Vendor Spotlight: Kristen Weaver Photography

What is your favorite part of the wedding day?

I honestly think it’s the first hour when I arrive! I still get really anxious before every wedding, and I love the energy when I arrive and everyone is really excited and getting their hair and makeup done. It’s my first peek at the bride’s dress and details (I love a good fashion moment!) and that’s always really fun. The energy is so good and, in a weird way, it completely relaxes me and I’m ready to have a great day with my couple!

Do you have an absolute favorite shot/moment that you love to capture at weddings?

Ooooh. That’s a tough one.

From a photography standpoint, the time I spend alone with my couple is my favorite. There’s just so much love in the air and it’s the only time when they can relax and just enjoy their time alone (during a day of chaos, friends and family!).

Getting to spend that time with them and those photos that we capture are always my favorite to share and post. I get this incredibly unique opportunity to experience their love in a way that most people don’t. So my job is to share that with everyone else!

How far out do couples normally book your services for their wedding?

Usually about 12-16 months is standard for us. But we have been seeing a lot more intimate weddings, or destination weddings and elopements, and they usually book with a little less time before their wedding day! So maybe more like 8-12 months for those couples!

What’s the most important thing couples should consider when choosing their style/vision for their photographs?

This is tough because styles will change as trends change.

I would say that, when you find a photographer whose style you love, make sure it’s 100% consistent across their work. If they bounce between styles frequently, how do you know which style you’ll get a year down the road?

It’s okay for a photographer to evolve their editing and shooting style…we all do! But you should look for red-flags like inconsistent editing throughout one entire wedding or giant leaps in their editing in a short period of time (like going from super moody to super bright and back again). And remember, anyone can add a “filter” to a photo and make it look good. Look through that and make sure you love the actual photo, and not just the style of it!

What tips can you offer couples when choosing their photographer?

Loving your photographer’s work/vision is one thing, but can you spend all day with them and love who they are as a person, too?

You’ll likely be working with your photographer for about 18 months—more than most other vendors (both before AND after your wedding)! You’ll also be spending more time with them on your wedding day than most anyone else, so consider things like their response time, customer service, professionalism (yes, social media counts here, too!) and how you feel when you’re with them.

Never let anyone else pick your photographer (sorry, moms and dads!). This is a deeply personal job requiring us to capture deeply personal moments. If you’re not 100% comfortable with your photographer, it will show in the final images.

Just as important but less exciting: how thorough is their contract? Archival systems? Insurance and level of professionalism? Photography is a big investment and you want to make sure your investment is protected! 

What song at a wedding always makes you run to the dance floor?

I have a really eclectic musical range, but any good ’90’s jam will always hype me up! Lately it’s been “I Want To Dance With Somebody” by Whitney Houston! Oh, and confetti cannons. Those always hype me up on a dance floor!

Is there anything that I didn’t ask you today that you would love for your couples to know about your services?

We have options! Don’t be scared to ask if you’re trying to stay within a budget. Couples are afraid to talk about money for some reason. Don’t be! We’re here to help make it work in a budget that works for you!

And also…get wedding insurance! I’m obsessed with telling my couples how important it is. Especially with everything going on recently, it’s a great investment and pretty inexpensive considering what you’d be covering!

Kristen
ONLINE: www.kristenweaver.com
BLOG: www.kristenweaverblog.com
INSTAGRAM: @kristenweaverphoto