What's the best advice you'd give to any couple getting married?
"When planning your wedding, if the photography is important to you on the day, make sure you allow plenty of time for the formal family and friends group images as well as portraits of you and your husband/wife. These pictures that are more creative take time and it’s wise to consult with your photographer about how long to allow. Also, it's often nice to take some time out during the wedding to have intimate pictures of just you and your partner as newly weds, away from the hustle and bustle of it all. This gives you time to breathe and spend a bit of time together while settling yourselves before going back to all of your family and friends."

How can I make sure I look good in my photos?
Relax. Trust your wedding photographer. If you're relaxed, it'll come through in your photos. 
Leave some breathing room in your schedule so you don't feel rushed — I recommend a minimum 30 minutes for family and wedding party photos, and an hour for the couple portraits. 

Oh, and get plenty of sleep and drink lots of water begins a week and throughout before your wedding. Take it easy at the rehearsal dinner. Wedding-day hangovers are not fun.

You can Photoshop that, right?
As a photographer, I want to get everything as perfect as possible in camera. Posing, location scouting, and camera settings can "fix" most things before I even click the shutter. If your uncle photobombs you, I'm going to retake the photo — it's much easier to get the photo right than to fix it with Photoshop. Many photographers charge for extensive editing in Photoshop, because it can be very time-consuming.

For me, I include a different number of photos to be photoshop for different packages, client can choose which photos to be touched up. These photos are usually the couple portraits, where client wants to hang it out proudly.

I found some photographer's images look soft and pastel, some look clean, and some look like they were shot on old film, what's the deal? 
Every photographer has a different way of editing their images using computer software (the high-tech version of a darkroom). This is called "Post-Processing." Most photographers do some basic lighting and colour adjustments, but you can also use editing software to create a unique look. Three popular styles right now are: 

• Clean: lightly processed to appear natural

• Matte: a low-contrast look with muted pastel colors, similar to vintage film

• High Contrast: a vibrant look with rich colors that pop

Do I really need a second photographer?
How far in advance should I book a wedding photographer?
Should I tip my photographer?
It doesn't matter which style you go with, as long as you love it! If there's a specific style you like, you can always request it. I am also a professional retoucher, so show me the style you like, then I can edit the photos to the style you want. It's a win-win situation ;)

How important is the background?
"Not half as important as the light. If you find a great background in beautiful light (ie. not bright sunlight) then you're winning. Would you prefer a squinty face with a great background or a photo where you look absolutely incredible? Let's be honest - if you look stunning, no one's looking at the background anyway! A good photographer will know this, and make sure you look your best in every photo."
   
Why is wedding photography so expensive?
Wedding photography seems like easy money — work for one day and rake in the cash, right? But most full-time wedding photographers I know carry over £10,000 worth of wedding gear and often work 60-hour weeks.Finished the shooting doesn't mean the work end, the photographer than has to take days to weeks to process and edit hundreds of pictures taken on the day. Add insurance, taxes, software, advertising, albums, repair, shipping, and studio expenses, and many photographers end up making less than minimum wage for the first few years of their career.  

Do you work alone?
Usually, yes! But in occasion, if the size of your wedding party is big, I would bring in an assistant to help around, and you'll be consulted if it is permitted in advance. The assistant would also act as a second photographer for your wedding day, to maximize the coverage.  

No one needs a second photographer, but they can provide you with more images and a different perspective. Many of the top photographers only work with assistants who carry gear and help with professional lighting. The best thing is to ask your wedding photographer to see how they prefer to work. You can get good results either way.  

The second photographer option is only available for the GOLD and PLATINUM packages free of charge. For BRONZE and SILVER packages, there is a £75 surcharge on top of the advertised price. 

Many in-demand wedding photographers book weddings at over a year out. As it gets closer to your wedding date, it will be harder to book your first-choice photographer. 

If your favorite photographer is unavailable on your date, don't panic. Ask them for recommendations — they may know someone with a similar style and a lighter schedule. 

How many photos I can expect?
Typically there'll be around 50-70 photos being taken per hour. But it also depends how large is your wedding party, the more guests you have tend to produce more photos! Including those spontaneous moments that you didn't expect. 

Can I make any changes to the deal your offer?
Yes, of course! I cannot stress enough the importance of being flexible. Within a reasonable measure, you can add and deduct some items within a package for the same price! You can also take away some items to make the deal you want a bit cheaper. But whatever you decide, please let me know in advance.

I get asked this a lot. For photographers, "Tips are never expected but are always appreciated."  

Hopefully this clears up some burning questions about wedding photography — and makes it a little bit easier to find the perfect photographer for your wedding day.