Choosing Your Wedding Team
Welcome to Wildwood!
We are James and Raquelle, a passionate husband and wife team dedicated to capturing your special day in Bowral, Sydney and the Hunter Valley. With our timeless, modern, and elegant approach, we strive to create stunning photographs and videos that tell the story of your love.
Investing in a skilled wedding photographer and videographer is crucial to ensure that your precious moments are beautifully preserved. However, we believe that there is more to it than just style and budget. That's why we have broken down the important factors to consider before and on your wedding day, guiding you every step of the way.
As true romantics at heart, we work harmoniously as a team to bring your love story to life. From the intimate moments to the grand celebrations, we capture every detail and emotion, crafting a narrative that reflects the essence of your journey together.
If you are planning a Hunter Valley wedding and are considering us to be a part of your special day, we invite you to reach out to us via our contact page. We would be delighted to connect with you, discuss your vision, and answer any questions you may have.
Your wedding day is a beautiful chapter in your love story, and we are here to ensure that it is documented with the utmost care and creativity. Let us be a part of your journey and create timeless memories that you will cherish forever. Say "hi" to us today, and let's begin the exciting process of capturing your love on your wedding day.
Q+A
How far in advance should we book a wedding photographer and videographer?
In general, after you have your date and venue secured, your key vendors should be next on the list, including your wedding photo and video team. Many wedding vendors, start booking dates up to 16 months in advance, so we recommend getting in touch early — especially if you are after a popular weekend date in the spring or summer. That said, don’t let that push you into making a snap decision. It is important that you are in love with your photographer and videographers style and work first! If you are planning with a tighter time frame, don’t let that hold you back from enquiring, many photographers and videographers may still have dates free.
When do we start our wedding coverage start, and what time should the photographer and videographer arrive?
We generally require around 3 hours to capture the getting ready stages of a wedding. This covers the girls and the guys getting ready, including your details, accessories, the getting ready stages and some portraits prior to the ceremony. Sometimes travelling between the two locations can be a factor so choosing prep locations close to each other is always a good idea.
Working backwards from your ceremony start time will help identify your teams start time.
Lastly, you may not know your timeline or location for your wedding day when you book your photographer and videographer, so make sure your chosen vendors are flexible to upgrade your collection later when you have your timeline ready - should you require additional hours.
How do we know what to include within our photography and videography package?
It may seem counterintuitive, but please don’t choose your wedding photo and video team solely based on their cost or what they include in their packages; by that, we mean, don’t choose a photographer who includes 600 photos over one which includes 500 just for that reason. Quality of art will always beat quantity. After that, it really comes down to what you value in your wedding photos and wedding film/s, how you dream and imagine them. Would you love to capture all the little details you’ve planned? Make sure your team has enough time to capture them in the morning and before the reception. Would you love to capture your friends and family enjoying the party?
Make sure your package includes enough time for your photographer and videographer to stick around at the party for a while! At Wildwood, we have many additional options, like larger format films, wedding albums and prints. There is something so special about seeing a large fine art print on your wall or turning the pages of a beautifully designed album. Don’t let your wedding photos just sit around on a hard drive!
We feel uncomfortable in front of the camera; how do we make sure our photos and videos are candid and not too posey?
Firstly, you are so not alone, we hear this from so many of our couples. Connecting with your photographer and videographer will play a big role in how you feel on the day. If you like them and they like you, you’ll naturally be more relax, and you can just be yourself. Our goal is to spend a little time before the day chatting with our couples so that on the day the ice is broken, we can laugh and have fun, and we can capture who you truly and naturally are. An engagement session is perfect for this!
We, of course, give a little bit of direction on your wedding day, but we don’t overdo the posing. We keep you moving, having fun, and enjoying each other’s company. Previously, many couples expressed their nervousness before the day, and then after, they have mentioned how it was so relaxed and fun. Which is wonderful and we work hard as a team to create a great vibe during the day.
With so many options for photography and videography, who do we pick, and how do we choose?
It’s can be slightly overwhelming, choosing between the different styles, levels of experiences, and price ranges. Going based off Instagram can be tricky too, making hard to judge the true quality of work. Our advice would be to have a good look around at the different options and maybe make a list of 2-3 then reach out for pricing and inclusions. We hear this a lot, ‘we booked the same photographer/videographer as our friends’, not everyone gels and are the right fit so just because your friends had one team make sure you do your own research and see what resonates with you. Deep dive into all of your top pick’s portfolios too. Look through more than one or two films and export the blogs.
Don’t just take any vendors Instagram at face value; follow through to their website, look at some full weddings they have shot, and ensure they shoot the whole day well. One of the things we pride ourselves on at Wildwood is shooting the entire day consistently, seeking out good light so that your wedding photos and film tell a consistent story and are not just a bunch of one-off shots. We pride ourselves on capturing not only the two of you but also the irreplaceable faces of your friends and family. This is what sets Wildwood apart in the market.
What are three things that are often overlooked that result in poor quality photos?
Locations - many couples don’t consider how their getting ready location will affect their photos. Dark, small, and overly cluttered rooms are going to look exactly like that. Ensure you choose locations that have lots of natural light and lots of space.
Time of day - it’s common to plan the biggest photoshoot in the middle of the day after the ceremony, which is often one of the worst times of the day to shoot during the summer season due to the light. We always recommend planning as much time to shoot at sunset as possible, which will result in the best light and the best photos.
Reception seating - often, couples don’t consider where they sit during the reception. Ensure your photographer will have a good chance to capture amazing photos of you enjoying your reception and speeches by making sure there is room in front of you and that your table decor does not completely block your faces. Also, consider what will be behind you; a radiator or fire extinguisher on the wall will not be the best look.
Does lighting affect our photos? What are ways to enhance the quality of the photos, and what should couples consider early in the planning stages, such as different reception lighting?
Lighting is the number one thing that determines the quality of your photos, but we don’t expect you to be light experts: that’s our job, so chat to us about itl. We love when couples ask where they should do their champagne tower, where they should get ready, or when the best time to shoot is.
Here are some quick tips:
- Choose a getting-ready spot with a lot of natural light.
- Spend as much time shooting at sunset as you can.
- Choose a reception venue with a white or light ceiling, as this allows for amazing flash photos once it gets dark.
With all of this said, one of the most enjoyable challenges of photographing wedding days is working with the light that is available to you on the day. We adapt; we find creative and beautiful ways to use the light wherever we are.
How to avoid those squinty-eyed ceremony photos?
Our best advice would be to hold your ceremony in a lovely, shaded area, not a half-shaded area, a completely shaded area. This will make everything so much more comfortable for you and your guests and make your photos a whole lot better. If you’re holding your ceremony in the sun, consider having the sun angle in from behind you so that you are backlit.
Your best piece of advice for couples when it comes to wedding photography and wedding videography?
Sit down and think about what you value when it comes to your wedding photos and wedding film and what you will do with your photos after the wedding day, and make your choice of photographer and videographer, locations and timeline based on those dreams.
