Wedding Photographs – Why Choose Us?

Are you currently looking for your wedding photographer?

Perhaps you’ve just enquired about our services and would like to know more about how we work and what to expect? Well this post will tell you a little bit more about what we have to offer. How we build relationships with our clients to ensure your wedding photographs are incredible memories you will treasure for a lifetime.

Firstly

Whenever we get a new wedding enquiry from a couple, the first thing we do is arrange for us to meet for a coffee (or tea!) and a chat. This is often virtual these days as my enquiries come from all over the UK but if you’re local then I’d love to sit down in person! Some of the reasons for this are:

1. You probably have lots of questions that an email response won’t do justice. (And you’ve probably been bombarded with emails by every supplier you’ve met!). A face to face meeting- or video chat- helps us to answer any niggling questions you may have.
2. It’s a great opportunity to have a look through the countless sets of wedding photographs we’ve already shot. We want you to have confidence in the standard of work we produce time and time again. We also bring sample albums we’ve produced to in-person meetings. You’ll get to know what kind of style we’ll be bringing to your wedding photographs and how they look in print form when printed by our incredible supplier Graphistudio.
3. Most importantly though, it’s a chance for us to get to know one another. Of all the suppliers you work with to make your wedding day perfect, your photographer spends more time with you than almost anyone else. It’s therefore so important that you are comfortable and relaxed around each other and there is a pleasant rapport to keep things calm on such an important day. You might like the work of countless photographers but not all of them are the right fit for your special day. Personality varies so much and you can’t always get a sense of that through emails!
4. Who doesn’t love good coffee?

Okay, so we’ve talked and we’re a good match – what’s next?

We’ll go through the particulars of your day that are already pinned down. Our first meeting is usually quite far ahead of your date, so don’t worry if you only have rough ideas at this point. We’re just starting to put together the information needed so that we’re always in the right place at the right time on your day. We will revisit periodically up until the wedding so you’re confident we know every important detail.
We will also go through the contract so that you’re happy with everything it contains and understand the protections it affords you. Any questions you have can then be answered in person rather than at the end of an email.

Once you’re all booked in you’ll receive our brand new Ultimate Wedding Guide! This is something we’ve been working on for a long time in order to make it as helpful as possible for our couples. It’s a step-by-step walkthrough of all the stages from booking through to getting your wedding images and printing albums etc. It’s a treasure-trove of information which hopefully answers any questions at each stage as well as being filled with inspiration. It also contains a copy of your contract and product pricing guide so you always have those to hand as well.

Next up… your pre-wedding photoshoot (also known as an engagement shoot!)

As standard, all of our wedding bookings include one of these photoshoots. They can be booked at any point between the initial confirmation and the wedding day itself – hence the different names it’s known by. This is another opportunity for us to break the ice and get to know one another better. It’s also a chance for you to get a feel for how we work in a practical setting. A stress-free way to experience what it’s like being in front of the camera having your photo taken.

They’re always very informal and fun photoshoots. We typically go for a walk somewhere picturesque that is special to the both of you. The familiarity of your surroundings and relaxed nature of the shoot allow you to enjoy the session without worrying about the camera. Plus, you come away with a set of beautiful images! You can use them for save-the-date cards, invites, social media, your wedding website or anything else you like.

Fast-forward to approximately one month before your wedding.

This is where we will arrange to meet again for a catch-up (and more coffee – there’s a theme here!). It is a great opportunity to go through a much more detailed itinerary for your big day. Hopefully by this point you will have worked a lot with your wedding venue to organise timings and numbers for everything that will be happening. We will go through it all so we know exactly where we need to be. We’ll take note of all the important details that will make your day so unique.

It’s also a great time for you to ask any questions you may have either for us or about any other aspect of the day. We are there for the whole day so tend to know a lot about how weddings work in general. Make sure to utilise that expertise if you have any questions!

When it finally gets to the wedding day:

All our planning and conversations mean that you are able to relax. Enjoy the most important day of your lives while we capture those amazing memories. Feel free to ask us what is meant to be happening next if you’re all caught up in the moment. We will be there the whole day and will endeavour to support you wherever we possibly can.

Don’t ask us to help you out on the dance floor though! You’re on your own there, but we’ll be capturing it all!

So you’ve tied the knot…what happens now?

We will have already discussed sneak peaks during our meetings. When you’re waking up on your first morning as a married couple you’ll also be waking up to photographs! We come home, upload everything and backed it all up while you sleep. Everything is then safe and secure. A few of our favourite special moments will be edited and posted online for you, your family and friends to enjoy straight away. We will then get to working our magic on the rest.

The whole editing process takes no longer than 28 days. This is something you will see protected in your contract. You always know exactly when to expect your wedding photographs delivered to you. The industry standard can often be much longer than this but we know how important it is for you to get your precious images back as soon as possible. We never batch process images at Oliver Dixon Photography. Each photograph is individually assessed and edited to ensure the highest standard for our clients. We will be in touch as soon as they’re finished to arrange our next meeting.

The reveal!

You’re now married, and may have recently returned from an incredible honeymoon feeling relaxed (and tanned!). We’re four weeks post-wedding and it’s now time you receive your finished wedding photographs. As you may have already seen if you follow our social media pages, we don’t want to keep you waiting a minute longer than you have to, so we send your images straight to your email for you to download onto your devices and share with family and friends.

Once you’ve downloaded your images, our recommendation is that you pop open a bottle of champagne, plug into your TV and begin your wedding all over again from the comfort of your sofa! Our images are arranged chronologically so everything flows on your screen just as beautifully as it did on the day.

Albums & Prints

It is also at this meeting point we remind you of the price list for albums and prints. No obligations of course, though. This is just so you have it in your mind while showing them to your family and friends. If you decide to go ahead with designing albums or print orders you will often find that friends and family will want copies too. We find it is far more convenient for our clients to place once single order rather than ordering separately. Of course we’re here to guide you through this process too. Just get in touch whenever you decide to order.

If you’re still feeling the pinch from the wedding, don’t worry! We keep your files on my server so you can come back to printed products down the line. Lots of couples make orders either at the next Christmas or their 1 year anniversary (1=paper!). They make lovely gifts not just for each other but for parents too.

We’ve also introduced the ability for you to add print credit to your wedding registry so that your friends and family have the option to purchase credit on your behalf directly from our website as their gift to you! This can be such a personal touch for those who want to help give you lasting memories from your special day.

So the wedding is done, you’ve received your photos, shared them with your friends and family and had a beautiful album made to treasure forever.

The good news is that our partnership doesn’t have to stop there. All our couples are special to us and we love to keep in touch via social media or email.

If your friends and family are impressed with our work, tell them to quote your wedding at their point of booking. We offer a fantastic referral scheme to ensure that you don’t miss out. We’re also always available for other important life events. From baby showers and Christenings to Golden Wedding Anniversaries and beyond. We work with the same amount of care, diligence and attention to detail on every project. You can rest assured that with us, your memories are safe forever.

Now you know how our process works every step of the way. If you haven’t already done so, please do get in touch today and start the process for your own wedding photographs. We can’t wait to hear from you! Visit our contact page here to drop us a message.

Social Media

For news, updates and competitions, visit our facebook page here. We’re on Instagram @oliverdixonweddings (and for commercial enquiries – @oliverdixonphotography).

Please feel free to leave a comment below and share on your social media pages!