Our friend Daniel Sroka graciously agreed to come back and share tips on how to put together a meaningful interfaith wedding ceremony.  He also shared one of his beautiful ketubah’s with us!!

Creating your interfaith wedding ceremony can feel like a huge challenge. Unlike couples from the same religion, you cannot just use a standard ceremony and be done with it. You need to create a new ceremony that is relevant to both of your traditions. While it can feel overwhelming, this challenge is really an opportunity to create something that truly symbolizes the unique personality of your love and marriage.

The simplest way to create an interfaith ceremony is to start with a basic wedding structure and embellish it with traditions you both hold most important. Both partners should write down everything they think should be in the wedding — every tradition that feels necessary. They should then go through their individual lists and explain the meaning of each item to each other. This is especially important for religious traditions that your partner may know little or nothing about. Try to explain why each tradition feels personally important to you, avoiding generalities like “it’s always been done this way”, or “I just like it”. The more you can explain, the better you will both understand each other, and the better your ceremony will become.

As you describe your ideal wedding to each other, you will begin to combine ideas, finding areas of agreement and disagreement. You will begin to learn what traditions are important to you as individuals, and as a couple. When my wife and I did this, we discovered that some traditions we originally considered essential really had no meaning to us once we tried to explain them, while other little-known traditions suddenly felt very important. So be ready to talk, compromise, and learn how to balance each others needs, concerns and ideas.

Eventually, you’ll begin to whittle down your long list of ideas into a workable ceremony. When my wife and I planned our wedding, we ended up combined different aspects of the Jewish and Catholic wedding traditions. We had two friends sing a modern version of the Seven Blessings. Another friend read a translation I wrote of the popular “Love is patient, love is kind” passage from Corinthians. We stood under a huppah as my cousin the priest and our rabbi both gave their blessings. I fell in love with the Jewish tradition of the ketubah, and being an artist, decided to make one for us, which the rabbi then read to our families. We lit a unity candle, then stomped a glass. Some might find this kind of ceremony a little crazy or inauthentic, but we loved it and it fit us perfectly. It wasn’t a Jewish wedding or a Catholic wedding — it was our wedding.

Our crazy combined ceremony worked to bring our two families together in a beautiful and special way. Each side could relate to part of the ceremony, and also share the experience of something new. We explained the traditions throughout the ceremony, in simple terms, so that everyone could appreciate the parts they weren’t familiar with. And in the end, our families loved it as much as we did. It let us honor our religions and families while defining our own newly combined values, and began to establish what it would mean to live together as an interfaith couple.

Daniel Sroka is a fine art nature photographer and the owner of Modern Ketubah. He creates modern fine art wedding ketubahs from his abstract photographs of flowers and leaves for interfaith, Jewish, and multi-cultural couples.  He also writes a blog about his experiences as a full-time artist.

The fabulous Jen Opkea is back!  You may remember her from the Brow 101 article she wrote for us a while back.  This time Jen shares her tips for achieving your best wedding look.

The “I Dos” of Wedding Make-Up

So, you want to look like the most beautiful version of yourself when heading down the wedding aisle, right? Here are some tips on what to do from the neck up to prep for your big day.

Build a Portfolio. Start collecting magazine pages of make-up looks that appeal to you.   This will help you identify your style and give your artist a vision of how you want to look on your wedding day.

Keep it Timeless. Your wedding day is not the occasion for you to rock a make-up trend. You would hate to look back at your photos and wonder: “what was I thinking?” Nothing about your hair or make-up should be distracting.

Go for balance. If you like a smoky eye, make sure it’s superbly blended and off-set with pretty cheeks and a softer pink or peach lip. If a bold lip is your thing, minimize the eyes with soft shadow and cake eye liner at the roots of the upper lashes.  Balance is critical since you do not want any feature to “disappear” in a photo. If using bronzer, go for sun-kissed, not dirty. Hit the high points of the face (forehead, cheekbones, bridge of nose, chin) more intensely for a more naturally tanned look. Remember to apply color to the neck since it is typically an area that is lighter than your face and your chest. Lastly, avoid any pigments that are too sparkly or shimmery. You will end up looking like a disco-ball in pictures. Instead, go for “glow”-cream cheek color layered with powder blush creates a beautiful flush for the cheeks. Sweep some colorless illuminating powder along the cheekbone and down the bridge of the nose and-voila!-you have that “look” of glow you see on every celeb in the magazines.

Don’t forget the brows! Eyebrows are a significant and most-oft overlooked area of the face. Go to a professional brow specialist (see my article on “Brows 101”) sooner than later to make sure that your eyebrows are in top form for your wedding. I prefer tweezing to waxing any day of the week but if you must get waxed, DO NOT do it the week of your wedding. The last thing you need is scabbed lids on your big in the event of a mishap.

Love the skin you’re in. Go to an esthetician who will assess your skin condition and prescribe the necessary products to improve your skin texture and skin health. Be diligent about following your daily skincare regime and consider getting a peel (clinical facial) a month prior to your wedding for an added boost. The sooner you get started on skincare maintenance, the better. The last thing you ever want to do is try something radically new-procedure or product- too soon to the wedding. You do not want to be suffering or having any sort of adverse reaction on your big day.

Plan Ahead. Start shopping for hair and make-up artists well in advance (6 months) since good ones book up fairly quickly depending on the time of year. Make sure that you book a trial with each one as an “audition” and be certain to articulate what you want to look and feel like on your wedding day (bring your photos). A professional stylist should be able to execute the look you want and, if necessary, make any modifications so as to best accentuate your features.  Wear the make-up for a day to see how you feel and take a picture to get a “loose” idea of how the make-up will photograph (keep in mind, there is a big difference between amateur and professional photographs). Most importantly, trust your gut. If you feel that, after the trial, the make-up or hair-style is wearing you it’s time to try someone else. Remember, this day is about you and how YOU want to look and feel not your stylist.

SMILE! A beautiful smile is your best accessory and will instantly make you feel like a million bucks!

Jen Opkea is the Lead Makeup Artist at Sarra Beauty Studio (840 Summer Street, Boston, 617.269.8999) where she offers make-up lessons, make-up applications and precision brow shaping by appointment.  She has perfected her craft while working with the top industry professionals including Laura Mercier, Trish McEvoy, Jillian Dempsey and Jeannine Lobell.  For on-location jobs such as weddings and photo shoots please email: jennopeka@gmail.com with your inquires.

The name Strawberry Road is an amalgam.  It’s a blending of Abbey Road and Strawberry Fields.  Pretty simple, but it means a lot to us.  We don’t know the etymology of how a storied racehorse from Australia got the same name, but we were thrilled at the potential of the cross-branding of our work with the successes of this equine wunderkind!

When the first google alert for ‘Strawberry Road’ revealed the existence of this fabulous horse, we immediately booked a flight (Qantas of course) for Australia to meet with the horse’s owner.

We jetted out to LAX to pick up our Qantas connection.  We got on the luxurious 747 and strapped in for the umpteen hour flight over the pacific.  Somewhere between Hawaii and Australia, our plane crashed into an island.  There was a whole cast of characters on the plane with us and a bunch already on the island:

Ben

This dude was crazy on nerd power.  Jennie and I could tell he spent many-a-day jammed in a locker in grade school.  He was shooting people, telling everybody what to do (although we suspect he really didn’t know much of anything).  He was like a hall monitor drunk on power.  Strangely, he claimed to have been on the island long before we crashed… and he wasn’t even tan.

Then there was this guy Dan:

Daniel Faraday

He was a nice enough guy but really flighty.  Every time I saw him I’d say, ‘Loved ya in Saving Private Ryan!’  He’d flip out and get in my face yelling, ‘I don’t even know what that is, I’m from the past!’ or some nonsense.  Whatever dude.

Everybody was constantly trying to get off the island.  It was like Gilligan’s Island with guns.  Jennie and I found a nice little Motel 6 type place about a quarter mile down the beach.  Her room was ocean side near the ice machine while mine was poolside but a little bigger.  The trade off was fine by me as this allowed me to sleep in and she could enjoy the sunrise.

Every morning this guy Hurley would drive down in a VW micro bus and raid the continental breakfast.

Hurley

Heck of a nice guy and just sweet as can be.  He occasionally gave us rides if we needed and in return we would give him an assortment of hostess products.

Every once in awhile Jennie and I would venture up the beach to see all the folks from the crash and the ‘others.’  Nice enough group to hang out with but after awhile the drama would get to be too much and we’d head back to the private beach at the hotel.

Speaking of drama, there were also these two:

Jack and Kate

It’s like high school with these two!  Fighting and kissing, on again, off again, we just washed our hands of them by the end of third day or so.

So with Lord of the Flies still playing out on the other side of the island, Jennie and I were please to receive free tickets from Quantas and a flight that left at a reasonable hour.  I think had the other folks on the island known it was this easy to leave they would have.  However seeing as they all seem to be a bunch of raging co-dependents they’re probably happier there.

Upon landing in Australia Jennie and I made our trek over to the farm of the magnificent Strawberry Road.  When we arrived at the stable a delightful young woman took us on a tour of the premises while she gently explained to us that Strawberry Road the horse, had passed away some years ago.  Jennie and I looked at each other and after the moment of shock had worn off, we realized that something had happened to the time space continuum.  Our opportunity for cross branding had passed.  At the same time, in the same whispered tone, we both uttered, “the island…”

Today’s article comes from guest blogger Daniel Sroka.  I met Daniel over on Third Tribe – a forum for marketers, bloggers, etc..  He read one of my posts and struck up an email conversation. This conversation lead to him graciously offering to not only guest blog about his experiences working with Interfaith Couples, but also about his own experience putting together an Interfaith Ceremony.  He writes from the heart and I love that!!

The Beauty of Creating your own Interfaith Wedding Ceremony

Interfaith weddings can be the most beautiful of wedding ceremonies. Of course, being in an interfaith marriage myself, I may be biased! But when interfaith weddings combine the traditions and practices of both the bride and groom, I find that they become something special, transcending rote ceremony and becoming a uniquely personal celebration.

The way an interfaith ceremony gets created is the key to its beauty. Couples who are from the same religion can pretty much take their ceremony for granted. They can visit their priest or rabbi, get the template, make a few tweaks, and know they’ll have a 100% legit ceremony. Interfaith couples, on the other hand, don’t have this luxury. They have to creatively blend together the different parts of their traditions to craft a working ceremony.

The challenge of creating a ceremony often makes interfaith couples nervous and full of questions. How do you do it? How do you make it feel “real” enough? Will any of the relatives feel left out? But even though these questions can be nerve-wracking, they are the foundation of what makes an interfaith ceremony so special. Because interfaith couples can’t just take an off-the-shelf ceremony and call it a day, they need to think through every aspect of their wedding, considering every detail. This, I believe, results in a very meaningful and powerful ceremony.

In order to combine two different wedding ceremonies, interfaith couples have to review all of the practices within their religions’ ceremonies, and decide what to keep, what to change, and what to leave out. To do this, they first need to help each other learn, teaching each other about their religion’s traditions, symbols, and ideas about marriage. As my wife and I planned our own ceremony, we didn’t just learn about each other’s religion – we rediscovered our own, often surprising ourselves with what really mattered to us and what didn’t. We then went through each wedding tradition, discussed it, and decided if we wanted to include it in our ceremony, and how. Each part of our wedding was therefore a conscious choice. Each part of our wedding was born out of a deep discussion, and reflected a shared value.

The creation of the ceremony helped teach us how to discuss our differences, and find our similarities. Explaining the ceremony to our families helped us better understand our decisions and values. Even the experience of being a part of this blended, shared ceremony helped bring our families closer together. So while creating an interfaith wedding ceremony can take a lot of thought and planning, I believe it is worth it, because your wedding becomes a celebration that truly represents who you are.

—–

Daniel Sroka is a fine art nature photographer and the owner of Modern Ketubah. He creates modern fine art wedding ketubahs from his abstract photographs of flowers and leaves for interfaith, Jewish, and multi-cultural couples. He also writes the blog Open Studio about his experiences as a full-time artist/entrepreneur.

Ok, so Jennie spoke to Shayna Walker from Williamsburg Wedding Design about guest blogging on Strawberry Road.  When you ask someone to guest blog, you can generally anticipate a broad overview of a topic, reserving any real content at the guest blogger’s home blog.  Well, I dare you to read on!  Shayna wrote us an extensive, well thought out piece on how to plan a wedding.  From start to finish, she lays out some very helpful, insightful information with regards to putting together your big day.  If you’re planning a wedding, print this post, read it, live it, it’s just that good…

Planning a Wedding: Where to Start

Newly engaged? Congratulations! You’re sporting a gorgeous new ring and a huge smile.  Now what?

The Road to a Wedding

If you’re a little confused about where to start with your wedding planning, it’s no wonder. This could be your first wedding (or at least your first in a long time) and you don’t do this every day. Planning is a major investment in terms of time and money, and can be intimidating.  Consider wedding planning a process, and take it in little steps.

The First Steps

Get organized. Buy yourself a great wedding notebook. Some come with the tabs pre-labeled and pockets for things like receipts and business cards. Also, if you are going to consider a wedding planner, the most valuable time to get one involved is before you’ve done anything irreversible. They can save you time and mistakes.

Prioritize. This step sounds so simple but is incredibly valuable to the planning process and should not be skipped. Make a list of every possible category of services you could use at a wedding, from baker to transportation. Give the list to each person whose opinion truly matters (that’s you, your fiancé, and any parent or family member who is contributing a significant amount of cash).

Each of you should rank, from highest to lowest, how important each category is to you. Then compare lists. If they are vastly different, have a frank discussion about why they mean so much (or so little) to you and try to come up with one family wedding priority list that accurately reflects the combined values.  You will use this list throughout your wedding planning to help make tough decisions. It’s like a mini business plan for your big day.

Set a budget. You don’t necessarily have to break down every single expense just yet, but choose an overall budget. Unless you have limitless cash, you’re going to need to know this before you can legitimately start selecting venues and vendors, so have the talk now and pick a number.

Choose a date. Think carefully about selecting a holiday. It may sound convenient to you, but people like to spend holidays with their families and travel expenses are often higher on holiday weekends.  Also, pay attention to how weather will ultimately impact your plans. Outdoor weddings in the south in August can be pretty painful for guests; same with January weddings in the north.

Choose a location. Factors that determine your venue and even the city or state where you get married could include budget, proximity to family or close friends, features that appeal to your guests and of course, how the site reflects your dream wedding.

Choose your caterer, photographer, videographer and reception entertainer. Why these four next (after your planner and your venues)? Of all of the categories of wedding professionals, these are the four who can only possibly do one wedding per day (except some caterers, but many set limits). There may be others like a high-end wedding designer, or a ceremony musician, but as a general rule, these four are your highest risk for competition. Evaluate them carefully and make your commitments as soon as you are sure.

After you’ve done all of the above, you’re ready to start handling the rest of the details with a little more leisure. Your notebook should have a timeline in it (if it doesn’t come with one, there are plenty online and in wedding magazines) and you should check that timeline weekly to make sure you haven’t missed any big deadlines. With the above complete, you’re in great shape to plan a fantastic wedding day! Congratulations and good luck!

Shayna Walker is a professional wedding planner and owner of Williamsburg Wedding Design. She writes the World According to Weddlady, The Williamsburg Wedding Blog and Life in Weddings.

We recently got asked to guest blog for Weddlady.  And…well… ask and you shall receive!  I got to write about the uniquely empowering experience of boudoir photography for women; from our perspective.  It’s always nice to be asked, and even better when you get to see your thoughts being shared   So here’s the post!!!

Wow.  Mystic 5.  It’s over, it was amazing.  When my partner Jennie mentioned the conference months ago, I read through the itinerary and saw only one name, Joe McNally.  He was the reason I had signed on to go.  He’s been a hero of mine for quite awhile.  A veteran who’s shot the world and done it beautifully.  Now I’m ashamed to say that he was the only real reason I signed up.  The list of photographers that spoke at the event were a veritable who’s who of wedding photography.  I hesitate to list any of their names here because I would be remiss if I were to accidentally omit even a single one.  So instead of singing the praises of each individual photographer or company, I will convey to you what the broad brush stroke of the event left indelibly etched into my soul…

Each photographer or photography team got up and spoke masterfully in each of their own unique styles.  They poured their heart and message through the microphone and splashed amazing images upon the silver screen (and for those of you who were there, the HDTV’s   I listened, I agreed with a lot of things and disagreed with a few, too.  I learned a tremendous amount about off camera flash, fearless available light photography and gizmos that can save time and money.

What I didn’t realize at the time was that there was a message being put out by every voice.  A simple message that, were you not listening with your heart, you may have missed it.  I have a theory about shows like Mystic 5.  If you go to a show of that ilk, whatever the trade or service you provide, over the three or four days of the seminar, you should shoot to walk away with at least 3 or 4 great ideas or inspirations.  I may have gotten those from this event, but I am still processing the data so the verdict is still out.  But I will say, those ideas or inspirations are vastly overshadowed by the ONE message I know I received.  Here it is, the simple message, the one that I hope know will change my outlook on Jennie and my business… be brave.

My last blog post was honest, it was real… and it caused a firestorm of debate.  After going to Mystic 5 I no longer have any trepidations about that post.  I wrote from the heart, the same way Jennie and I make images.  We believe in what we do and we believe that our customers are smart, savvy and when they read a post like that from us, they know that their wedding photographers are honest.  You see, every photographer that was standing on that stage was able to convey their message about their art and business because they believed in their work.  By the end of the conference having seen all the presenters it dawned on me that for them to get there, they didn’t just have to be great photographers.  For a long time they were just photographers.  How did they get there… by being brave.  They took that leap of belief in themselves that helped them transcend mediocrity and become someone that hundreds of us would want to hear from.  So that’s it, I’m being brave…  Walter, you can save Jennie and me a slot for Mystic 7

If the eyes are the windows to the soul, then the brows are the framework. A significant part of everyone’s face, brows tend to be over-looked or over-plucked and in both cases end up being distracting instead of flattering. Whether you have a uni-brow or half-a-brow, there is a way for everyone to obtain beautiful brows with a little patience and some precision shaping.

Eye brow precision shaping is the method of individually removing hairs through tweezing and trimming, not waxing. A gentler form of hair removal, precision shaping is the only way to effectively create balance and symmetry between the brows. If you can find a place that specializes in this type of service I highly recommend it. Otherwise, follow these tips to get yourself started on the right brow path!

First you’ll want to make sure you have the proper tools. Invest in a good pair of tweezers with a slanted edge and good grip-my favorite, hands down, are from Tweezerman. Next, get scissors designed for brow trimming (do not use the nail trimmers as they’re curved and won’t work!). Lastly, you’ll need a brow groomer or spiral brush for combing the hairs in place. (Tweezerman makes a great set that comes with scissors and a groomer). Also, make sure you have a good mirror (magnifying helps, although it is imperative to flip it over throughout the tweezing process in order to see both brows for the proper perspective) and lots of light-preferably natural-in order to clearly see the hairs.

*NOTE
If you are an obsessive plucker, put down the tweezers-yes, the ones in your bathroom, your glove compartment and your make-up bag- and LET THEM GROW. This is by far the most painful part for a lot of my clients who just can’t keep their hands off. It’s important to get as much growth as possible in order to accurately assess your natural shape. Plus, it’s always better to have more than less hair with which to work. If your brows don’t grow fast enough, consider Women’s Rogaine or men’s extra-strength Rogaine applied to the sparse areas with a Q-Tip. For those of you with brows from here to next week, the rest of us are jealous.☺ Your brows will look best if they remain thick so approach this process as more of a “clean-up” and less of a “reshape”.

YOUR BROW SHAPE
To determine where the brows should begin, hook the end of the brush around the edge of your nostril and hold it parallel to the side of your nose. Where the brush meets your brow is where your brow should start. Anything short of that should be left alone to grow or be filled in with a pencil. Anything beyond that can be tweezed. Next, angle the brush slightly so that it is on a diagonal from the nose to the outside edge of the pupil. This is where the highest point of your brow, or arch should appear. Finally, extend the tip of the brush to the outside corner of the eye. This is where your brow should end. Most people’s brows will fall short of this point. No worries, a little pencil or that Rogaine tip works as a quick or long-term fix.

TWEEZING
Before you start plucking away, brush the brow hairs upward and look to the top of the brow to find your shape. The top of the brow line is naturally defined and will act as your guide for tweezing along the base of the brow. For this reason, it’s best to leave this area alone since removing the “wrong” hair could drastically alter or diminish your natural shape. Conversely, if you do not have a strong natural arch at the top begin with, do not try to create one at the bottom. The goal is get the both brows lines to mirror one another. Attempting to create an arch at the base of the brow, especially too close to the center of your face, can create the look of ‘hook’ brows. Not cute.
To start tweezing, hold the skin taut and pluck the hairs in the direction they grow, removing one row of hair at a time from beginning to end. You ultimately want to create a clean continuous line that gradually thins from start to finish. Be sure to step back from your mirror to check your brows periodically for symmetry. Once the basic shape is defined, remove any obvious strays that appear between and above the brow line. Now put down the tweezers. Remember: less is more in the brow department. Once you over-pluck, you’re stuck. Besides, a fuller, simple shape is more natural and flattering.

TRIMMING
Next, brush the hairs up and into place. Using your scissors trim the excess length from each brow as carefully as possible. Be ultra-conservative with this step and constantly brush the brows up before you snip since it’s very easy to do a hack-job on oneself. If you’re uncomfortable with this process, have someone else do it for you (someone you trust) since it’s a little awkward to execute on both sides.

RAZORING
This last step is totally optional and a little daunting but really adds to the overall level of precision. It involves the use of a “brow razor” to eliminate any excess hairs that exist above the brow line and are too fine tweeze. This tool can be found at any CVS or Rite Aid in the cosmetic aisle (usually near false lashes and cotton pads). To use: hold the razor almost parallel to the skin above the brow where there is excess hair. Applying light pressure and a downward motion, gently razor the hairs until you hit the top of the brow. The brow line will stop you. Do not shave into or over this line! Next, use the razor to “clean up” the area between the brows and, if you’re feeling really daring, above the upper lip as an alternative to waxing.

FILLING IN
Nobody has naturally perfect brows. Whether you were born with sparse brows that need a fix or have full ones that you want to take to the “editorial” level, there is a way to naturally fill them in. All it takes is a pencil, a groomer and some clear brow gel.
You’ll want to select a pencil that contains some wax and is a shade slightly lighter than you natural brow hair. Do not use an eyeliner since they contain too much pigment and will appear too obvious. Furthermore, liners won’t adhere as well to the skin. Ideally, try to find a brow pencil with a brush on the other end, otherwise use your separate groomer for blending.

Starting at the base of the brow, use the pencil to fill in any sparse areas with short, feathery strokes. Apply in the direction of hair growth. The key here is not to create a definite line, but to create the appearance of hair. Brush through the hairs every so often to soften and blend the pigment throughout the brow. If your arch tends to “collapse” at the top outer edge of the brow, use the pencil to fill in that area as well. This will create a “lifting” effect. Be sure to blend. You do not want to see any obvious lines, just shadows. This is can be a frustrating process and does require some practice. Do not give up. You’ll get it. When all else fails, blend. Your groomer can act as an eraser for any “mistakes”.

Lastly, use a clear mascara or brow gel to comb through the hairs and keep them in place.

Well done ☺

written by:
Jennifer Opeka
Lead Make-up Artist
Sarra – Boston, MA

We are so excited to have Jennifer Opeka as one of our guest bloggers!  Jennifer is going to write a series of articles for us based on eyebrow grooming, make-up for weddings/boudoir and skin care.  Come back next week and check out her first article on brow shaping 101!  Without further ado – here is a little bit about Jennifer’s background.

Jennifer Opeka is a make-up artist and brow specialist with nearly 10 years experience in the fashion, entertainment, and wedding industry. Her skill set includes everything from clean and classic beauty, to edgy and dramatic with an emphasis on weightless yet perfect-looking skin.

Since 2000, she has been perfecting her craft while working with the top industry professionals including Laura Mercier, Trish McEvoy, Jillian Dempsey and Jeannine Lobell. Her years of experience on the celebrity circuit in Los Angeles have landed her backstage at Fashion Week, on-set for TV shows and photo shoots, and in many wedding photo albums across the country.

Based in Boston, Jennifer’s home away from home is Sarra Beauty Studio (840 Summer Street, Boston, 617.269.8999) where she offers make-up lessons, make-up applications and precision brow shaping by appointment. For on-location jobs such as weddings and photo shoots, she may be booked in advance depending on availability (for inquiries please email: jennopeka@gmail.com).

When it comes to applying make-up, Jennifer’s philosophy is simple: create a look that enhances “you” and fits within your own personal style and comfort level. So whether you’re walking down the aisle, the red carpet or going on a very special date, Jen will get you there looking and feeling your absolute best.

In this economy everybody is looking for two things, a deal, and a paycheck.  I was talking with a fellow photographer recently.  We were going over the ins and outs of the sales process and he said, “you know what makes the whole sales process really hard,” about fifty thoughts leapt to mind and after his pensive pause he said, “I put my prices on the web, and customers will call me having seen them and their first or second question is always, ‘can you do it for less?”  I know the feeling all too well.  Here’s the deal: I don’t have a problem with reducing services in return for lower prices, that makes sense, its reasonable.  Where I, and a lot of my fellow photographers have a problem, is the customer that wants ten to twelve hours of wedding coverage with two shooters, an engagement shoot, an album and great images for less than a photographer thinks knows they are worth.

I can’t blame a bride and groom for wanting the best value for their dollar.  In fact, I’d be surprised if they didn’t.  Here’s where some education as to how the process works might make it easier for a couple to understand just what they’re paying for.  In this digital age, we all know that with the click of a shutter and an upload to the computer we can have images ready to go and fired off to social networking sites, friends, family, blogs, etc. in a matter of moments.  I think that mindset has distorted the worth of the photographer to the wedding photography consumer.  Photographers will often have images posted to facebook and up on their blog before the bride and groom wake the morning following the wedding.  Images will be up for preview in proofing catalogs by the end of the week and albums are being turned around at blazing speeds compared to even 5 years ago.

In the wedding photography industry we photographers are a little bit of everything.  We’re sales people, IT specialists, bookkeepers, digital archivers, advertising specialists, and…photographers.  Most of us do it because we love photography and people.  If you love those two things then what better way to combine them than by doing wedding photography.  The downside is we are being pushed harder and harder to offer more service for less money.  There are plenty of photographers out there.  Some cheap, some expensive.  Some of the cheap ones are fantastic and some of the expensive ones aren’t.  A lot of it boils down to your taste in photography and how much you like the actual photographer.

Jennie and I have taken the line at Strawberry Road that our price is our price.  Not only do we think we’re worth it, but we know what our time is worth.  That’s not to say we won’t work with a customer to find a product we’re happy to deliver and they are happy to receive!  But I can’t put a value on weekend time spent away from my kids.  I’m not going to lie, I love working weddings so it would be hypocritical of me to say that the work is drudgery.  But I can’t in good conscience leave my family to struggle to break even as a photographer.  I’ve seen plenty of wedding photographers that will do that and I’ve seen plenty that will burn out before the wedding day is over simply because they aren’t being compensated.  By the end of the wedding day they’re bitter for having to agreed to a price that will probably end up costing them money in the end.

In closing, we love our customers, we love our job but we’re not going to forget that we need to eat…

written by:
Dave Field
Co-Owner
www.strawberryrd.com