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HOW TO BOOK A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER WITH CONFIDENCE AND EASE | DETROIT WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER


Just married couple holding hands on wedding day in Metro Detroit. Photographed by Nicole Leanne Photography

Have you ever made a decision that you didn’t feel comfortable with or confident about? Well, I sure have and it feels awful. I’ve made big decisions in the past that didn’t sit right and made me feel sick. They were decisions that were large investments, yet I wasn’t fully educated on all of my options, I didn’t fully know the experience I was investing in, and I was rushed in my decision. Let me tell you, it didn’t feel good. Maybe you’ve had a similar experience at a car dealership, when purchasing a quality piece of furniture, or even investing in a home. Those are big decisions and you absolutely want to be fully confident and comfortable making those.


Well, planning a wedding is exactly the same thing. It’s a series of investments and big decisions and it can be overwhelming. I never want my couples to feel that way. I never want to “sell” them on anything. I want to educate them, guide them, and help them make the best decisions for themselves, and their day. I promise that my couples will be comfortable and confident in booking me as their wedding photographer and beyond. If you’re interested in booking me as your photographer or not, here’s how you can book your wedding photographer with confidence and ease!


UNDERSTAND VALUES


Before you jump into the investment, make sure you understand what the photographer values and what they believe in at their core. Sure, photographers want to take beautiful photographs, but it should be deeper than that.


My promise.


I promise to be fully transparent and honest with my couples and educate them on all the aspects of wedding photography, including wedding planning and timelines that impact their day. I promise to guide them without ever making them feel pressure and ensure they are comfortable with their decision, whatever it may be.


I promise to provide support and resources, like tips for planning engagement sessions, including location suggestions, and educate them on how to prepare to be photographed.


I promise my couples that they are going to feel comfortable and at ease while being present in the moment with the one they love.


I promise to capture that authenticity with creative spirit and sincerity so that they have photographs that tell the story of them in a timeless way to leave a lasting legacy.


Intimate park wedding in Metro Detroit. Photographed by Nicole Leanne Photography

I believe.


I believe in integrity over popularity and am dedicated to providing an exceptional experience that goes beyond documenting the wedding. I provide support and guidance throughout the entire process while prioritizing what’s important to them on the wedding day. Especially with wedding reschedules, I offer support and flexibility. I serve with enthusiasm, generosity, and dependability.


I believe that to the best wedding photographer I can be, I need to be fully present and prioritize weddings above everything else. I only book 20 weddings per year so that I have enough time to dedicate to each couple, giving them all of my attention, fully. I don’t just offer an experience on their wedding day, but I’m there to support them throughout the process.


I believe that all the moments, especially those in-between are valuable and should be documented timelessly. I have experience with the intimacy of elopements and the excitement of big weddings. I can document confidently outdoors in any situation (rain, sunshine, wind), and can capture moments indoors that are timeless and natural.


Downtown Rochester bride and groom holding clear umbrella on wedding day. Photographed by Nicole Leanne Photography

I believe that my job is not only to document but curate moments that display authenticity and love. I am uniquely gifted at blending into the background from center stage to not distract from what’s most important, the couple. Yet, I don’t expect the couple to know how to “pose.” I guide them through the day with ease and authenticity so that they are comfortable and confident.


Styled elopement photography at Eastern Market in Detroit, Michigan. Photographed by Nicole Leanne Photography

KNOW THE EXPERIENCE


Almost every professional wedding photographer with years of experience, an artful eye, and a burning passion can capture amazing wedding photographs that are absolutely stunning. But it’s not just the pretty photographs that matter. Make sure you know what your wedding photographer offers, what the experience will be like, and what their couples are saying about them. Testimonials from other couples are a valuable insight into the experience you’ll receive and the quality of photography.


What I offer.


To ensure my couples are confident and comfortable with their photography decision and wedding photography experience, I offer collections that clearly outline what they’ll receive while offering custom collections to meet the needs of their day perfectly. Every collection includes:

  • Unlimited planning consultations and custom timeline creation

  • Artfully edited photographs with a sneak peek gallery within after a few days

  • A beautifully curated wedding gallery within 6 weeks that tells the full story

  • An online gallery with high-resolution downloads and print services

  • Printing and downloading rights of the wedding photographs

  • A gifted USB with a wooden archival box and hand-selected prints

  • In-home or virtual album and print consultation

For intimate weddings and elopements, I offer specific collections that suit their celebrations and tell the story of their wedding day, from micro weddings and minimonies to adventurous elopements. I know and understand the differences between an intimate wedding versus a larger celebration and I offer photography services that cater to those unique qualities. I help guide my couples who are eloping or planning intimate gatherings and ensure that they receive the best experience possible.


Northern Michigan elopement on the lake. Photographed by Nicole Leanne Photography

I also understand that following the wedding, printing wedding photographs, and creating their heirloom wedding album can be overwhelming. It’s not uncommon for couples to wait years to hang up their wedding photographs and never get a physical album of their wedding day. To best serve my couples, I offer consultations in the comfort of their home for albums and prints. I bring samples of albums, cover options, and their entire wedding album created digitally for them to review. I help them tell the story of their day and I allow them to make as many changes as necessary so they are confident in their album. If they desire, I also help my couples design the print collection in their home. We evaluate their space, what photographs they’d love displayed, and I help them curate their own print gallery in their space that will remind them daily of their love.


Nicole Leanne Photography looking at photo album of wedding photography. Photographed by Nicole Leanne Photography
Overhead shot of photo album surrounded by plants. Photographed by Nicole Leanne Photography

It may seem outdated, but printed photographs are the best record you can have. They are physical, tangible, beautiful reminders of love. In 10-20 years, who knows if a USB will even work, and those digital downloads, where did you save them? But that beautiful heirloom wedding album on your bookshelf, or coffee table and those prints hanging in your home, those will be there for good. My wedding photographs hang in my bedroom and when I crawl into bed, if I am annoyed at my husband after a long day, when I look at those photographs I’m brought right back to those emotions I felt that day of complete infatuation and my annoyance fades. While memories fade, those photographs don’t. Especially since they’re printed on high-quality archival paper, but that’s a different story for another day.