I love weddings. I can’t put my finger on one thing. The food, the music, the happiness. I think for me what makes a wedding so special is when two lives have come together to be shared as one. There is something so special about being able to share your most intimate thoughts and fears with someone with whom you hold such a high level of trust and respect. I think my love for weddings also comes from the possibilities of those two lives. A marriage, like anything else is what you make of it. Congratulations Shauna and Kevin!

Shauna looked absolutely stunning in her dress which was accented by a beautiful and delicate red floral design.

Shauna chose a comfortable shoe provided by the folks at Sketchers. You have to admit they look more comfortable than what most brides choose for their wedding day.

There was a serious discussion amongst Shauna and her sister’s regarding the application of makeup. I thought at one point it was going to get physical.

Shauna’s brides maids were a big help as she got dressed. I don’t think Shauna could have tied this by herself.

The bouquet. Shauna chose beautiful red roses to make up her bouquet. Before the start of the ceremony we successfully wooed two young guests who easily agreed to spread the remaining rose petals down the length of the center aisle.

Shauna and her bridesmaids waited patiently for the start of the ceremony.

The girls. Two sisters and four best friends. They all gathered to support Shauna on her special day.

Shauna before the big show. She doesn’t look a bit nervous. It is very rare that anyone ever sees Shauna without an ear-to-ear smile on her face.

This is by far my favorite shot. Kevin and his crew.

Congratulations!!! We’re married! This is a rare photo of Kevin outside without his sunglasses. I think he probably got the message earlier from Shauna. “No sunglasses.”

Shauna’s Aunt Pat was the officiant of the ceremony. Pat held the rings during the ceremony and made sure a blessing had been bestowed upon them before they were exchanged by the couple.

The vows were exchanged. I love this shot as well. Two sets of hands and two lives coming together as one.

The couple’s love for each other was clear.

The couple took their vows. Shauna’s Aunt Pat was the officiant of the ceremony.

Shauna had the support of her sisters and her father.

Shauna’s love for her father was unquestionable.

Shauna had a beautiful bouquet of roses. Before the ceremony began we found two young volunteers who agreed to spread rose petals down the center aisle. They did an excellent job.

The couple faced their friends and family for the first time as husband and wife.

Shauna and Kevin had a wonderful cake. There was open discussion prior to the cake cutting regarding what each was to do with their piece of cake. Shauna was accurate with her placement of the cake on Kevin’s face but she didn’t realize that Kevin had kept a piece of cake in reserve. Revenge was his. I tried to talk him out of it…For those pictures you’ll have to go to my website at christopherkijowskiphotography.com.

Shauna and Kevin enjoyed their first dance as husband and wife. Congratulations to both of you. I had a wonderful time at your wedding and I truly appreciate your allowing me to be a part of such a special day.

Shauna and Kevin really rocked this shoot. We had so much fun!

Kevin started off this shoot being pretty quiet and reserved but when he saw this gate he just needed to swing on it.

Shauna and Kevin are huge football nuts. They brought along their team jerseys and we had to take some photos with the couple wearing their jerseys’

Is it possible to see a sample album from an entire wedding? It is relatively easy to showcase a few amazing shots, but being able to see an album with the entire wedding will help you know whether or not the photographer you are considering is consistent in their work. There are no do-overs at your wedding and you don’t want to have to pay several thousand dollars only to find that your wedding photographer was having an “off day.” Look for someone who consistently produces images that inspire and move you.

How soon do we get to see the photos and how soon do we receive the wedding album? Each photographer has  a different work flow and a different time-frame for post-processing your photos. When you meet with your photographer, make sure that their timeline is consistent with your needs. As for the album, we have all heard the horror stories who didn’t receive their albums until over one year after they have approved their album images and layouts. Ask questions about album turnaround time and ask that this time-frame be added to your contract.

Do you include a disc of the images? Including a full disc of the images (which is different from a DVD slide-show of the images) is a hot button topic for many wedding photographers. This is a practice which varies from photographer to photographer. Some photographers will include this with their higher priced packages and some will include it for an additional fee. There are also some photographers who will give this as an anniversary gift on your first anniversary. Still there are other photographers who do not include the images at all. There are valid reasons for each of these  approaches and you will need  to be comfortable with the one your wedding photographer employs.

How many hours of photographic coverage are offered? Many wedding photographers offer different packages that also offer different time frames for coverage. Usually the less expensive packages offer the fewest number of coverage hours. It will be important for you to define whether or not “start to finish” coverage is important or do you just want coverage of the bride getting dressed and the church ceremony. Many photographers are not willing to discuss options but if it is important to you it should be a topic discussed during your interview with your photographer.

Remember, when you hire a photographer you are hiring the photographer for their personality and their creative ability. Make sure during your interview you feel comfortable with your photographer. Make sure you read their “raves” or their “testimonials” on their website or blog and if possible talk to some of their clients. If they are confident with their work they should allow you to speak with their clients, if they say no this should be a red flag. Be honest and upfront with your photographer and let them know what you expect. if you desire add it to your contract.

As a wedding photographer in Western New York we cover the areas of Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Rochester and the Southern Tier. We do not packages per se but work together with the bride and groom to develop a package that will meet their needs.