Back to websiteWhat we've learnt after more than 200 weddings
Most couples only do this once. This guide is here to make the decision feel clearer, calmer and less overwhelming—and to help you choose someone who can deliver quality, tell the complete story and make the experience enjoyable.
If you're feeling overwhelmed
You're suddenly comparing styles, collections, investment, personalities and websites, all while trying to plan one of the biggest days of your life.
We've photographed weddings since 2001. Rather than simply tell you why we're different, we'd rather share the questions we'd ask, the things we'd look for, and the advice we'd give our own family.
Choosing a photographer isn't really about cameras. It's about trust.
Why trust matters
On a wedding day, families experience almost every emotion possible. There's stress, sadness, joy, tears, laughter, relief, quiet moments and big moments.
As photographers, we're trusted to stand right in the middle of all of it. That's an incredibly trusted place to be, and it's something we value deeply and never take for granted.
What a great photographer should deliver
After photographing weddings since 2001, these are the three things we believe matter most. They are useful standards for comparing any photographer—not just us.
Quality starts before the wedding. Your photographer should understand the people, the timing, the locations and the details that matter. On the day, they should have the skill, preparation, backup equipment and judgement to produce consistent results in changing conditions.
A good gallery should allow someone who wasn't at the wedding to understand how the day felt. It should include the details, anticipation, tears, laughter, family, portraits and moments that build from the preparations through to the celebrations.
Your wedding day is not a photo shoot. Beautiful photographs matter, but so does how you felt while they were being created. A relaxed photographer should help make tense moments lighter and allow you to enjoy the day rather than perform for the camera.
The journey
This should feel simple, relaxed and pressure-free.
Start with style, feeling and consistency.
Send your date, venue and a little about your plans.
See whether the style, collections, experience and investment fit your expectations and budget.
Meet in person or online, talk through a normal wedding-day timeline and see whether the conversation feels easy.
The one thing we'd always recommend.
Work, personality and confidence should all feel right.
Secure the date only when you feel comfortable.
The one thing we'd tell our own family
Every photographer naturally shows their favourite images. A beautiful portfolio proves they can create some excellent photographs. A complete gallery shows whether they can deliver that quality repeatedly and tell the whole story.
Look for the build-up before the ceremony, the people who matter, traditional family groups, natural portraits, candid reactions, speeches, difficult light, changing weather and the small moments nobody planned.
When the gallery is complete, someone who wasn't at the wedding should still be able to understand what happened and how it felt. That is a much better measure than a handful of highlights.
Does the quality hold up from the beginning of the day to the end?
Are family, guests, details and candid moments photographed well too?
How do indoor ceremonies, speeches and dance floors look?
Does the gallery feel like one whole wedding rather than a collection of highlights?
Little things we've learnt
The vows, the kiss, the speech and the first dance. Nearly everyone worries about them. Nearly everyone gets through them. And they're often more fun than expected.
Holding a bouquet helps relax the hands and posture. It sounds small, but small things can make a surprising difference.
One of the most common things couples say afterwards is, “That went so fast.” Good planning creates room to actually enjoy it.
Tears, laughter, nerves, family reactions and tiny moments often become more important than the photographs anyone expected.
A useful question to ask
Many photographers describe their work as candid or photojournalistic. That can be wonderful, but natural photography does not have to mean standing back and offering no help.
We believe the strongest coverage combines genuine storytelling with enough guidance to help people look and feel their best. The photographs should remain true to who you are, while your photographer quietly adjusts the situation when needed.
Questions worth asking
Ask for at least two.
Make sure you know who will actually attend.
Ask about spare cameras, lenses, lighting, file backups and what happens if the photographer is unwell.
Natural does not have to mean leaving you without help. Ask how they guide people while keeping photographs genuine.
Clarify expected delivery times, online galleries, high-resolution files, prints and album options.
Common mistakes
Budget matters, but quality and trust matter long after the wedding.
A portfolio is not the same as a full wedding.
Personality matters when someone will be beside you all day.
Professional cameras help, but wedding photography also requires preparation, people skills, technical judgement and the ability to deliver consistently under pressure.
You should feel informed and reassured—not sold to.
What we love about weddings
We love wedding photography because families go through every emotion possible in one day. We get welcomed into that world and trusted to stand right in the middle of it.
That trust is the part we value most.
One last thought
After the wedding, the dress has been worn. The flowers are fading. The food has been eaten. There may even be a bit of a hangover.
But your photographs remain.
They should capture what really happened—not only what the photographer made happen. They should tell the complete story, bring back the emotions and become more valuable as the years pass.
One day they may be looked through by children who were not even born when they were taken, and perhaps grandchildren after that.
Take your time. Ask questions. Look at complete weddings. Choose someone whose work you love, whose consistency reassures you and whose presence you trust.
If that's us, we'd be honoured. If it isn't, we genuinely hope this guide helps you choose someone you'll still be delighted with twenty years from now.
Craig & Sarah
Ready for the first step?
We'll confirm whether your date is available and send our wedding information guide. It explains our four collections, coverage options, album choices and what you can expect from working with two photographers. Collections start from $1995.
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