I put a lot of behind the scenes work into my business. I am always looking for ways to improve and to not only deliver the best photos I can, but the best EXPERIENCE. I have found a great way to get a feel for what my wedding couples want and need is to join wedding planning groups on social media and evesdrop a little. I see the most questions that couples have while planning, complaints from couples who already had their day, things that went right and things that went wrong, common misconceptions about wedding photography…you name it. This is so incredibly helpful in making sure the experience for my own couples is exactly what they are hoping for.
So today I thought I would share the answer to the #1 question I see asked regarding Wedding Photography after the big day. “When will we get our photos back???”.
I don’t think most couples anticipate how important this question will be to them once the day is over. I completely get it. You spend a year of your life thinking of nothing but wedding details. The day finally comes and then just like that, it’s over. And while you are happy and excited to begin married life, it feels like something is missing. There is no more planning or anticipating and all you can think about is getting your photos back and reliving the day that felt a little like a whirlwind. But you didn’t really pay attention to what your photographer said about when you would get your photos back during all of the planning, or maybe they gave you a range and you can’t stop wondering if it will be the earliest possible date…or the latest? Oddly enough, dozens of brides head to the Facebook groups and ask other brides how long it took for THEM to get their photos back, hoping for some reassurance or answers. Since every wedding and photographer is different, that’s probably not really helpful so I decided to write the most helpful answer for ALL couples who are patiently (or not so patiently) waiting.
- What does your contract say? Every photographer should have their delivery time in their contract. If it says 8-12 weeks and it hasn’t been 12 weeks yet, hang in there. If the longest promised time has come and gone, it’s perfectly acceptable to reach out to them for an update! Especially during busy season it can be hard for photographers to keep up and you don’t want them rushing through your beautiful memories, but they should be providing updates to you if they are running behind so there is nothing wrong with checking in if they haven’t.
- How long was your Wedding Day photography coverage? This may or may not make a difference but if you only had 6 hours of coverage it typically will take less time to edit than an 8 or 10 hour wedding so you MAY receive your gallery closer to the earlier side of the range your photographer has given you.
- The season you have your wedding makes a HUGE difference! September through early December is PEAK wedding season in most areas. If your wedding is during this time, your photographer may have 4-6 weddings (or more) already sitting in their editing queue when they shoot your day. However if you have a late winter wedding or possibly even spring or summer, they might be able to get to work on your gallery right away!
- Your Photographer. Is your photographer a “Full Time” photographer or do they do this on the side and have another full time job? Do they have small children that require care and transportation to and from school and events for much of the day? How experienced are they and do they have an established editing style that they have mastered? Most couples don’t think to ask these kinds of questions when looking for a photographer, but these are honestly the BIGGEST factors in when your gallery will be completed. For instance, photography is my FIRST job. I do have a part-time job as well, but I do IT around photography, not the other way around. So every morning I get up and work on photography whether that means editing, answering emails and messages, social media, website updates, etc. My children are older and independent. I can easily work 6-8 hours on photography every day if needed. However a photographer with another full time job and/or small children may only have 1-2 hours a day. That’s a HUGE difference! And this is in NO WAY saying not to hire those photographers. These are your memories forever and if your dream photographer is going to take a little more time, it will be worth it. Just remember this when you are waiting to get your gallery after the day is over.
