Hello!

There's been a huge surge in visitors since I made the blog public again. (It was really only private because of the lull in posts). So hello to everyone stopping by!

While I'm procrastinating, I thought I'd write a post on photography. I think I posted awhile ago about things M and I were looking for in a photographer - creativity, professionalism, and the ability to be invisible. On our marathon planning week, we met three photographers in one day. Prior to this day, I had a list of five-seven photographers that I really enjoyed. One was from Missouri, one was from Louisiana, and the rest were photographers from Alabama. These photographers ranged from about $2500-$6500. We were cognizant of our budget, but also did not want to sacrifice quality and experience. In the end, there were four photographers we seriously considered.

Jeremy Lawson, Missouri

Jason Wallis, Birmingham

Lisa Marie Photography, Trussville

Jerrod Brown, Anniston

We met with the last three. The only one we could definitively rule out after our meetings was Lisa Marie. From the moment we sat in her office, we both felt very uncomfortable and could tell our personalities were clashing. I could see how some brides and couples would feel completely at home with her - she's very friendly and talkative, and loves to make jokes. Another issue with her was that M specifically does not want any soft focus photography or fuzzy effects on the corners, things like that, and when we asked her about it, she said she did not do a lot of that type of photography, but her portfolio and display photos were mostly in that style. I have seen other full weddings she has done since we've spoken to her, and have seen beautiful shots, but in general, I knew she was not the photographer with whom we wanted to spend all day.

We met with Jason earlier that morning, at his downtown loft. He was really nice and friendly, and after talking for a few minutes, realized he has shot weddings of some old classmates and had an assistant who was also an old classmate of mine. We saw his portfolio and asked our questions, but just didn't seem to feel that 'connection' with the photos - or the price.

Then we met with Jerrod, who quite honestly, I'd been a little apprehensive about meeting due to our phone calls and his website (there aren't very many photos). But after introductions, I could tell he was experienced and totally comfortable with his craft and loved what he did. We saw tons of photos and albums, and I could tell M really liked him - and that's a good sign! I told him about our Korean ceremony, and he was really excited about it and even knew a bit about Korean culture, which was as plus. We left the meeting feeling confident that we had at least one photographer we liked.

Then there was Jeremy. I found Jeremy from weddingbee, my favorite wedding blog ever (link on the side). Most of the photographers they feature are well-published, high-end photographers that were way out of my price range, but Jeremy happened to be in our price range, so I was really pleased to feel so good when I flipped through his website. I loved everything about him, and he's taken some REALLY fabulous photographs. Even though he was in Missouri and would require a travel fee, the prices ended up being comparable to Jerrod.

So here we are, the evening after our marathon photography day, and I am torn between two photographers with two totally different packages and different styles. The main reason why we couldn't make a decision was that Jerrod was not including a hi-res digital CD and printing rights with his package. This was something I really wanted and I usually pass by photographers who do not offer this (which you rarely find these days [Lisa Marie did not offer such a CD]), but when asked, Jerrod did say that 99.9% of the time, it is his policy to "gift" the CD to the couple about a year after the wedding. Again, this was no guarantee, and definitely not written into the contract. Jeremy included this CD, but little else in the package. So M and I went back and forth on this for a day or two until we decided that logistically, economically, and personally - we wanted to go with Jerrod.

And I am sooooo happy that we did! For the price, we are getting SO much in our package. Ever since and even before we signed the contract, he has been fabulous with communicating with me and addressing any concerns I have. Everything I have heard about him has been great and I can't wait to start working with him!