When I first started as a Kent Wedding Photographer, I would normally meet couples in coffee shops for the pre-wedding consultation. Some people like this and it great for a good chat but I soon wanted to do something a bit different. Doing something different was not only good for me (I sometimes meet 3 couples a day over the weekend – way too much coffee!) but it is even better for the couples interested in my wedding packages as you actually get to see the photos I take so you can make a confident decision in choosing your wedding photographer.
On my last 2 meet-ups, they have both said, “I know what today is about and what we get, but I really don’t know what to expect!” So here we are and I thought it would a good to give you an insight to what actually happens on my ‘Try Before You Buy’ pre-wedding photo session.
Once you contact me, we decide on a date and a time that’s suitable for us and then we find a meeting place. I do have regular spots that I suggest if we can’t think of anywhere new – Westgate Gardens in Canterbury, Whitstable Castle, the hills just outside of Wye (TN25 5HE), Mote Park in Maidstone, Oare Gunpowder Works near Faversham.
You don’t need to prepare anything at all and you wear whatever you feel comfortable in. Just a few things to consider though. As the ground is pretty wet this time of year and the best locations in the places listed above are usually on grass, some shoes that you don’t mind getting muddy wouldn’t go a miss. Also, If you can get away with not carrying your handbag that would be better as it can get in the way sometimes, but it’s not the end of the world if you would prefer to bring it along.
On the day, we walk around and chat all about you and your big day and I can answer any questions that you may have for me. Some people come with an actual list of questions, others just want to meet to check they aren’t getting a weirdo to go to their wedding.
We do a variety of shots to give you a real idea of what you can expect from me on the day. Obviously this is more like the portrait session part of your day as the rest of the wedding day, I tend to mingle in with your guests and capture those spare of the moment events. Plus, it’s not that doable to mock-up a whole ceremony or first dance in the middle of Mote Park!
I always try to do a warm-up before you do a few “informal posed shots” and this usually involves you both just walking around whilst I take a few photos. It’s as simple as that.
Once it’s all over, I send you the photos to review them. Remember, you are still not committed to booking me at this point and that’s the great thing about this ‘Try Before You Buy’ session. The photos I send to you will have a watermark on them and will be at a low resolution so that I can send them easily in an email to you. See the photo below for an example.
By now, you have all the information you need to confidently and happily make a decision that "I’m the one", but I am still here to answer any questions you may have, so please ask no matter what it’s about.
Once you are happy, all you have to do is say yes and I can get the ball rolling to confirming your date with me. I will send you the terms and conditions to read, the link to the online booking form and details on how to pay the 20% deposit. After that, you’re all done and you can finally tick that off your wedding to-do-list!
I will then export all the photos we took and send them to you using the file transfer site ‘WeTransfer’ without any watermarks on and in the 4 different resolutions that your wedding photos come in.
And that’s it! The whole process is simple and easy, and it’s a great way to choose your photographer.
If you would like to book your very own ‘Try Before You Buy’ photo session, get in contact and let’s get something in the diary.
Christopher Bell Photography is a wedding photographer based in Kent - serving Kent and surrounding Canterbury and Ashford. Find out more about his wedding photography packages and pricing. Kent Wedding Photography Awards Finalist 2019.
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