So, you've booked your wedding photographer. The contract is signed, the booking fee is paid and your date is officially in my diary.


What happens now?


Depending on how far in advance you've booked, there could be months, or even years, between booking me and actually getting married. But that doesn't mean you won't hear from me again until six weeks before your wedding.


Here's what you can expect from me in the run up to your day.

Two brides stand at a candlelit table before a grand stained glass window, one in black, one in white, with a Till Death Do Us Part sign.

First up, your welcome box & guide

Once everything is official, depending on which package you've booked, you'll receive my welcome box and also wedding guide, either as a physical magazine or digital copy. You'll also receive an onboarding email which will have information on the next steps.


The guide itself is there to help you through the planning process, answer some of the questions that might pop up along the way and give you advice from a photography perspective before we even get to the final planning stages.


And if something isn't covered? Just ask.

Black and white photo of a couple embracing by a large window on an elegant staircase in a classic interior.

I'm always only a message away

You don't need to save every question for a formal meeting. I keep an open line of communication with all of my couples throughout the planning process, so whether it's an email, text or message, you can always get in touch.


Found something you're considering and want my thoughts? Changed part of your plans? Not sure how something might work photographically? Just want to run an idea past me? Send it over.


Wedding planning comes with enough uncertainty without wondering whether you're “allowed” to contact one of your suppliers between meetings.

Gothic bride with teal hair and tattoos holds dark floral bouquet beside groom in black suit at alternative wedding.

 

Need help finding your people?

 

Finding suppliers who understand your vision, particularly when you're planning something alternative or a little outside the traditional wedding mould, isn't always easy.


Through the Dark Wedding Collective, I have an entire community of alternative, inclusive and like minded wedding suppliers at my fingertips.


So if you're still looking for someone, whether that's a celebrant, florist, makeup artist, stylist or something completely different, I'm always happy to help point you in the right direction.

Black and white romantic photo of a couple sharing a tender kiss against a dark moody background.

If you've booked an engagement shoot

If an engagement session is part of your package, or you've added one separately, we'll arrange this during the run up to your wedding too.


We'll find somewhere that works for you and the kind of photographs you want to create, then spend some time together without the timings and distractions of a wedding day.


It's also a chance for us to work together before the wedding, so when I turn up on the day, I'm already a familiar face rather than a stranger pointing a camera at you.

A tattooed couple in elegant attire share an intimate forehead-to-forehead moment in a romantic, dimly lit setting.

6–8 weeks before your wedding

This is when we'll have our pre-wedding consultation and start pulling everything together.


We'll go through your timeline, your shot list and group photographs, the people I need to know about, the details that matter to you and anything else I need to understand about your day. It's also where we can iron out any potential issues, make sure the photography fits naturally around everything you've planned and give you space to ask any final questions. By the time your wedding arrives, I don't want to be turning up and figuring everything out as I go.


I want to know what's happening, who matters to you and what you want from your photographs, so you can concentrate on actually getting married.

A bride and groom share a joyful moment together in front of a brick wall, the bride wearing a lace gown and veil.

And after the wedding?

Just because the wedding is over doesn't mean I'm disappearing. Depending on the package you've booked, you'll receive your first highlights or sneak peeks within 24 hours, 72 hours or seven days, so you won't be waiting weeks before getting that first glimpse at your photographs. Your full edited wedding gallery will then be delivered within 6–12 weeks.


If you've chosen any additional extras, these will also be worked on during this time, so you'll know what to expect and when.And if you've chosen an album, we'll arrange a meeting to start putting it together. We'll go through your photographs, talk about what you want from the finished album and turn your gallery into something physical you can keep, flick through and come back to for years.


From booking me to receiving the final pieces from your wedding, you're never just a date sitting in my diary. I'm here for the whole thing.