabriella Marie Photography. Everyone please check out our new friend Gabriella. Trust us, she is worth every penny and more.

"Worth every penny and more"

Testimonials