I am Jenn, the photographer behind the lens!
Specializing in elegant, simple & rustic themed weddings is my niche!! A wedding day is all about the little moments that happen throughout the day..popping some bubbly with your tribe, laughing with your fave people, wiping away tears during speeches or breaking out the dance moves during the reception!! These are all moments that I want my clients to cherish, with their family for years to come!
Part of my job is to make your day as memorable as possible, that isn’t always through the photos.. it is also holding your dress, fixing your hair, wrangling your bridal party, getting sprayed with champagne, making sure the boutonnieres are on the groomsmen, climbing into a prickly bush or snowbank to get “the shot” or being the first one to congratulate you after tying the knot…I will be there for all the moments with you!!
One of the very first things we chat about is your potential timeline for your wedding day!!
A timeline is not one size fits all kind of thing!! Each one is different for every wedding day…there are many factors that will influence your wedding day…number of guests, location for ceremony & reception, number of bridal party members, any ideas for photo locations…you might not know all the answers now, but as we chat about these plans your timeline will start to appear!! It’s also a great way to help you to decide on which wedding coverage will work best for your wedding day!!
Based on my years as a wedding photographer, I know how smoothly a day goes when there is a timeline for the day, giving all the important people a location & time for them to be prepared for!! It’s also super helpful to keep your day going as smoothly as possible, even if there are some snags along the way…makeup takes a little longer than expected…no problem, I will alter the timeline slightly to keep things running smoothly!! Now, it may sound like things will be set in stone & be run with an iron fist, but timelines change as needed & can stay flexible throughout a wedding day!
Here is a sample timeline for a wedding day, where the ceremony start at 2pm & dinner begins at 6:30pm with a full day coverage:
11:15am- photographer arrives at bridal prep location & photographs details (dress, shoes, flowers, accessories…)
11:30am- 2nd photographer arrives at groom prep location to photograph them (if 2nd photographer is included, a timeline will be included for him as well)
12:00pm- bridesmaids begin to dress, it’s also super important that the mother of the bride is dressed as well
12:30pm- bride begins to dress, usually with the assistance of Maid of Honour & mother of the bride
1pm- photograph bride alone, with her bridal party & individual with the bride
1:30pm- bridal party prepare to leave for ceremony, travel time will always be added into your timeline…I like to add in a little extra padding to travel
1:50pm- photographer arrives at ceremony
2:00-3:00pm- ceremony
3:30pm- Family group images
4:00-6:00pm- travel time + bridal party photographs + bridal couple images + travel time to reception location
6:15pm- grand entrance of the bridal party plus the new Mr. & Mrs.
6:30pm- supper is served
7:00-9pm- speeches & first dance
9pm- time for me to leave..whew, what a day!!
A couple of things that will change your timeline…
First look… this can be a wonderful option for bridal couples that are a little nervous about the ceremony!! Some grooms are VERY nervous about how they will react to seeing their best friend walk down the aisle…all eyes are on him & it can be a very intimating experience!! A first look, is when the bridal couple see each other before the ceremony..it’s an excellent idea to help calm down nerves & gives you both a private moment to yourselves. Many clients also exchange notes, read intimate vows to each other or just get a close up look at each other before the craziness begins!
Doing family photos before the ceremony… this idea can be very helpful when there isn’t tons of time between the ceremony & supper! Also, works very well when large family group photos will be taken after the ceremony…in that case, many clients have their immediate family photos done before the ceremony.
Receiving line… 20 years ago, there wasn’t a wedding that didn't have a receiving line at some point during the wedding day! Typically, the bride couple is the head of the line & may include both sets of parents if desired…this allows the bridal couple meet & greet each guest at their wedding! Everyone gets their moment with your both, to give congrats, give a hug & say how amazing you both look!! This also gives you a little break later in the evening to really enjoy the dance floor with your friends & family!
Weddings always bring families together…we all look our best at weddings, so it’s the perfect time to update those family photos!! Generally, family images are photographed 15 to 20 minutes after the ceremony & are usually photographed at the church location..unless an alternate location has been chosen.
Huge tip alert…have a designated “round up” person for each side of your family…this person could be a sibling, cousin, aunt or an uncle…someone who knows your family members & fetch people for photos! Your designated “round up” person CAN NOT be either of you OR your parents..all of you will be already inundated with well wishers & precious time can be lost trying to find people in the crowd! Believe me..this helps tremendously for photos to run smoothly & quickly!
It’s also recommended to make a list fo family posing combinations before your wedding day…this list will make sure nobody is forgotten!! Whether it’s godparents, close family friends or a favourite aunt or uncle…they are remembered!
Here is a sample of a typical family shot list…we start with the largest photo first, almost like peeling an onion…making the groupings smaller & smaller along the way! Finishing with the bridal couple with both sets of parents & then moving onto the next family!
Extended family with parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles & cousins (as large or as small as you like!)
Grandparents (individual with each grandparent)
Immediate family with parents, siblings, significant others & children
Bride or groom with immediate family
Bride or groom with siblings
Bridal couple with parents (individually with each parent)
This list is photographed with each of the bridal couples family members, if you would like additional images, please add to your family shot list & I would be happy to capture them for you! It’s also highly recommended to add a note into family members invitation, that photos will be done after the ceremony..this will help to avoid missing individuals in photos!
Each wedding day is so different & special in their own way!! The best way to add a personal touch to your day, is by adding in FUN!!
There is so many ways to add in some fun personal touches to a wedding, but my favourites are: veils, decor, champagne, confetti (many locations don’t allow confetti & make sure to inquire), bubbles (I am talking bubble guns or large bubbles), specialized dances, games or special dances!!
Whatever you decide to do, make sure to keep your photographer in the loop….we don’t want to be surprised & not be ready to capture every moment of the fun!!
DO YOU TRAVEL FOR WEDDINGS?? Yes, I am happy to travel for weddings within100km radius of my home location will be shared a $100 travel fee…for extra gas & the good snacks for the drive home!!
WHAT IF MY EVENT GOES OVER OUR CONTRACTED TIME? I understand that weddings don’t always go as planned, sometimes dinner or speeches go a little longer than expected! I will stay till after speeches are finished & your first dance is completed…if you are interested in extending your coverage, there is a additional rate of $50 per 30 minutes of extended time.
oonce you have decided to become a More than a Moment client, it’s time to get to know you as a couple!! The best way for me to get acquainted with you both & learn about your wedding day is through questionnaires!! Don’t worry, they are not crazy long or complicated to fill out…all are available online & will be sent your way throughout you journey to the wedding day!!
DO YOU HAVE PAYMENT OPTIONS?? planning a wedding can be hard & stressful, not to mention costly!! Payment plans are offered for any collection & can be tailored to suit any budget!! Typically, there is a three instalment plan… deposit, 2nd payment 3 months before the wedding day & the final payment either before/during or shortly after your wedding day! Acceptable methods of payment are e-transfer, online using any major credit card or cash.
WHAT IF IT RAINS ON MY WEDDING DAY?? While that would be a bummer, my advice is…don’t let it ruin your day!! This may change your plans of photographing in a field during sunset, we can still capture beautiful images in the most unlikely of places!! I do also pack clear umbrellas for all wedding days & those do come in handy!!
Feed me… depending on which collection you choose, the 8hr coverage will require a vendors meal for myself. When planning your seating chart, please try to keep my seat at a table there is on the outside edge of the room. I will be getting up often during the meal to capture speeches & this will help to minimize disruption to your guests!
WHAT TO DO IF EXCHANGING GIFTS emotion is what you will remember the most from your wedding day…how you felt, tears that were shed, hugs given & all the excitement!! If you are planning on having notes/gifts exchanged with parents, bridal party or each other, make sure to wait till your photographer has arrived!! The reactions while opening these gifts will be priceless!!
DO WE HAVE AN ENGAGEMENT SESSION?…one of my first weddings that I photographed, I didn’t insist on an engagement session. When the wedding day came, I walked into the church & actually had NO idea which of the bridal party members was the groom!! How embarrassing…ever since then, there is always an engagement session included with every collection!! It’s the perfect time for me to get to know you together as a couple, a chance for you to feel what it’s like in front of the camera & how fun posing can be!! If you loved your images from the engagement session, then clients are visibly more relaxed on their wedding day during couples photos! It’s the perfect time to enjoy some quiet time together during a busy day & to know “Jenn has got this”!!!
WHEN DO WE SCHEDULE OUR ENGAGEMENT SESSION? This depends on if you plan to use any images for your invitations, save the date cards, sign in book or decor on your wedding day….if the answer is yes, it is recommended to schedule your session at least 4-5 months in advance. Otherwise, it depends on the time of year you would like to have your session…I have had couples schedule their session 10 months before the wedding & also couples schedule their session a month before their wedding!!
WHEN DO WE RECEIVE OUR WEDDING IMAGES?? Clients can expect to receive sneak peeks from their day wishing 48 hours after their wedding!! Your full wedding gallery will be delivered 2 to 3 months after their wedding day on a custom USB.
CAN WE PRINT OUR IMAGES? Yes, printing out your images is truly the only way to ensure these memories aren’t forgotten in a drawer somewhere or stored on your computer!! The images on your USB are hight resolution images that are not watermarked or resized to restrict your printing options..you can print till your heart is content!!
