so WHAT IS DOCUMENTARY SHOOTING STYLE?
Documentary shooting is the art of telling your story as it truly happens. We look for the small, fleeting moments and carefully weave them into a narrative that feels true to who you are as a couple. Rather than over-staging or over-directing, we focus on observation. We capture real emotions, unscripted interactions, and all the details that unfold naturally throughout your day. We blend into the background but also step in with guidance and intention when required. This means you spend less time performing and more time being present.
OUR GUIIDNG PRINCIPLES
1. The Art of Noticing ;
— We want to honor the unscripted realness of people into documentary style imagery and films through intentional observation and minimal intrusion. We believe that the best moments are the ones which aren't scripted or staged. Real people doing real things, always.
2. Nostalgia;
— All of our packages include film or handheld footage because it's that feeling of flipping through old photo albums or watching family home videos is something we’ve always cherished. It’s timeless because it's raw and real, instantly taking you back to a feeling. We believe your final gallery or film should be similar: alive, full of energy, character, and nostalgia that makes your story unforgettable.
3. Legacy;
— Your wedding photos and films are something you'll have for years, even decades, from now. Which is why we firmly believe in tangible items to pass down. Our purpose is to preserve your day with physical media formats, not just digital and online so your legacy can be revisited and remembered for generations.
4. Quality;
— For us, quality over quantity is at the heart of everything we do. We take on a limited number of clients each wedding season so we can fully immerse ourselves in every project. It guides how we approach you and your day, and it extends to the care we put into your final deliverables. All of our photographs are individually selected and hand edited, with professional prints done in-house. All of our films are edited and finalized by us, with each frame carefully selected, color graded and tailored to tell your story as it is uniquely yours. At every stage of the process we ensure your story is preserved at the current highest standard.
5. Trust;
— Trust is the foundation of what we do. We capture each wedding with a 'friends-behind-the-camera' approach, taking our time getting to know you and your guests. Our story-driven photos and films thrive when couples and their wedding parties embrace authenticity and vulnerability, and it's that openness which can only come from trust in one another.
what to expect
We always request clients to schedule a virtual consultation with us if you're interested in booking. This allows for us to get to know each other to make sure we're the right fit for you. Once we've received your inquiry on our website or your inquiry questionnaire through our online booking calendar, we will send you a confirmation email to officially connect and schedule the call.
Once it's been decided we're the right fit, we require a $500.00 non-refundable deposit to hold and book your date, along with a services agreement contract to review and sign. This ensures the date is yours, and it cannot be booked by anyone else. Invoices are sent in two parts: two weeks before your wedding date with the remaining balance due within two weeks post event. We can offer a payment plan if required. Your deposit will be taken off the balance of your final invoice.
Once your booking retainer payment has been successfully received, and your contract has been signed, we will send you a detailed questionnaire along with your booking confirmation. The questionnaire is something you can take your time with depending on how much time there is between booking and your wedding day; however, we typically ask clients to submit it no later than 4-6 weeks pre-wedding date. This allows us time to review and contact any other vendors if required.
We want your day to go as smoothly as possible which is why we'll touch base with you along the way both before and after the questionnaire. If required, we will work together to create a custom timeline in order to ensure things go as stress-free as possible. Our goal is to work with you the whole way from the moment you book to provide a service that isn't just a "book us and we'll show up", but instead focus on fostering an engaging client-vendor relationship.
The day has finally come. We arrive early as things begin to unfold, bring in our gear, and set up the interview areas. While interviews take place throughout the day, the morning conversations are especially helpful for establishing the story.
Once the morning events wrap up, we head to the ceremony and reception, usually arriving about thirty minutes early for final checks and setup. During the ceremony we run multiple tripod cameras for coverage, along with at least one handheld rig or gimbal.
Throughout the entire day, we guide you and your guests when necessary, but we also step back and work quietly in the background to capture everything as it happens naturally. Our goal is to keep the experience relaxed, non-intrusive and enjoyable.
The reception is filmed much like the ceremony, with a mix of tripod and handheld coverage. Regardless of which package you choose, we always stay well into the evening and for video, always set up the end-of-day interviews to help finalize the narrative of the day.
After the event, you're excited to see what we've captured! And we're excited to show you! You an expect photo sneak peeks galleries within one week, and your wedding trailer or shorts within 4 weeks. Full galleries, highlight and documentary films up to 24 weeks post-event. Ideally, we like to space out the deliverables during your delivery window. Typically, photo galleries are sent prior to the video content. This allows for time to make album and print selections to be included in your physical media package. Additionally, there is also much more editing time involved for our films. After your items have been sent digitally, your physical media copies will be sent in the mail or by pick-up/drop-off (depending on location).