As you think about all your wedding planning and juggling many things in the days leading up to your big day, you’re probably wondering what to expect from your photographer and how to plan it all out! Let’s say that while you were looking for a photographer, you came across my site, gave me a call, found out I was available on your day and we set up a meeting! From here on out, this is an idea of what you could expect working with me.

Our First Meeting

For our first meeting, we’ll likely meet at a local coffee shop (because I LOVE coffee) where we can sit and chat in a casual atmosphere. Most couples or brides bring along a handful of questions as well as some ideas of what they’re looking for in their photographer and pictures and I will bring some samples of my art for you to see as well. I’ll hear about all your wedding plans from your colors to your shoes to your venue. We’ll also sketch out a rough timeline of what your day will look like so you have an idea of what you want covered and how long you’d like us to be there for. I’ll show you my suggested packages and from there, we’ll come up with a custom package for you. Now let’s say that you’ve fallen in love with the art, you love my work and my personality and decide to book! Normally what I’ll do is go home, make out a custom contract and email it to you. You’ll print it off, fill it out, mail it back to me and I’ll scan and email you back a signed copy for your records.

When You Book

Now when you book, you’ll notice that the second page of the contract has a table of information for you to fill in that contains things like your and your groom’s name, mailing address, phone numbers and email addresses as well as wedding day information such as where you’ll be getting ready, ceremony and reception location and what time they will start. As best as you can right now, be sure to fill those in entirely so I can be sure to get information to you in a timely manner! Then you and your fiancé will sign the second to last page on the contract and mail it back to me with your booking fee! Now your wedding date is on my calendar in permanent marker! So now what? You may still have questions for me and wonder how you’ll get your information to me. Sit back, relax… I’ve done this a few times. In the months leading up to your wedding communication is going to be key.

From Booking Date – 1 Month Before Wedding

In this time span we will plan and shoot your engagement session!  I will also often will drop my brides emails at random times throughout just to say hi and ask how your plans are going. Often this will open up discussion or remind you of a question you had for me. Even if your question isn’t specifically photography related, ask away! I’ve been asked things from, “can we get a big family picture at the reception?” to “when should I send out our Save the Dates?” So feel free to ask whatever! As you plan, things will change such as the schedule, location of where you’ll get ready, etc. throughout the months from the time you book with me so this is also a good time to mention them to me.

The other thing you'll want to do is to look me up on Social Media! If you like my business page on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Twitter you'll be able to see all the fun sneak peaks that I'll be posting after your session and/or wedding! Tell your friends and family to follow me as well! Even better, if you personally friend me on Facebook, I'll actually be able to tag you in your photos so then all your friends and family will be bound to see your photos!! You can click on the social media tabs on the left side of this page right below the main menu or find me at:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HHawkinsPhotography

Instagram: https://instagram.com/#HHawkinsPhotography

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HHawkinsPhoto

And, when your session and/or wedding is complete, keep an eye out for your blog post on my website and be ready to share it with friends and family!

From 1 Month – Wedding Day

At the month mark before your wedding, I will email you a Wedding Details Questionnaire. This contains things like:

 - First person and emergency person I should contact the day of the wedding

 - Names of your family and bridal party - so I don’t have to yell “Hey Mom!” during Family Formals

- Important People to Bride and Groom - like your Grandmother or close cousin that may not be in the bridal party or immediate family but that you definitely want pictures of

- Post Wedding Address – so I know where to send your art!

- Ceremony Rules – so I don’t upset your officiant

- Any “sticky” family situations or things I should know – just so I can avoid offending anyone

Bride Turning Stone Casino Wedding
-Number of Guests

- Other Wedding Vendors

-A list of Formal Family pictures you’d like taken

- A list of any additional pictures you’d like

If you fill this out and send it back to me right away, I can have lots of time to plan for your day! About 2 weeks from the wedding we’ll schedule another face to face meeting (or Skype/Facetime if you’re not in town). I’ll bring your questionnaire and we’ll talk through it and other details of your day and we’ll also finalize your timeline. The reason I don’t meet with your too much earlier than two weeks out is that again, details and things will change as you go along. This way we won’t have to be doing extra back and forth about changes.

The day before your wedding I’ll be busy prepping my equipment, pouring over your details and shot list again and packing everything up. If you’re getting ready in a hotel room, you’ll want to shoot me a text the night before or day of with your room number so I’ll know where to find you. When the wedding day rolls around, we often arrive a bit early to scout out the location and then its game out! Let’s get married!!!

1 Week After Your Wedding

Usually within one week of your wedding while you’re still on your honeymoon I will post a handful of Sneak Peaks of your wedding either on Facebook and/or on my Blog. These are for you enjoy, change your profile and cover picture to and share around with your friends and family!

About 3 Months From Wedding Day

In the months following your wedding, I will be working very hard on building your album, designing your wall art and editing your images. One hard thing about being a wedding photographer in New York is that the wedding season is such a short amount of time due to the fact that we only have a few warm months during the year! This means that if I have 25 weddings booked for the year, likely they are all going to be scheduled within a 5 month period of time. This makes my summers very busy and my workflow high but rest assured that the latest you’ll receive your proofs will be three months after your wedding. Many times once a couple has received their proofs, they will decide to order more pages for their album, more wall art or a parent album. We often will set up a time to come to your home, especially if you’re ordering more wall art, to look around your living space and figure out where you’d like art to hang and what pictures would look best there so it is customized exactly to your needs! We take care of you and make sure you have everything you need. It’s not at all uncommon for us to stay in touch with our couples and I have been known to stop in the produce section of Wegmans to catch up with a bride and shoot her a text to set up a dinner or coffee date. It’s always so fun for us when the bride call us a few years later to tell us she’s expecting and would like maternity and newborn pictures! Friendships... it’s one of my favorite things about what I do!

As you’ve read through this section, I hope you have a much clear picture of what to expect working with Andrew and I! Like I always say, if you have questions send me an email!