Just likes buses, you wait ages for a wedding fair then 3 come along at once! This coming Sunday the 10th is my second of three fairs for September and is at the lovely Doubletree by Hilton Cheltenham Park hotel 11am – 3pm and hosted by wedding fayre experts Love Actually Weddings who host fairs all over the South West.I’ll be there with my new stand after a really busy fayre at the Cheltenham town hall, where I got to chat to dozens of couples and received some lovely feedback on my photos.
It’s always such a buzz to meet so many engaged couples. I love sharing my passion for what I do, and to hear and learn from what they are after from their wedding photography. Last Sunday was a blur and over before I knew it. My inbox has already made a few pings, so I am so excited to see who’s stories I get to tell next!
My short guide to how to choose a wedding photographer at a fair went down quite well, so I though i’d post it here again!Question – How many photo’s does each package include?Lee Hawley Photography Answer – My 10hr package supplies around 1000 fully edited images along with a slideshow to music.Q – How long does it take for me to get my photos back?LHP A – I have the full set available online within 2 weeks, with a couple of hero shots produced and emailed to you the day after the wedding so you can update your facebook profile right away! Q – What deposit and payment terms do you have?LHP A – I offer two payment plans to try and help as much as possible with spreading the costs or to make things nice and simple. You can see them and full package and pricing details here: Pricing & PackagesQ – Do I like the photographer?LHP A – A question for you this time. You will have this person at your wedding all day, and at all the really important moments too. Are you able to be relaxed around them in order for them to take the very best photos of you? Will you enjoy your day as much as you could if you don’t have a good rapport with them? A fayre is a great chance to chat to a few and see who passes your personality test!Q – What contact can we have to discuss ideas leading up to the wedding?LHP A – I am available on the phone or email an unlimited amount of times. If you have not made your mind up on a photographer yet, I will happily meet with you before you book to answer any nagging doubts you may have. We will also have a pre wedding consultation a month before the wedding, and I am available for a venue tour with you at any other time as well should you wish.Q – What sort of edit do you do to the images?LHP A – Where current trends seem to be for stylish but gloomy wedding photos, I edit to retain the colour, light and the joy of your wedding. You can see just a few examples here: Wedding Photos
Q – What do I physically get after the wedding?LHP A – I provide a DVD pack that includes your wedding highlights as a slideshow to music, which I also create a YouTube link for so you can share with friends and family. You get a USB with all the full resolution images, plus a compressed set to keep on your phone without using all your phones memory. Your full set of images will also be on a private page on my website, again as an easy way to share with friends. An example package can be seen here: Example PackageQ – How much are your albums?LHP A – My albums start from £300 for a 24 page album, and I can work with you to tailor an album to your specific budget or aesthetic requirements. Click here for an example album.Q – How many weddings do you do a month?LHP A – I do no more than 4 a month so that I can provide the most comprehensive, helpful and friendly service possible. I don’t run a production line. Every wedding is unique and deserves a tailored photography approach.
Q – Why are your prices what they are?LHP A – OK so this is not a very British question, and more likely this is a question to ask yourself rather than the photographer.If someone is very cheap, ask yourself why? Will they be using substandard kit? (for example my camera records to 2 SD cards at all times massively reducing chances of lost photos if a memory card fails. Just one of many precautions I take behind the scenes to reduce risk to an absolute minimum) Are they cheap because they only give you ¼ of the photos they take? (Editing images typically takes 2 hours for every hour shooting, so someone providing 500 photos rather than the 1000 I provide is saving themselves around 10 hours of work you are not benefiting from).There may well be a very valid reason they are cheap. They could be a talented new starter making their way into the industry, and as long as they’re honest about this and you like their photos then it’s a gamble well worth considering as everyone has to start somewhere.If someone is charging really big bucks, what extra are you getting for this? If you are blown away with their photos then that alone might make it worth it, but it’s well worth understanding the full service and make your own judgment on whether it’s good value.I hope this doesn’t sound too scary! My hope is this will give you a handle on what to look out for. It’s a tough decision as you need to be an expert in something you’ve never bought before! Which seems enormously difficult. If you would like to discuss any of this please just drop me an email on enquiries@leehawleyphotography.com or come and see me at the Cheltenham Park hotel this Sunday or any of the following shows coming up in the next 6 months:Sept 24th – Pitville Pump RoomsOct 8th – Cotswold Water ParkJan 7th – Cheltenham Town HallJan 28th – GL1I hope you enjoy the showLeewww.leehawleyphotography.com
