wedding and event faqs
what is your experience?
I assisted my first wedding in 2002, back when one had to read a map to get to where you were going and we loaded film in the cameras. I was an assistant for about a year and then became a photojournalist (2nd photographer). After a few years shooting 35mm black and white film, I bought my first digital SLR around 2005 - a Canon 20D. Around this time I also started to train to be a main photographer. After a year of shadowing another wedding photographer, I nervously photographed my first event alone in 2006. From 2005-2009 I photographed about 40 weddings per year, while working in a higher volume studio running the wedding digital post-production department. I imported, edited, and proofed weddings all week long. I left the full-time studio job when I had my son in 2009, but continued to photograph 30-40 weddings per year for them. In January 2011, I officially opened my own business, and phased out working for the other studio. Now, 16 years after I started shooting weddings, and with over 400 weddings photographed, I have pretty much seen it all. Twice.
what is included in your wedding coverage?
All my coverages include the high-resolution images, and you have the option to add a second shooter to any collection. You can leave it at that, add albums a la carte, or choose one of the collections that already has albums included (contact me and I will send you pricing). Alternatively, I am happy to create a custom collection if you need something specific or a different number of hours or albums.
how long will you be at the wedding?
This depends on how many hours you hire me for, but I recommend having me start 1.5-2 hours before the ceremony (an hour or two longer if you plan on doing the formals before the ceremony) and I usually end an hour before the reception is over. For most couples, this is about 8-9 hours. City weddings or events at a separate church and reception site often need 10-11 hours.
what is your style of shooting? how much will you pose me?
I aim to make my images look like they have not been set up, but in fact, many of them have. I often provide just a little direction, and then I will see what happens. If you and your fiancé fall into poses by yourselves I won't adjust you much. If you're unsure and a little nervous, I'll give you a little more direction and maybe joke around a bit to ease your mind.
For family formals I will take control so the session goes quickly and smoothly, so everyone can get to cocktail hour! You don't need to call out the names of who you want in the images- we have already discussed the important people and photos- so you just enjoy your day and let me keep track of any shot lists!
what equipment do you shoot with?
I am a Canon shooter, and I have two Canon 5D Mark3 bodies as well as a Canon 5D Mark2 camera in the back up bag (sometimes my assistant will take some photos with this at the reception). I have five Canon 600EX flashes and a Phottix transmitter to fire them off camera. My favorite lens is the Canon EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS v2, and I have that on one camera for most of the day. The other camera body usually has a wide lens on it, either the Sigma 500 f/1.4 DG Art lens or the Sigma 24-24 f/2 DG Art lens. For reception dancing or wide venue shots I use my Canon EF 16-35 f/2.8 L v2 wide angle lens, and for up close details I use the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 macro lens. The Canon EF 135 f/2 L is great for portraits of one or two people, and the Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8 L v2 is great for family formals, studio portraits, and is the most versatile lens. I have tons of batteries and all sorts of other gear on hand, and backup gear of all of that in case that fails. Everything is well-maintained and sent to Canon annually, so I can be sure my gear is producing the best quality image I can shoot.
will you be the person taking pictures? do you usually work alone?
Yes, I will be there! I will bring an assistant to help with lighting, carrying gear, and details, or you can add a second photographer for a second point of view and some more images for your album!
what is the difference between an "assistant" and a "second photographer?"
An assistant may snap a few photos, but I don't guarantee any images from them; they are there to help make the day go smoothly for all involved. They help keep track of equipment and hold lighting, as well as fluff the dress and grab family members we need for group photos.
A second shooter/photographer is someone who photographs weddings themselves, and their main job as a second shooter is to provide a different, often more candid, point of view. They will be photographing the bride's walk down the aisle from the back of the aisle, while I stand up front. They can photograph cocktail hour while I shoot reception decor and details. We work as a team to provide the best coverage for you on your wedding day, and aim to capture those moments that even you may have missed!
are you absolutely, positively, ridiculously anal-retentive about backing your images up?
Ohmygosh YES. My cameras record to two memory cards at once so there are 2 copies of your images as soon as they are taken. Images are downloaded immediately following the event and those images are duplicated in-house on a backup external hard drive as well as off-site using a backup program that backs up my entire system every night. So, even in the event of a fire or natural disaster, your photos will most likely be safe.
are you insured? can you give proof of insurance to my wedding venue?
I am absolutely fully insured and bonded. I can provide a certificate to your venue which outlines my coverages at no cost to you. Just let me know as soon as possible, many venues require them to be submitted a few months before the event occurs.
are the digital rights included? can I print my photos where I want?
All my wedding collections include the digital files and the rights to print them where you want to. They are NOT scaled down and do NOT have any logos on them, and a pdf of the release accompanies the images that states you are within your rights to print them on paper, as photo gifts, albums, etc. I highly recommend www.mpix.com for printing your own prints. Drug stores are not photo labs.
how are the digital files given to us?
Your images are available via download, and your personal, password protected website will be live for at least a year. You can use that link to share the images with your friends and family. Prints are available for purchase from the proofing site, but there is no charge to view the images.
what resolution do you use?
Images are exported from raw files to high quality jpgs. They are not scaled down, although some may be cropped. They average about 5000 pixels on the long side of the image, which prints up to 16x20 prints without a problem. For larger prints, they can be scaled up.
how many photos are included?
A rough estimate of how many images will be delivered is about 800 files for an 8 hour job (about 100 images per hour of coverage). Of course, this varies and depends on the sizes of the families and wedding party and how easy it is to get everyone to be in the same place at the same time. Weddings with 300 guests will likely have more photos than weddings with 50 guests, and weddings that have a second photographer will have a few hundred more images than single photographer coverage.
are all the images "edited" or retouched?
All the photos you receive are corrected for color and density, cropped if needed, and are ready to print. Any photos that go into an album that I design will be further retouched - all exits signs and background distractions removed, skin smoothed if needed, and the images can be cropped or converted to black and white to best work with the layout. Every image is individually adjusted for overall professional consistency.
will I see any images in black and white?
Yes, I will make some images B&W if I think it works with the photograph. Colorful fall weddings may have less black and white images than indoor winter weddings, but if you want any particular photograph in color (or a color one in B&W) for the album there is no charge to switch it.
what is the average turnaround time for seeing the photos after the event?
3-8 weeks after the event (usually 3-5 weeks), depending on workload and time of year. September through December is the busiest time for me.
when do we get albums?
If your collection includes albums, you provide me with a list of your favorites (or I can choose for you!) and I will design the album within a week or so and put the layout online for you to approve or suggest edits. Then, once ordered, it takes 4-6 weeks to come in from the bindery. All albums are handmade, printed and assembled in the USA.
will you travel?
I am always up for an adventure! Travel fees may apply, depending on the distance and if you need a car or a plane to get there. People ask me the farthest place I have traveled for a wedding- Oranjestad, Aruba. I do frequent everywhere from New York City to Wilmington, Delaware, centralized in the Philadelphia area.
Some couples joke that they would like me to come along on the honeymoon and photograph the vistas for them. I have never actually had a solid offer for this, but I'd totally do it. Just saying.
what is your payment schedule?
Of the total investment, a $1000 retainer is due at contract signing to reserve your date. If an engagement session is photographed, a second payment of $500 is due at the session and will be deducted from the final balance. The remainder is due by the day of the event. Cash, checks, money orders and credit cards (via PayPal) are accepted.
are there any "hidden costs" or anything I should know about?
I am required to collect 6% PA sales tax on all orders, but there are no additional costs unless you order additional products.
will you photograph same-sex weddings? mixed ethnicities? blended religious ceremonies?
Yes, love is love, and that is what I love to capture in my images. All of my clients get 110%, regardless of their gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, or income.
can you recommend any bands, DJs, hair and make-up artists, florists, wedding planners, or videographers?
I sure can! Here is a good list to start with.
can we meet you to make sure you aren't some crazy weirdo, and see some of these albums you talk so highly about???
I actually recommend it, and would love to chat with you personally about your big day. I am happy to host you at my studio to show you some albums and get to know each other, or, if you don't live near Philadelphia, we can set up a phone call or Skype meeting. Call, text, or email me and we'll set something up!
Wedding Photography Timeline
Contract Signing
$1000 retainer is paid and your date is officially booked.
Engagement Sessions (if applicable)
$500 payment due, deducted from final balance.
E-sessions can be photographed at any time before your wedding. I can do indoor options, such as Longwood Gardens, that are warm and also colorful, and there are a ton of gorgeous outdoor spots in Philadelphia and it’s surrounding towns. Ridley Creek State Park has beautiful grounds all year long, and Center City offers tons of unique venues and scenery. Belmont Plateau, Philly Art Museum, Old City, your favorite bar, a beach (travel fee may apply for beaches)... or feel free to get creative! My Malvern studio is always an option, with lots of textures and foliage as well as back drop set-ups inside.
Three Months Before Event
50% of remaining balance due.
Final Timeline Chat occurs one or two weeks before the event, via phone. This is when we confirm the timeline and run over the names of all the important people who should be photographed.
WEDDING DAY!!!
Final balance due, any overtime charges will be billed to you after the wedding. You have the option to add overtime up until the last minute of coverage.
Proofing
Proofs are ready three to six weeks after event, depending on time of year. Images are posted online on password protected site, and your USB drive is mailed to you. On the drive there will be high-resolution photos without a logo that are for printing as well as low-resolution photos with a small watermark that are for sharing online. Please give Crissy Everhart Photography credit for any images posted on social media, so I can get more clients like you. Thank you for your anticipated cooperation!
Album Design
After you see your images online you can choose which ones you want for the album. Generally you should aim for about 80 images in a 40 page album (what is included in most of my wedding collections), so you can choose more if you are willing to get extra album spreads. If this seems like too much of a daunting task, I am happy to choose the images I think tell your wedding story for you. I will do a custom album design in about 1-2 weeks and post online for you to approve or suggest edits. Once you approve the design, the albums take about 4 weeks to come in. Anything purchased above and beyond the wedding collection must be paid for when the album or print order is placed.
At any time during the process feel free to reach out to me via email, phone or text! I am happy to help with all things wedding, even referring other local vendors.
