Why Choosing Your Photographer is Like Choosing Your Wedding Dress!

Ask any Bride and they will tell you that when they tried on that special gown they could see themselves getting married in, there was no question - they just knew that was the one!

Most quality bridal shops are not just about selling you a wedding dress, they are as much about creating the whole experience for you…a private appointment where you get undivided attention and it’s all about you and your wedding… a glass of bubbles for you and anyone helping you (MOB, Bridesmaids etc), asking questions about your wedding (what theme, style, indoor, outdoor etc), considering you as a unique individual, your height, body shape, what you like and don’t like, your personal taste and style - all so they can suggest the most appropriate offerings for you to try on! It’s also about much more than just the dress - what matching accessories can they offer - veils, headpieces, jewellery and shoes (YES some bridal shops also offer wedding shoes). Once you have found your gown, it can further be customised or altered to suit and fit you perfectly - that’s all part of the service! You might also want to see bridesmaids dresses or Mother of the Bride dresses - all in the one place! They might also offer after care such as dry cleaning or archival preservation and storing for your precious wedding dress.

Whether its a fairytale princess dress or a sleek and classy minimalist couture gown, Brides will tell you they just knew when the found the right one! It felt right from the first moment they slipped into their dream dress, even though they might not have thought that when they saw it just hanging on the rack as they looked at the rows and rows of gowns - all looking similar - how do you ever decide? It might be a design suggested by the staff they had never even thought of or seen before and would not have considered just seeing it hanging, or if they checked the price tag and immediately dismissed as out of their budget. But once they felt the gorgeous fabric against their skin, their hands caressed the exquisite decoration, and they saw the craftsmanship in the finishing there was absolutely no doubt. It was actually part of the whole experience created by the bridal store staff - with their well honed skills, knowledge and experience providing the best quality selection in gowns and then individually providing you with the most suitable gowns for your height, body shape, wedding theme and location, at the same time giving you first class service that wasn’t hurried, nothing was too much trouble and you felt like a VIP through the whole experience.

Most Brides will research their dress in advance, flicking though bridal magazines, looking online at Pinterest to create inspiration boards, going to Bridal Expos and window shopping as they pass any bridal shops. If you have read my article 5 Simple Steps to Start Planning Your Dream Wedding you will know the importance of prioritising what are the most important non-negotiable elements for your wedding for you and your fiance. I can tell you up front right now - for most brides their dress is right up there in priority! Even though it will only be worn for one day - they want a dress that makes them feel special and feels right! One they can visualise themselves getting married in - when you are getting married you’re thinking this will be the only time in your life you will get to wear a wedding dress - you only get one shot at getting it right!

You very well might have budgeted a certain amount for your dress but rest assured when you find that special dress you probably won’t have even seen the price tag first. When you do you will realise that you get what you pay for - quality craftsmanship, creativity and design comes at a cost. You might even feel a bit disappointed thinking you can’t really afford or justify it, when all these other lesser, cheaper dresses appear to be offering the same thing for less money. But as you hang that perfect gown back up, and you try on some others you will soon discover you just can’t replicate that feeling of the perfect dress with something lesser. The quality is just not there, the design or style is not quite right - it might look similar but it’s just NOT the same! I know brides who somehow found the extra money needed to get the quality they wanted and never regretted it for minute, and some who took the cheaper option and so wished they hadn’t!

So what about your photography and videography? How do you choose there perfect fit for you and your wedding? You will do a lot of the same things as you create Pinterest Inspiration boards with images you want for your wedding, go to Wedding Expos where you collect lots of brochures and information or search online trying to compare one company against another - it can all become a bit of a blur, and on paper things might look like you are make accurate comparisons between their services and offerings - and that’s understandable - how can you tell the difference between true professionals with those who are just doing it as a side line, often without training or the expertise required for a genre that only gives you one shot to get it right on the day?

All wedding photography and videography services are not equal - the difference is in the creative talent, technical expertise and the passion for making your wedding day memories not only meet your expectations but exceed them! It’s also in the quality of the inclusions in your Collection (Package), photographic products for preserving your memories and the support and service from people you are comfortable to work with and trust your precious wedding memories with.

At West Coast Weddings we invite you to our studio and give you our undivided attention in an obligation free Design Consultation. We’ll make you comfortable with a coffee or glass of bubbles as you share your love story and dreams for your wedding. We ask you questions about what you want for your wedding images, share your Pinterest boards or send us examples of the images you love so we can create you unique mood board for your wedding and understand the look and feel you want so we can customise the coverage of your unique wedding, your way - It’s all about you! We get to know each other and see how the “fit” is between us - is the chemistry right? - are we the “perfect dress” for you?

We share with you examples from real weddings in our gorgeous studio albums, our curated wall art offerings and let you see, touch, smell and explore them so you can visualise yourself in those images you love in the wedding album, film or wall art of your dreams. All our Collections include a handcrafted, artisan, archival album and film, as well as all those little extras you would expect - like an engagement shoot, scoping out your venues ahead of time and attending your wedding rehearsal - first class service - nothing less!

We share our wealth of experience and knowledge with tips and tricks to make sure your wedding day runs smoothly and you can relax knowing everything is covered, and that you will be captured at your most flattering - these will be the best photos and film you have ever had taken in your life - and you are the STAR looking AMAZING!

How much something is worth and the value it represents is in how much it emotionally means to you and how much you absolutely love it and want it! Long after the cake has been eaten, the flowers have wilted and that perfect wedding dress has been stored - all you will have to remember and relive that amazing wedding day, will be your photographs and film - which are in fact actually priceless!!!

Our price tags reflect our professional offerings and the quality of our work, but at the same time offer incredible value for money because we love to work together as husband and wife, we invest in our couples and we truly believe your love story deserves to be told in both printed images and motion - it’s our gift to you!

To book your no pressure, obligation free Design Consultation today - call Karen on 0412 562 832 I’d love to chat and let you experience the difference at West Coast Weddings!