My heart always drops a bit when I meet with new couples and the first thing they flip to in their wedding notes is a printed list of “The Top 101 Questions to Ask  Your Wedding Photographer” from Pinterest, or something similar. While I understand why this could be helpful,  I’d much rather spend our time chatting than working from a list. So, I’ve decided to answer some of the most Frequently Asked Questions on those lists because, let’s be honest, we’ll have way more fun if we spend our time together talking about your day and getting to know each other.

How far in advance do we need to book you?
I typically book about a year in advance, but that doesn’t mean I won’t have your date open. I’m currently booking for the remainder of 2017 and all of 2018. ASAP is my motto.

Are there any testimonials from past brides that I can see?
Yes! Please check out my wedding wire profile

Do you include an engagement session with your wedding packages?
I include an engagement session with my top four wedding packages. This is an hour to hour and a half session with up to two locations. You are more than welcome to change clothes.

What do your wedding packages include?
I have a comprehensive client guide that I send to potential couples! To grab a copy of this, head over to my main business page, www.brittany-morgan.com and fill out the contact form at the bottom. My packages range from $1400-$3300, with four hours of coverage to your full wedding weekend. 

How long have you been in business? Shooting weddings?
 I’ve always been the girl with the camera. You can read more about it on my Behind the Lens page here. I have been in business since 2012.  I also started shooting weddings in 2012, but really started shooting a lot of them about two years ago.  I am moving toward primarily shooting weddings, but I do like to leave time for families and maternity as well.

How would you describe your working style?
Adaptable. I’m loud and directive when I need to be, quick if we’re in a time crunch, or I can easily fade into the background to tell your story. My job is to show the emotion, so I fully involve myself in the happenings of the day. If you look at my face behind my camera, I am almost always smiling- because I LIVE for this. I’ll talk you through poses and give you actions to make it easier. I promise I’m not going to take you out for your formals only to ask, “What do you guys want to do?” and leave you hanging.

What about your photography style?
Colorful, full of light and punch. I love bright images rich with color and contrast. Emotional. I want real smiles and laughs and will 100% lose my dignity in an attempt to get someone to smile. I also love light. I live for the afternoons where the golden light drips through the trees.  You’ll always see me looking to see where the light is and how I can add it to my photograph. That might put us in an awkward location, like a tight space or strange alley, but I promise I know what I’m doing.

Can I send you my Pinterest board?
 I am not boycotting Pinterest. When I got married, I had the 101 Questions pinned to my “Fairytale Wedding Day” pinboard too. So yes, you sure can! I’d love to see the ideas you have for your day but please don’t ask me to copy direct poses. I’ve found that if I work straight from a pinboard the shots can often look strained and stuffy. Trust me to tell YOUR story. I promise you we’ll still have so much fun. The biggest compliment you can give me? When my bride and grooms can say “We COMPLETELY trust you.” I will absolutely pull from your pin board for inspiration but you’re hiring me because you love my images and I’d love to make your wedding day unique and amazing.

Will you be able to show a slideshow of photos you took earlier in the day at the wedding?
No. I take great pride in my editing and post processing. Taking the time to hand edit and prepare images to show at your reception can take me away from actual moments happening during the reception, so I don’t offer that service at this time.

Can we look at a full wedding gallery or your wedding portfolio?
Absolutely! I have a few ready to send over, just let me know if you’d like to see them. The majority of my wedding portfolio is located here, but if you need to see additional images of anything please let me know.

What will you wear to our event?
Unless you’re adamantly against it, I will be in black pants and a black blouse. I do whatever it takes to get the shot, therefore I’m usually laying on my belly in grass, hiding in bushes, climbing through/on top of things. That way, I’m 100% concentrated on capturing your day and not worried about a wardrobe malfunction. 

What type of equipment do you use? What’s your favorite lens?
I am a Canon shooter. I use two 5d Mark IIIs. I love to create depth of field and “bokeh” in my images, so I mainly use my 70-200 or my 85 prime.  Stay tuned for my “What’s in my Wedding Bag?” post soon.

Do you have liability insurance?
Absolutely.

Do you have backup equipment?
Yes. I bring a variety of lenses as well as a backup camera body.

What if it rains on my wedding day?
Rain doesn’t scare me or my team. It’s supposed to be good luck anyway. Although it is definitely important to have a plan B for your guests, especially if you are having an outside ceremony, we will make it work. If that means that I’m completely soaked to keep you and your bridal party dry, so be it.  I’ve shot weddings in 100 degrees, freezing and slush, venues with no power, and pouring rain. I’ll bring appropriate weather gear and we’ll make the best of whatever Mother Nature hands us on your day. That’s me on the left in the red rain boots. 

Do I really need to get a second shooter?
That’s a loaded question. Am I fully capable of shooting a wedding by myself? Yes. BUT, I can’t be in two places at once. There are definitely some specific situations where a second shooter comes in handy. Most importantly, if you’re doing a first look. I normally stage myself so that I can capture the reaction of the groom seeing the bride. With a second shooter, we can get your first look from both angles. Also, a second shooter is helpful when it comes to walking down the aisle.  If I’m a single shooter, I normally ask my couples if they’d prefer me to be up front shooting the bride walking down the aisle OR in the back catching the groom’s look over your shoulder and your beautiful train going down the aisle. With a second shooter, one of us is in the back and one of is in the front (if allowed). 

Are all of the photos from your blog posts yours or are some from your second photographer?
The majority of what you see on my blog are my shots. Sometimes, I do send my second photographer to be with the groomsmen or to shoot reception details. If I did use a second shooter,  I credit them at the beginning of the blog post.

Do you take other events the same day as my wedding?
No.

Do you work from a shot list?
Somewhat, but not one I’ve printed off Pinterest. I prefer to capture the day as it happens rather than stress about a list of 7000 things to check off. I’m often thinking in my head, “How can I tell this story?” “What visual details do I need to capture to show the viewer what happened that day?”.  I do work off a SPECIFIC shot list from my couples. Before your wedding day, I send a long, lengthy questionnaire. Part of the questionnaire is letting me know anything specific that you want to make sure that I shoot. I promise I will photograph your shoes, your florals, + your reception details. Please let me know if you need a special shot of Grandma’s pin on the inside of your dress or other details like that and I will absolutely make sure to get it.

Are there any vendors you recommend or love to work with?
Because I photograph all over, I have different suggestions for each region. These are people that I have worked with in the past and found that we really worked well together. I’m pulling all these suggestions together and will soon have the list on my Vendor Love page!

How long after our wedding will we receive our wedding photos?
As soon as I leave the night of wedding and get home the first thing I do is upload your photos and pick a few of my favorites to share. Depending on the time of day and rate of exhaustion this can mean I’ll have a sneak peek up the same night. If not, don’t worry, they’ll be up the next day. Following that, I cull through your photos to pick my absolute favorites, which usually results in at least 100 if not 200+. These go into my blog story to share with your family and friends. This is usually live within two weeks of your wedding. If you see any shots within the blog that you would like in high resolution, I’m more than happy to send them along. After that, the longer wait begins. Full wedding galleries take between six and twelve weeks to receive back, but you will have plenty to share beforehand while you wait. 

Can I share my images on social media?
Please share your images! I am so excited for you to pass along the images of your day to family, friends, and on your social media. Word of mouth is the best form of advertising, so all I ask is that you credit me when posting on social media!

Why should we choose you?

Simply because I truly believe that God put me on this earth to tell stories through my images. Most people that work with me realize that this is my complete and absolute passion. I always have a smile on my face behind the camera. I LOVE to arrive at a wedding and take on my photographer persona and go.

Are there any important questions I missed? Please e-mail me! I’d love to make sure I answer all the questions you have.