FAQ

The pandemic has turned us all into virtual communication pros, and virtual meetings are a great way for busy couples planning a wedding to save some time. We are happy to set up a zoom, google hangout, or Face-Time consultation. Or, if you prefer an “old fashioned” face to face visit, we would love to meet IRL!

If you come to see us, we can get tangible with wedding albums, prints, framing, and paper styles.

First things first: We smile. A lot. Possibly squeal. And we do a small, very dignified happy dance.

Before the celebratory dancing, we always start with a consultation. If you would like to move forward after the meeting, we’ll prepare a digital contract for us both to sign. A retainer then secures your date and officially reserves it on our calendar.

You’ll also be added to our nerdy studio management system—a client portal where you can easily view your wedding details, payments, and balances.

Maybe a “date shoot” ?! aka: Our take on an engagement session.

Most importantly: We are always available to chat, brainstorm and help in any way that we can throughout your planning process.

3-6 months prior to your celebration, we will send you an online questionnaire to fill out. We will then set up a phone call to create a custom photo timeline for your day.

*Some couples come into the studio IRL in order to touch and feel wedding albums.

Within 3 weeks of your wedding, you will receive an “overview” gallery which will feature 100-150+ of our favorite images that tell the story of your celebration.

Within 9 weeks, we will fully process the remaining hundreds of photographs and upload them into your online gallery. Our typical deliverable is 500-700 images from 7 hours of documenting. You will also receive a download PIN for to access all the high resolution images.

Finally: You can come to the studio to look at album options and we can begin the album design process.

Lastly: We also often hang out again if you start a family! We bring the same documentary approach to family photography :)

Rehearsal dinner coverage is a growing trend—and we genuinely love it. Spending one extra evening with your family and guests helps build trust and camaraderie. When I arrive on the wedding day, people already feel at ease and will often greet me by name! They’ve seen me working, know what to expect, and feel permission to simply be themselves.

It can also be especially meaningful if your parents are hosting the event. Having it documented honors their contribution and gives them a piece of the weekend, too. And it’s a great chance to knock out some extended-family group photos ahead of time—so you can spend less of the wedding day lining people up (wink, wink).

Finally, when I’m there for two or three events across the weekend—rehearsal or welcome dinner, after-party pool shenanigans, the wedding day, maybe even brunch—you end up with the full story of the experience, not just a highlight reel of the wedding day.

If photography matters a lot to you and your family, it’s absolutely worth considering.

Leica Cameras are the best tool for what we do. They also happen to be the best camera and lens system on the planet. We count ourselves among the few wedding photographers in the world that shoot entirely on this system, which means you get uncompromising quality in a discrete manner.

*did you know that Leica (Oskar Barnack) invented the 35mm camera? #history

Nerd out a bit here

Yes. You put real thought into the venue, florals, colors, tablescapes, and all the little design choices that make the day feel like you—so of course I photograph them. I capture those details with the same level of care you’d expect from a magazine-style feature.

That said, Our website leans more heavily toward moment-driven images, because those real interactions and emotions are the most important part of the story for our clients.

We’ve photographed some wildly non-traditional celebrations, but we’ve always done at least a few family formal combinations at every wedding (except that one elopement in Patagonia, Chile—hehe).

That said, you’ll create the list of posed photos you want. That way we don’t spend time on photos you don’t care about! Then we’ll make a simple plan for when and where to take them on the wedding day.

In almost every case, a highly experienced solo photographer can deliver work that’s as strong—or stronger—than a mixed-experience two-person team. Because more isn’t always better.

Second photographers can be a great add-on in a few specific scenarios:

• Your guest list is 200+ and you want more complete coverage of everyone.

• Your timeline is complex with multiple locations (especially 3+), or you need coverage happening in two places at once.

• Your wedding budget is $200,000+, where the day often has enough scale and production that a larger team makes sense.

It’s also worth knowing that many photographers “include” a second shooter in every package as a way to appear like they’re offering more. Because experience levels vary a lot, it’s smart to ask a few quick questions:

• Who will my second photographer be?

• Will their name be listed in my contract?

• Can I see a separate portfolio of their work?

If the second photographer can’t be named and isn’t included in the contract, you won’t know who is showing up—or what their experience level is. That’s a red flag.

A second photographer is most valuable when they bring strong talent and experience, not just “extra coverage.”

If you do need a team of photographers-

We started a separate business— Ausrine Weddings —to properly fulfill this need. 2 amazing photographers, making incredible stories together.

www.ausrineweddings.com

Absolutely! We highly encourage you to seek this out from every photographer you are looking into, as the entire body of work is ultimately what you are paying for, and much harder to craft than a few images for a blog post.

We are both fine art photographers and we work on our fine art projects as time allows.

We both specialize in documentary family sessions.

Ben does commercial work in the wedding “offseason” . He has profiled businesses throughout the country for Google, such as Duolingo, Nobull, Darn Tough socks, Hacin Architects, Seabags, etc.

Connie enjoys making professional headshots and has photographed many prominent Boston figures, including Chris Kimball, Francis Frei, and Anne Fadiman.

Connie is a seasoned food photographer and has had her work featured in many cookbooks published with Chris Kimball’s Milk Street.

The guiding principle of a true Documentary wedding photographer is simple: the photographer does not interfere with what is happening.
Moments unfold naturally, and the photographer observes and records them rather than directing, staging, or altering the environment. If you would like to read more about how to determine if a photographer is truly documentary in style, just click here!