FAQ
We created this portion of the website to address some of the typical questions we’ve been asked as well as answer some questions you may not have even thought of. If there’s something you’d like to ask that’s not listed below, just send us a message and we’ll get back to you as soon as we have an answer.
Who is Alan Abrams Photography?
Alan Abrams Photography is a husband and wife photography team consisting of Alan Abrams, who is the primary photographer and Silke Abrams, who serves as business manager.
How would you describe your style of photography?
Our style is light, loose, relaxed, and fun. We primarily take a documentary approach and mix in a few lightly posed photos as well. It’s all about you being relaxed and enjoying your day. Oh yeah….and we’ll capture some amazing moments in the process.
How many photographers and assistants do you use for weddings?
Alan Abrams is the primary and only photographer. Barring something really crazy happening, when you book anything with Alan Abrams Photography you’re going to get Alan Abrams…..period. For some weddings, an assistant may be used to help carry equipment and set up lighting, but that’s about it. We believe this minimalist approach allows us to document your day as unobtrusively as possible.
Why should we have a wedding consultation?
We strongly encourage a personal consultation if you’re considering us for your wedding photography. We take on a limited number of weddings each year, so it’s important to us that we are a good fit for each other. Meeting you in person and taking the time to get to know you is something we enjoy doing and is something we feel is mutually beneficial. Our consultations give you a chance to become more familiar with us and to see some of our product offerings. If your wedding is a destination wedding or we are not able to meet in person, we’d be more than happy to teleconference using Skype.
How do we arrange for a consultation and what is covered during the consultation?
Setting up the consultation is as simple as giving us a call, sending us an e-mail, or filling out our contact form. We’ll chat a bit and set up a time and place to meet. We only ask that you allow at least one hour to discuss your wedding needs.
The consultation will help us see how you envision your wedding day. We’ll discuss the details of your day from beginning to end and explain to you what we’ll be doing at the various points of the day. The consultation also helps us get a feel for your likes and dislikes, ensuring that the day flows smoothly with minimal intrusion from us.
During the consultation you will also be able to view samples of our work as well as some of our product offerings. Seeing and handling these products in person will help you make a decision as to which size and options you’d be interested in adding to your collection.
Okay, so we’ve decided we want to book you for our wedding, what happens next?
The very first step is to build your wedding collection, including all of the requested products and services. Once we’ve created your collection, we’ll put together a wedding contract. Once the contract is signed and returned to us along with the retainer fee, we reserve the date on our calendar, and your booking is finalized! We then send you a copy of the signed contract to keep for your records.
The next step would be to schedule your engagement session. We recommend scheduling the engagement session with enough lead time to have the images ready for use in your guestbook.
Could you tell us a little more about the Engagement Session and why you think it’s necessary?
The Engagement Session has become the foundation of the relationship we build with our wedding clients. It gives us a chance to connect and spend some quality time together prior to your wedding day. Weddings can be pretty hectic, so it’s important for us to hang out together in a more relaxed setting. We’ll normally meet at a pub or coffee shop, maybe have drink or a cup of coffee, and then spend the next couple of hours just hanging out and getting to know each other. It’s like a date, except there are cameras pointed at you some of the time…..okay, a lot of the time!
Why do you require a retainer?
The retainer is required in order for us to secure your wedding date. Until we have a signed contract along with your retainer, your date is still considered to be open. In cases where more than one couple are looking to book us for the same date, preference will be given to the first couple to commit and send us their signed contract and retainer. Once you have decided to book us, it’s important to finalize the agreement as soon as possible.
Why is payment due 2 weeks prior to our wedding date?
In an effort to make your day as stress free as possible, we like to get all financials out of the way before your wedding day. The last thing should worry about on the day of your wedding is money and making payments to vendors. Setting a deadline 2 weeks in advance gives us more than enough time for payments to clear and for us to focus to making your day as stress-free as possible.
How do you dress for weddings?
It depends. For the most part, I dress for comfort and do my best to blend in with the crowd. I like to think of myself as a ninja, only without the sword and without those really cool star things to throw at people (I really need to find some of those). Clients are always telling me how they barely even noticed me being there during many parts of the day.
Do you belong to any professional organizations?
As of this writing, we are full professional members of the Professional Photographers of America (PPA), Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI), and the Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA).