What It's Actually Like to Work With Me as Your Wedding Photographer
Most people think hiring a wedding photographer means picking someone whose photos you love, signing a contract, and then seeing them again on your wedding day. And honestly? That's how it works with some photographers. But from the very first inquiry to the Christmas gift that shows up in your mailbox months after your wedding, working with me looks a little different - and I think that difference is worth talking about.
If you're somewhere in the middle of wedding planning right now, feeling the weight of all the decisions, all the vendors, all the timelines - this is for you. I want you to know exactly what it's like to work with me before you ever reach out, so nothing feels like a surprise.
It Starts Long Before Your Wedding Day
One of my favorite things about photographing weddings is that I get to be part of the experience way before the actual day arrives.
Most couples find me through Instagram, Facebook, The Knot, Google, a referral, or my website. However you land here, my first encouragement is always the same: do your research. Look through my work. Read my reviews. Make sure my style and my personality feel like the right fit for you - because both actually matter.
From my website, you can submit an inquiry or book a consultation directly. Before you reach out, I also recommend taking a look at where my wedding investment starts. Every wedding is different, so your collection may need to be customized depending on your timeline, coverage, location, and what's most important to you. I'd rather you know that upfront than fall in love and then feel caught off guard.
And please - look at pricing before you fall completely in love. I always say it with kindness, but I mean it.
Then We Actually Get to Know Each Other
Once you're ready to take the next step, we meet - and this part is one of my favorites.
During our consultation, we chat it up. We talk about your wedding plans, go through pricing together, and I show you full wedding galleries, not just the highlight reel you see on social media. I want you to see how I photograph an entire day: getting ready, the ceremony, family formals, the reception, the dark dance floor at 9pm, all of it. You deserve to know exactly what to expect before you ever commit.
No pressure. Just a real conversation.
Once you book, here's what happens:
You'll fill out a questionnaire so I can learn even more about you as a couple
You'll get a booking gift from me in the mail - and trust me, you're going to want to see it
We get your engagement session on the calendar and have some fun
From there, I'm with you throughout the entire planning process.
What I Actually Do on Your Wedding Day
Here's something worth saying out loud: your photographer is one of the people you'll spend the most time with on your wedding day. That's why I believe choosing someone you genuinely connect with is just as important as loving their photos.
On your wedding day, I'm so much more than someone with a camera. I'm:
Helping keep us on schedule
Fixing the dress when it needs fixing
Tracking down the missing boutonniere
Gathering family members for formals
Hyping you up between portraits
Watching the little details you won't even notice
Making sure you actually have time to enjoy the day you spent so much time planning
Think of me as your right-hand person with a camera.
I'm there for the beautiful portraits, yes. And I'm also there for the laughter, the tears, the hugs, the wild dance floor moments, and all the little in-between things that end up being the ones you treasure most.
The Planning Support You Did Not Know You Needed
I don't disappear after you book and suddenly reappear on your wedding day. We stay in touch throughout the whole process.
You can reach out with questions, timeline concerns, vendor questions, or even just a "HELP, what do I do?!" moment - and I'll be there for it. As your wedding gets closer, we work together on your photography timeline so you're not trying to figure everything out on your own. I also help with your family photo list, logistics, and all those little details that can make a wedding day feel overwhelming if you're carrying them alone.
By the time your wedding day arrives, I don't want to feel like a random photographer showing up with a camera. I want you to feel like you have someone in your corner who already knows you and knows your day.
The Experience Does Not End When the Day Does
After your wedding, we're still not done.
I share a sneak peek and write a blog post for every single wedding I photograph - because your day deserves to be celebrated and shared, not just filed away. Within six weeks, your full gallery lands in your inbox so you can relive it all over again.
And then there's one last Lexie Marie Photography tradition: every one of my brides gets a Christmas gift from me. Even if your wedding was months ago, I haven't forgotten about you.
From your very first inquiry to your engagement session, your wedding planning, your wedding day, your gallery delivery, and even Christmas afterward - I want you to feel taken care of through the entire experience.
You're not just booking me for one day. I'm along for the whole ride.
Ready to Start?
If you're planning a wedding in West Michigan and you're looking for a photographer who will actually show up for you - before, during, and after your day - I'd love to connect.
Head to lexiemariephoto.com to look through my work, read reviews, check my starting investment, and submit an inquiry. We'll set up a consultation, I'll show you full galleries, and we'll figure out together if we're the right fit.
Because at the end of the day... wait, I mean - because the whole point is for your wedding photos to feel like you, and for the experience of getting them to feel just as good as the images themselves.
Let's make something worth holding onto.
