Elopement Photographers
I will start with a serious statement - the photographer is the most important person after the planner in your Elopement team.
Because no matter how much money, effort, time and talent was invested in all other parts of your special day, if they won’t get photographed - with skill, vision and experience, no one will remember the greatness of those details in a few years. Even the couple.
Or especially the couple?
THE MOST IMPORTANT KEEPSAKE
How many times I’ve heard from the couples: “Everything went so fast, and I was so overwhelmed, that I don’t even remember/couldn’t pay attention to the details!” - those that were planned for weeks, if not for months. And were dreamed about for maybe even years!
But when the time comes, the couples sometimes can’t even notice them because of the emotions.
They won’t see who of their guests shed a tear during the ceremony, they won’t remember how much love was in their eyes and how strong they squeezed hands, holding each other. They will forget the strength of the first kiss and how they threw themselves into each other's arms for the first time being officially married.
I was there myself, no matter how “ready” I was - after being a wedding and elopement photographer, and finally marriage officiant and elopement planner for over 7 years in total - I couldn’t wish more to recall all the moments of that special day AFTER the day was over - when I wasn’t overly emotional anymore.
So at the end, I’m 100% sure that the only thing that can save these details and memories for you are your elopement photos (and videos, but we’ll talk about them later).
COMMON MISTAKES (YOU CAN HAPPILY AVOID)
Since tech progress gave most of us a possibility to own smartphones with more or less good cameras, many people started to seriously doubt, is there an actual need in professional photographers with bulky gear anymore?
If you’ve ever been among those people, I’m begging you to trust my experience and don’t become one of those couples who regret for the rest of their lives that they didn’t prioritized the elopement photography enough.
COUNTING ON YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS
Nowadays, some couples rely on taking the photos of their Elopements on the guests - relatives or friends. (It’s especially the case when one of them is an aspiring photographer who brings a professional or semi-professional camera to the event).
There are few reasons why we won’t recommend it:
Guests should remain your guests and enjoy all the details of a Ceremony without having a responsibility to capture it.
How many times we could witness a sad picture - parents or best friends of a bride or groom are covering half of their face with the phone trying to capture everything and not being present in the moment at all. While being concentrated on the phone display, they don’t fully notice their closest ones true emotions and can’t share the uniqueness and importance of the moment with them.
Another thing - each guest usually remains in the same place during the whole process. That means limited angle and same-distance photos.
And in case you’re lucky to have a friend who REALLY wants to capture your elopement, has photography skills and professional gear - please ask few questions first:
Does he/she have experience as a specifically elopement photographer in NYC? (why this matters A LOT I will mention a little later in this article).
Do you feel comfortable of them turning into a dedicated worker at your elopement instead of being your friend (it may feel weird from both sides, even for the professionals)
Are you sure there won’t be moments when your friend will start acting as a friend and will miss some essential moments the professional would take care of?
What about the post production? Will your friend sort and edit the photos? Or you think you’ll be fine with the photos without editing? (believe me, you will regret - I was asked to post-edit the photos taken by other photographers for many times!)
Will they send you the photos in a timely manner? A situation when the couple is waiting for their photos from non-paid or discounted photographers for months (or in some cases years!) almost became a sad joke in the photographer community.
BOOKING “A PHOTOGRAPHER”, NOT NYC ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHER
Let’s be honest - there are enough photographers on the market right now (and new ones are popping every day!).
Many of them are talented, passionate and inspired. But is that enough to match your NYC elopement photography needs?
Another case - professional and experienced photographer, but in a different photography field.
For example engagement or event photography. These fields are somehow connected to elopement photography, but even in this case, let’s not forget that elopement ceremony usually takes only around 10 minutes, and it’s crucial for the photographer not to miss any important moment, details and to showcase the atmosphere.
Non-elopement photographer’s portfolio may be impressive overall, but it doesn’t mean a photographer has enough understanding of the specifics and experience to create a complete and diverse series showcasing your elopement wedding.
So why would you want to worry and doubt about the quality, quantity, reliability of your elopement photography if you can book a professional specifically experienced NYC elopement photographer with Perfect Wedding NYC team?
ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHERS IN NYC - WHAT’S SO SPECIAL?
I promised to mention why it is important for the photographer to have an experience as a specifically elopement photographer in NYC to be a perfect match for your special day.
As an individual/lovestory photoshoot Client, I’ve been to a few sessions where the photographer wasn’t quite familiar with the location they were working on. Of course, it didn’t change their professionalism or value, but it definitely reduced the amount of diverse photos that could be done in the given time, as the photographers needed some time to get around the spot, check the best angles, etc.
That’s why at Perfect Wedding NYC we don’t only suggest the elopement locations in which we’re familiar with every corner, but always offer to discuss your photoshoot route - so we may let you know in advance which spots could be covered, what are the best options - if there’re variants, and even if we’ll need to rush to cover more :)
Overall, being a NYC elopement photographer means being able to provide a balance between iconic street style shots with cityscape, yellow cabs and landmarks on a background, and atmospheric intimate portraits - and all of that in a limited amount of time! Because here in NYC, we know, time is money, and we don’t want you to waste any of that!
ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHER & APPROACH
Nowadays, there are so many photographers, as there are so many people!
So who would you rather work with: intrusive one, who will stop your ceremony to re-do some shots, grab your hands/faces to pose them in an uncomfortable way, force your guests to do some unnatural poses, or...
Someone catching, yet unnoticeable during the most intimate parts of your Elopement, the one who would guide you through the process, and suggest the best angles and spots on the location, without being overpowering?
Would you prefer to see your photographer in an outstanding “creative person” outfit that will be noticeable in all of your guests’ photos/videos? Or to have them wearing an inconspicuous all-black look?
As you may see, there are quite few moments to consider when you’re choosing your elopement photographer, that’s why we took care of this worry for you at Perfect Wedding NYC!
We teamed up with the most suitable Elopement Photographers NYC who will meet all of your expectations and… won’t break the bank! As your future memories are our priority, as long as your budget is!
WHAT YOU MAY WANT (BUT DO NOT NEED) TO DISCUSS AHEAD
Based on our experience, there are two types of couples - one who wants to discuss all the possible details, conditions, force majeures, etc. before the special day, and one who fully trusts/relies on the planning studio.
If you’re the first type, we would be happy to assist you with the list of the questions you want to discuss with your NYC elopement photographer or elopement planner who’s in charge of this service before the ceremony day.
THE POSSIBLE/DESIRED ROUTE OF YOUR NEWLYWEDS PHOTOSHOOT
If you’re hoping to get captured some moments in a specific way - like First Look before the actual start of the ceremony (the moment when the couple sees each other for the first time that day), let your photographer know in advance. He/she may even suggest the best spot close to your ceremony location where your couple will share this emotional moment.
If you have some favorite/preferred places on the location, please, inform about that, so the photographer could prioritize them.
In general, it’s good to discuss the route, if you have some specific moments to mention, but if there’s nothing like that, you can definitely trust our professionals that work, as we’re here to make your elopement dream come true!
THE LIST OF MOST IMPORTANT PHOTOS
No need to mention in this list key moments of any traditional elopement - like walking down the aisle, exchanging the rings, first kiss, etc. But if you have some specific wishes, your photographer may not know about, it’s important to notice in advance.
For example, the portrait of the bride with her mother and grandmother together (symbolizing 3 generations).
The list of some specific guests you definitely want to have a picture with and don’t want to miss it in a festive rush.
Or maybe you will put some unique details of the outfit on your list, handmade or ancestral, which you’d really like to include in your elopement album.
GENERAL TERMS OF SERVICE
If you’re booking an elopement photographer in NYC not as a part of a professional elopement package, it’s definitely better to discuss all the basic details and terms before placing the booking.
Here’s some things you many want to ask:
How many photos will you approximately get?
How many of them will be edited? Can you order retouching service for some of them?
When and how will be the photos provided?
What if the weather is bad - will the photographer be willing to work in rain/snow OR is it possible to change the location to some other option?
How much extra would it be to extend the service for half an hour and hour?
I hope this article was helpful to you and made you confident that at Perfect Wedding NYC we are serious about your future memories, so we offer best value photography service with our packages.