Photos Before Venues

After numerous wedding conversations we've had over the past few years, there are only two wedding day elements that have consistently reigned supreme in our list of really-super-wanna-haves.  In no particular order, those elements were location and photography.  I don't think those priorities are so abnormal.  What's strange, I think, is the order in which we ticked those two items off the list.  Your average person would probably choose the location first - get that wedding date nailed down in the preferred venue before putting down deposits for other vendors.  So sensible...

But sensible we were not.  Nope, we totally signed on the dotted line with our photographer for our preferred wedding date without a *clue* what our venue would be, what time our ceremony and reception would occur, or whether any venue we toured would be available on the day we'd hired the photographers for.  Why oh why would we do that, you ask?  Good question, I say, and one I'm not totally sure I know the answer to.  If I had to guess, I'd say it's because we were crazy overwhelmed by the number of venue choices and our eyes were swimming in the dollar signs required to make that decision. 

Photographers, on the other hand, presented more limited options.  Limited not because San Francisco doesn't have its more-than-fair share of spectacular wedding photographers, no no.  But limited because we like a very specific photography "look," and we needed to find that look within our budget.  The look we love?  Noticeably post-processed gloriousness (a.k.a. 'artistically ehanced').

photography by Steve Koo Photography

photography by Esther Julee Photography

photography by Laurie Anne Photography / Photoshop Actions by MCP Actions

We don't mind - in fact, we crave! - pictures that look like they've had a little work done.  I know it's not everyone's thing, and I can totally respect that.  I love taking pictures myself, and there is something wonderful about capturing a true, beautiful moment exactly as you saw it with your eyes.  But to us these post-processed pictures look and feel more like art than just photos, and we want art! 

I was able to come up with 4 photographers for us to meet with who might fit our artsy/budget-minded requirements.  At our very first photographer meeting with the uber fabulous Paco & Betty (aka Whitney and Marcellos), we were shown a sample guest book album that was so So SO *flash*bang*wow* and pick-your-jaw-up-off-the-floor that we just couldn't get over it.  Not only did we have to have those pictures, we had to have those pictures in that album, with those photographers and all 4 of their amazing creatives eyes - end of freaking story!  So hopefully in only a few short months, we'll have heartbreakingly beautiful pictures of us that look something like this:

above photos by Paco & Betty

For only $200 over our budget (btw, it's always "only $x over budget," isn't it?), we're getting an engagement session, 8 hours of wedding day coverage, a disc with 600-800 images, and a 7-8 minute slideshow set to music.  Our package doesn't include the album, and we decided we're okay with that since the album we fell in lust with was way more affordable than the traditional album.  We plan to get it for each other as our holiday gift that year - totally worth it and best gift e-vah!

Decision made.  Deposit paid.  And so it was.  We were photographer-deep into our wedding with absolutely no other plans.  Feelin' good!

Anyone else take a risk by booking vendors before they had a confirmed date at a venue?