WEDDING INFO GUIDE
YOU’RE ENGAGED! CONGRATULATIONS! We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in DaveTree Photography! We have a lot of fun creating timeless images for our clients, and we would love to see if we are the right fit for you and your wedding day! We are a husband and wife team of two lead shooters, and we are so blessed to be able to work together on every wedding we shoot. Our years of experience shooting as a team offers you many distinct advantages regarding the coverage of your wedding. Our unique styles blend together seamlessly to portray two view points that thoroughly tell the story of your day from all angles. We strive to showcase the best quiet and special moments in the day- as well as giving our clients fine art images that convey genuine emotion. As important as photography is to any wedding day- one of our main focuses is the couple themselves. We think marriage is SO importantwe love people in love, and can’t think of a better way to showcase that love than through the commitment of marriage. We invest in our couples relationships. We have become friends with most of our couples because they realize that we genuinely care about them, and know that we will support and help them 20 years down the road if they have a problem. We are about serving people, as best as we can. We are here to serve you, and would love to help in any way possible!
image courtesy of mandyleighphotography.com
David + Lindsay Hoeflinger
This guide is designed to give you all the information you need about our services, and even some wedding planning tips and tricks. If you have any questions or specific elements you would like to discuss in greater detail, please do not hesitate to give us a call or an e-mail. Thanks again, and we look forward to working with you!
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Sean + Beth
Joey + Ann-Marie
I don’t know where to begin to express my complete satisfaction with the time I’ve had working with David and Lindsay. From our very first meeting at a coffee shop, to now, 2 weeks after my wedding, I have nothing but good things to say about them. Lindsay was very prompt to respond, and answer every single question I had. She not only was eager to assist with photography questions, but also was so helpful and patient to answer other questions I had, whether it was about florist recommendations, or her input on how to organize the reception timeline. Even the day of, she was there to help feed me food while my make-up was getting done and make sure we were all on time. David and Lindsay were above and beyond expectations of photographers. I can’t forget to mention how amazing their photographs are! I would absolutely recommend DaveTree Photography!
All I can say is WOW! David and Lindsay blew us away with their patience, creativity and talent (wedding photos). The photos they captured were incredibly professional and super high quality. We literally could not be happier! Trust me, if you hire David and Lindsay you will not be disappointed. They are seriously AMAZING!!! Thank you so much!
The pictures that they presented were very creative that when it was time for me to choose a photographer for my wedding, they were definitely on top of my list. Our engagement photos were wonderful. They really worked with us and made us feel comfortable even when their cameras “were all up in our faces” . Our engagement session was so much fun. They were very professional. We had a lot of participants and they were able to take great formal pictures. More importantly, our bride and groom pictures were AWESOME! The pictures really captured love moments. Lindsay does a GREAT JOB with answering emails in a very timely manner. They are very flexible and are always willing to work with your schedule. Also, they are willing to work with ideas you want for your pictures and execute them well. I *highly* recommend them.
Kelvin + Dhendhen
What our clients are saying: For more reviews, check out our Google+ page! “...We will never be able to put into words how much we appreciate their professional, quality service during our whirlwind of a day! ...When we were doing the reveal, I didn’t even notice Dave and Lindsay capturing our perfect moment. ...We had so much fun and the entire afternoon was so laid back and easy going. Finally, it was time for the ceremony and the tornado weather rolled on in! ...Dave and Lindsay literally SAVED OUR WEDDING!!! After things went south with the tornado warning, they pulled everything together and gave us the wedding of our dreams. They were our coordinator and our photographer. Honestly if it wasn’t for Dave and Lindsay the entire day would have been a complete disaster and extremely stressful. I will tell you that we had the most perfect wedding day and we were 100% stress free and I strongly believe it’s because of these two wonderful people! Our whole family raved about how awesome they were, and how helpful! All of the photos are amazing, and a lot of fun! It was everything that we could of hoped for and more! Dave and Lindsay are wonderful, easy-going people who are instant friends! I’ll never run out of nice things to say about these two, they’re HIGHLY HIGHLY recommended.
Jacob + Mary
You’re engaged! The proposal was awesome, and the wedding planning has begun, but now is the time for your engagement shoot. And you have come to the right place, because we LOVE engagement shoots! We like to call them “hang-out sessions, with cameras”. Even though the point of an engagement shoot is the images- we focus on getting to know the two of you! We learn about your personalities, the dynamics of your relationship, how comfortable you are in front of the camera, how much direction you may or may not need, if he’s a “blinker”, but most importantly, we become friends. We can’t recommend an engagement shoot enough. Beyond the amazing images we’ll create together, and what we learn about you guys, you will be able to familiarize yourselves with our unique style of photographing couples. We will have a lot of fun shooting together (our engagement sessions last anywhere from 1 to 3 hours in length) and when the wedding day comes, you will feel confident knowing what to expect so that we can capture real and genuine moments.
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Engagement Session>>>>>>>>>>>>>$399* 1-3 hours All “keepers” fully edited 30 day online gallery Engagement Digital Negatives>>>>>>>$299 All your edited engagement images on a disc with a print release. Trave Fee>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>$50+* All locations further than 50 miles from Portage, MI are subject to travel fee. *Session fee for engagements are due upon booking. If you book an engagement session now, and at a later date decide to book a wedding collection with DaveTree that includes an engagement session, you will get a credit of $399 on your wedding package.
Engagement TIPS & TRICKS!
Be yourself. Our favorite photos are the ones where the couple looks and feels like themselves. Wearing an outfit you’re comfortable in will only accentuate your style and personality. Whether you want to wear jeans and a t-shirt or a cute skirt and shirt combo, your happiness will show through and influence the overall mood in the photos. Complement each other. Coordinating your outfits a little bit is fine, but if you don’t dress like each other every day of the week, we don’t recommend dressing the same for your engagement shoot. Wear colors that complement each other and pieces that have common shades. Show your true colors. Black might be slimming, but we generally advise couples not to wear it since (unless it’s under a cute bright colored cardigan!) it leads to every speck of dust and hair being easily caught on camera. Which leads right into: Play off the location. Think of your surroundings when picking out colors for your outfit. If your photos are in a park, a green dress might camouflage you with the grass and trees. A complimentary color, like a red dress, would pop against the green if you want to stand out. Dress on the same scale. On the day of your photo shoot, you should both look like you’re headed to the same place. Wear clothes that are on the same level of dressiness or casualness. Switch things up. If you can’t decide between casual and formal, go for both. Wardrobe changes are always welcome and will give
you an alternative look for your photos. Try some prints. So many couples avoid prints because they don’t want to overdo it, but we welcome a good print. To balance the print, we recommend having your partner wear a solid color to even things out a bit. Patterns and prints will show off your figure, while hiding any parts you might not want to accentuate. Color-blocking breaks things up, and by adding textures or prints, it will only add interest to the outfit. As much as we love patterns and prints, we don’t recommend wearing logos or fabrics that will distract from your lovely faces. The photos should showcase you both as a couple, not your favorite clothing brand or sports team. Layer it up. Clothes often photograph better when they are layered, so consider adding a cardigan, blazer, or jacket to finish your look. The weather can be pretty unpredictable all year round, so prevent uncomfortable photo sessions by layering your look. Consider the season. This may seem simple enough, but check the weather the morning of your shoot. Comfort is key. If you have to jump up and down in your jeans to get them to fit, you will want to opt for something you’ll feel more free to move in. The better you feel in your clothes, the better you’ll look in front of the camera, so don’t overthink it.
the What is the Reveal? We are so glad you asked. The Reveal is a special moment that the Bride and Groom share before their wedding ceremony. Why should we do the Reveal? There are so many reason to do the Reveal! One of the biggest reasons we recommend the Reveal, is so that you have the opportunity to share a very emotional and intimate moment before the crazy happens. Your wedding day is going to be a whirlwind, and most people don’t get a chance to have five minutes alone all day- at least, until they leave the reception. Trust us, you will have so much to say (and look at!) that you won’t be able to do in the middle of a ceremony, with all your guests watching. Not only do you get to say more than a few words to each other- and see how amazing each of you look- but you have no idea what it does for wedding day jitters! We have seen so many couples nerves just completely dissapate after seeing each other, which causes a chain reaction, and the wedding party gets more chill in turn. Another huge benefit is the opportunity to get all your photos done prior to the ceremony- creating a more streamlined timeline and a shorter wait for your guests! You are able to spend more time getting your photos done (and actually results in MORE Bride & Groom photos altogether, since we aren’t rushing in between the ceremony and reception.) before everyone arrives, making the transition from ceremony to reception super short, and keeps guests happy. One other thing to consider, is that for late afternoon and evening weddings, the Reveal is necessary, if you want gorgeous naturally lit Bride & Groom images. We think that the Reveal provides a much more natural and tender reaction to seeing each other for the first time that day, and you will love the images! But, isn’t it “bad luck”? Nope. The whole superstition of “not seeing the bride until the ceremony” stems from the days of arranged marriages, when a groom had most likely NEVER looked upon his bride! The fear was if the groom didn’t like what he saw, the marriage would be off. This is also where veils became traditionthe groom wasn’t to see her face until he had already commited his life to his bride, then he could lift her veil to kiss her. The Reveal has never taken away from the gravity of the actual ceremony walkand seeing each other, because instead of all the nerves of worrying about fainting or tripping, you can see each other and focus on getting hitched!
Timeline BASICS! A solid timeline is the key to having the wedding day you’ve dreamed about. We will help you figure out how to schedule your day to make it run as smoothly as possible. We have found that most wedding coverage is optimal between 8 to 10 hours. Below is a guideline of times that we have found to work well all around (includes the Reveal): 3.5 hours before the ceremony- photographer’s arrive and begin capturing details and bridal party getting ready. Finalize makeup and hair, and get into dress! 2.5 hours before the ceremony- the Reveal! We will find a secluded place for the Reveal. After you’ve had enough time to savor the quiet moment and are ready, we will begin the Bride & Groom photos. 2 hours before the ceremony- Bride, Groom, & wedding party photos. Half hour before the ceremony- relax, regroup, touchup things that need touched up, get ready! Ceremony time!- This is it! This is what you’ve been waiting for- say “I do!”. 1 hour after the ceremony- Family Formals! And then we will head to the reception site to capture details and your arrival. We will also use some of this time to finish up any family shots we may need to. 1.5 hour after the ceremony until whenever you want- we will capture key moments of the rest of your night. (additional hours can be added if needed!)
All of this information is what we’ve found to work the best, and are suggestions for you to keep in mind. We would love to discuss your specific wedding in detail, and figure out what’s best for you! We can make any timeline work, we always do! As long as communication is open, it will work. Please use the free template over there -----------> to begin planning your wedding timeline! We are more than happy to help!
Timeline WORKSHEET! Please use this worksheet to get a preliminary workup of your wedding day timeline, but make sure to discuss your timeline with key people and vendors! Your photographers know how much time the photos you want will require. Use the blank spots at the left to write in times associated with the task on the right. If you get stuck, use the Timeline Basics page to the left as a guide. ________ Arrive at getting ready location. (Be clear about arrival times with all people of importance, and make sure to give everyone a copy of the timeline. This will make for a much less stressful day!) ________ Start hair and make-up ________ EAT LUNCH! ________ Photographers arrive, begin detail shots- have dress, shoes, rings, bouquets ready! Preparation coverage. ________ Finishing touches and Bride gets in dress! (allow at least 15 minutes- 20 for a corseted dress.) ________ The Reveal! (Allow about 20 minutes. Wedding party should be completely ready to go by the time the Reveal is over!) ________ Wedding party photos! This includes all the bridesmaids, groomsmen and Bride & Groom. (Allow 1.5 hours minimum) ________ Done with pre-ceremony photos 30 minutes before ceremony- touch ups, relax. ________ Ceremony! (Average ceremony length is 30-45 minutes.) ________ Family Formal Photos! (Allow 30 minutes. Inform family members to stay close by following the ceremony.) ________ Grand Entrance into Reception! ________ Cut the Cake ________ Speeches (Serve salads before speeches, it will help keep dinner on schedule!) ________ Entrees served. (Serve your vendors immediately after you are served so they can take a break and be back for all of the action!) ________ Dances begin! ________ Exit Reception with the Send Off! (Use sparklers if at night!) ________ ____________________________________________________________________ ________ ____________________________________________________________________
the Our collections include selections from our most popular Enhancement items, packaged together at a discount for your convenience. If you require additional items or if none of these collections seem to meet your needs, please review the Enhancement options and contact us to create your own custom collection.
$4899*
2 PHOTOGRAPHERS 10 HRS WEDDING DAY COVERAGE WEDDING DAY FAUXTOBOOTH DISC OF DIGITAL NEGATIVES 1 YEAR ONLINE GALLERY ENGAGEMENT SESSION
$3999*
2 PHOTOGRAPHERS 9 HRS WEDDING DAY COVERAGE DISC OF DIGITAL NEGATIVES 1 YEAR ONLINE GALLERY ENGAGEMENT SESSION
$3399*
2 PHOTOGRAPHERS 8 HRS WEDDING DAY COVERAGE DISC OF DIGITAL NEGATIVES 1 YEAR ONLINE GALLERY
$2699*
2 PHOTOGRAPHERS 8 HRS WEDDING DAY COVERAGE 1 YEAR ONLINE GALLERY
All we require to secure your date is a $500 retainer with a signed agreement form! We offer a 10% Unites States armed forces discount! Applies to entire balance. All locations further than 50 miles from Portage, MI are subject to travel fee of 55 cents per mile. *All services and products are subject to Michigan sales tax.
the $2299*
Base Coverage is used as the starting point for your custom package. Includes 6 hours wedding day coverage, 1 year online gallery, and two photographers.
$349*
After discussing the order of events with you, together we will determine the optimal amount of time that will allow us to completely capture the story of your day. If additional hours are necessary, you may add them in one hour increments.
$899*
Includes all high resolution custom edited images. All “keeper” images will be fully retouched and artistically edited and burned to CD or DVD.
$399*
Scheduled for any time after the wedding, this is a great time to have an intimate and fun session with the two of you, without all of the pressures and time restraints of the wedding day. We’ll have more options for locations as well as less limitations (if you prefer) on keeping your dress spotless... This session will span a length of 1-3 hours.
$2499+travel*
We will travel for you! Our Destination Wedding Collection includes all day wedding day coverage with digital negatives, a complimentary engagement session with digital negatives, and a 1 year online gallery. Please inquire with your destination information so we can give you an accurate cost with travel.
*All services and products are subject to Michigan sales tax.
GET EXCITED, FAUXTOBOOTH AND ALBUM INFORMATION ON THE NEXT FEW PAGES!
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$1199* The FauxtoBooth is the perfect accessory for any wedding reception! This is a mini open-air studio set up in a 12x12 area at your recpetion, and operated by David or Lindsay, or both at different times! You bring the props (if props are desired) and we will direct your family and friends into poses and situations that will leave you laughing. Price includes setup and tear down of booth. The FauxtoBooth is opened after the main reception events, like the scheduled dances or tosses, and will be open for up to 2 hours. After the wedding, all FauxtoBooth images will be included in your online gallery and on your digital negatives disc. *The FauxtoBooth is only $600 if you’re building a custom package or adding it to a collection. *All services and products are subject to Michigan sales tax.
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Your first family heirloom.
This is what it all comes down to! Your wedding album is the final presentation of the story we will document on your wedding day. When all the cake is eaten, the flowers are wilted away, the dress is boxed up, the decor taken down, and memories fade, your album will be the lasting token of the wedding passed down from generation to generation. Your wedding album will be custom designed from start to finish by DaveTree Photography. We take great pride in presenting a different album design for each couple. All of our albums are designed in a very clean, modern style with the emphasis on showcasing your images. We enjoy the fact that your wedding album is a collaborative art piece, with input from both sides of the table coming together to create something that will be a perfect reflection of your wedding. For the most custom contemporary presentation of your wedding images, we highly recommend our flushmount albums (also known as storybook, coffee table, magazine, or digital composite albums in different markets). Instead of a traditional style album where all images are bordered by mattes, the print is all you see, edge to edge for striking and dynamic page layouts. All page layouts are completely custom designed in the computer, created into composites and then printed as a single image. The composite images are printed on archival photographic paper and permanently bound into the album. This process allows for very dramatic full page bleeds and double page spreads, as well as a thinner and more streamlined album size due to the lack of bulk from mattes.
After we design the layout of your Fine Art Album (you get one complimentary redesign request to change up the layout, additional layout changes are $100 each), the spreads are sent to New York, where your album is handcrafted by one of the top album creators in the country with archival quality material and bound with a leather cover. Your album will come standard with 10 spread (20 printable sides), but you can purchase additional pages if you’d like. 6x6 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>$699.00* 8x8 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>$799.00* 10x10 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>$899.00* 12x12 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>$999.00*
6x6 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>$29.00* 8x8 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>$39.00* 10x10 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>$49.00* 12x12 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>$59.00* Take 20% off albums purchased at booking!
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHIC STYLE? We have always been fans of the cinema and live theatre. So we’ve learned a lot from those mediums in terms of composition, environment, emotion, and just all around visual awesomeness. A majority of the time, we are very photojournalistic- this would be during everything except for the creative formal images. If we were to throw some words around, we would say our style is quirky, whimsical, romantic, and cinematic all rolled into one.
WHAT EQUIPMENT DO YOU USE? We use top of the line professional Nikon camera bodies and lenses. We could throw a bunch of model names and numbers at you, but unless your a big camera nerd you might not know what we are saying (if you are in fact a big camera nerd- let’s nerd out on gear talk in person!). Let’s just saynone of our gear comes in a kit, and it’s super expensive. We also have back-up gear.
DO YOU TRAVEL FOR WEDDINGS? Yes! Anything outside a 50 mile radius will incur travel fees. We shoot all over the US, and even internationally! We are passport-ready!
DO YOU ONLY SHOOT WEDDINGS? We specialize in weddings and couples photography, but we shoot a wide variety of projects! We do children’s photography, family sessions, corporate events, birth story’s, high school senior’s, theatre productions, nature and landscape, and have even dabbled in newborn photography! We will try almost anything at least once!
HOW FAR IN ADVANCE DO WE NEED TO BOOK YOUR SERVICES? We are already booking for next year, dates fill up fast, and we take a limited number of weddings each year to ensure that our clients get the attention they deserve. We recommend booking your photographer as soon as you have the venue booked!
HOW MANY PHOTOS DO WE GET? On average, you will receive 70 photos per hour of photography. This is just a rough estimate, you may receive more or less. WHEN WILL OUR IMAGES BE READY? Expect your finished images within 6 to 8 weeks. But you’ll get a Facebook preview the night of your wedding! HOW LONG IS TYPICAL WEDDING DAY COVERAGE? Most weddings average about 9-10 hours.
DO YOU EDIT THE PHOTOS? Every single “keeper” is edited and optimized to look its best. The Bride & Groom images get a bit more attention than the rest.
HOW DO WE BOOK YOU!? To reserve your wedding date on our calendar, all we require is a $500 retainer and a signed agreement form. The retainer is applied to your balance, and the remainder of your balance is due 30 days before your wedding. We can arrange payment plans and accept all major credit cards. (3% fee applies to credit cards!)
We are high school sweethearts, and we’ve known each other for half of our lives! We were in a ska band together in high school, and toured through New York and back. We were married on October 30, 2004, and have since expanded our little family by three boys, Elliot, Greyson, and Quillen. They are a handful of mini-David’s, but we both agree that they are the highlight of our lives. And before you ask, yes, we do want more children! We love vibrant colors!
We are a husband and wife photography team. We are dedicated to providing our clients with unique high quality images and a couple new friends! We are here to serve you and help in any way we can! We have over 20 combined years of photography experience and knowledge, and began learning photography on film cameras! We love each other deeply, and we love people in love! We believe in marriage and love to support people on that journey. Some of our favorites!
#1. Please, please get your hair and make-up professionally done! Not only will you not have time to do your own hair, and potentially mess it up, but it will be very stressful, and if there is any time to splurge on having that done, it IS on your wedding day! In direct relation to this point, make sure you do a trial run with whoever is doing your hair and make-up! Most times, the trial run is included for free. #2. Consider your guests! Yes, it is YOUR wedding day, and it should be everything you want it to be, all while being gracious hosts. It is definitely a balancing act, but it can be done very well! This is one reason to consider the Reveal! Make sure to think about locations, timeline, and food! #3. Speaking of food... make sure you have food and beverages on hand throughout the wedding day for your wedding party, especially while getting ready! Staying well hydrated and fed can really make or break your wedding day! #4. TIME. This is such an important part of your wedding day- because it is limited. There’s just no way around it! Everything takes time. Make sure you set enough time aside for the photographs you want- an hour and half minimum for creative images.
#5. Really consider whether you need to do a receiving line. We understand how important it is to get at least a few words or a hug in with every lovely person that comes to support your marriage vows! The traditional receiving line following the wedding ceremony takes a minimum of 45 minutes. That’s a large chunk of time for something that can take place during the reception. In our experience, guests never leave the reception without saying goodbye- just consider what wil work best for your specific wedding plans. #6. TIMELINE! Most of these tips are referring to the recurring theme of time. It really is key to keeping your wedding day plans together! Please let us know when you are ready to work on your timeline- your timeline can be worked on whenever, but the sooner it’s set, the better. We are kind of your time keepers for most of the day and we know what kind of time it will take for the photos you want, so we are very involved in the creation of the timeline. #7. Cake? Quick time-saver tip- cut the cake immediately after entering your reception! This gives the caterer time to get it all cut and served and ready to follow right after dinner. Plus, you don’t have to take time out of your dance party to go do it later on.
Trust us when we say that we know how hectic weddings can be! Especially if you don’t have seasoned help in navigating them! We have seen many weddings, and we are here to help! We aren’t claiming to be overall wedding gurus, but being in the wedding industry and knowing many professional vendors of all kinds, if we don’t know, we can find out! These tips are kind of all over the place topic-wise, but you’ll be glad to have them!
Final TIPS & TRICKS!
#8. Don’t forget your vendors during dinner! We will remind you of this point in the questionnaire later on, but take your vendors into consideration when doing the catering headcount! You don’t absolutely have to feed us, but if you don’t we will have to take an hour break during your reception to go find a hot meal somewhere! If you do choose to feed us (thank you!!! We like food.), make sure to seat us somewhere easily accesible and let us jump into the food line right after the Bridal party, as we generally stuff our faces as fast as possible, and jump back into capturing images. We need to get our food as soon as possible so we can eat quickly and not eat and not miss a shot.
#9. The Send Off. Send offs are fun! Decide whether you want to do one, and then when and where. After the ceremony or as you leave the reception? Make sure to use sparklers as a light source if you’re doing a nighttime Send Off. Get creative! Confetti, sprinkles, balloons, petals, bird seed, bubbles, streamers, party poppers, the options are endless! #10. Make sure you like your photographer! This includes personality as well as body of work. You will spend all day with your photographer, make sure their personality is compatible with yours! Ask to see a full gallery- to see what images you would get from a typical full day wedding. Consider quality over quantity. There’s a photographer you love, but they are a bit expensive, and there’s a photographer that is okay, but they are offering everything you want for a price you can’t pass- if this is your dilemma, go for the photographer you love. You can always save up to order products later, but you can’t go back and get better images.
davetreephotography@gmail.com www.davetreephotography.com