My clients are looking forward to their weddings this year, but they are excited about their engagement photo sessions as well! These are fun and relaxed photo shoots that help the couple get comfortable with being photographed and for us to get to know one another better. Most shoots are only an hour or so, but it’s time well spent.

I usually recommend couples to wear comfortable clothing in solid colors. Just be themselves while I provide some direction, but mostly just setting them up for a shot or a moment is all I need. Every couple is nervous before the photo shoot, but after about 10 minutes they realize how fun and easy it really is. I like to keep them moving and smiling, makes for some great photos they can enjoy for a long, long time.

I created a video last year to give couples a sense of how these are done and what to expect.  My friend Natalie joined me just for fun and shot along side of me. Enjoy it!

Some of my clients purchase Signature Guest Books for their guests to sign at the reception.  But there’s more than signing going on because each book is custom designed with space for writing anything they want.  Clients can enjoy reading what their family, friends, and guests wrote after the wedding day is over.

I’m excited to share some great news about my recognition by my awesome clients and WeddingWire. Thanks to all my clients for making this happen!

Here is the announcement from WeddingWire…

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, just announced that Armin DeFiesta has been selected to receive the 2010 Bride’s Choice Award™ for photography.

The annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ recognizes and celebrates excellence in quality and service within the wedding industry, as determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 500,000 newlyweds.

The ARMIN | photographer brand is among the top five percent of all vendors in the WeddingWire community, which includes over 100,000 wedding professionals across the US and Canada. Awards were given to winners across 19 different service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers.

“We are excited to recognize and honor the success of the top wedding professionals within the WeddingWire Community” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “The annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program has given us the unique opportunity to highlight the best wedding professionals in each region as reviewed by brides and grooms who have utilized their services in the past year.”

We are happy to announce that ARMIN is among the very best photographers within the WeddingWire Network, which includes WeddingWire and Martha Stewart Weddings. I would like to thank our past newlyweds for nominating me for the 2010 Bride’s Choice Awards™.

For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today at http://www.weddingwire.com.

About WeddingWire, Inc.
WeddingWire is the only online wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding vendors. WeddingWire enables engaged couples to search, compare and book over 100,000 reviewed wedding vendors nationwide, from wedding photographers to wedding cakes. WeddingWire also offers an online community and a suite of cutting-edge planning tools, including wedding websites and wedding checklists, all at no charge. For wedding vendors, WeddingWire provides free online management tools creating the only market opportunity that gives businesses control over their clients, reviews, leads and performance. In addition, WeddingWire has partnered with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (NYSE: MSO) to provide its network of local vendors and online wedding-planning tools in the Weddings section of www.MarthaStewartWeddings.com. For additional information, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.

So what are some tips to bring peace of mind to your wedding photography investment?  One thing would be to choose the best photographer for the job.  Here are some steps to do that…

THE LAST THING YOU SHOULD WORRY ABOUT ON YOUR WEDDING DAY IS THE PHOTOGRAPHER

A wedding can be an important part of ones family history, and the wedding album is a keepsake for generations to enjoy.  With so many photographers to choose from, trusting that responsibility to an experienced, responsible, and professional photographer is even more important today than ever before.  The photos are the real tangible things that preserve your wedding day after all is said and done.  Most wedding planners will agree that if you find a photographer you absolutely want to cover your wedding, do what you can to have them document your wedding day.  It’s about having peace of mind at the beginning, middle, and end of the day!  The last thing I want my clients to worry about is photography.

REFERRALS, REFERRALS, REFERRALS!

There is no denying that wedding photography today is not the same it was 5 or 10 years ago.  More and more couples today are placing higher value and higher expectations on their wedding photographers.  My clients do and so do the clients of several of my colleagues.  For one thing there are more of us (wedding photographers) than ever before, especially in large city-regions like Southern California or the Washington DC and Baltimore regions.  With the influx of photography “businesses” growing exponentially in numbers every year, competition is fierce.  It’s no wonder that engaged couples are becoming more overwhelmed with the number of photographers to choose from and the number of referrals they get from their friends.  There are hundreds, if not thousands of wedding photographers in my DC metro area alone.  I personally have met a good number of them.  There’s still no denying that getting referrals from your friends or your wedding planner is the way to go.

CLOSE THE GAP OF UNCERTAINTY

Nothing beats seeing and loving the work of an actual photographer that shot an actual wedding you attended before you even hire them (I get a lot of my business that way actually).  The reason is that you already have a sense of how they work and what they’re all about.  The gap of uncertainty is always there when a bride-to-be is searching for the right photographer.  But when they have a sense of who the photographer is because they watched them work, it makes things so much easier for everyone, especially the bride.  Or if you happen to have watched their intro video on their website, then that’s another way to close the gap.  Several of my brides were confident in choosing me because of my video alone!

YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR

Now that you’ve chosen your photographer, it’s time to discuss fees.  This can bring a bride to a stressful point in the wedding planning – among many stressful points – the investment in photography.  And like any smart spender a bride will have to ask herself “why?”  A few months ago Evan Reitmeyer of MyDeejay asked me that same question, “Armin, why is wedding photography is so expensive?” There’s no short answer to this. It’s like asking BMW, “BMW, why are your ‘M’ cars so expensive?” Or asking Apple, “Apple, why are Macs more expensive than some comparable PC’s?”  We could go on all day about brand, value, and customer service. But we don’t have all day, so let me sum it up with some reassuring words like I did for Evan…

“The value of wedding photographs preserves important memories that can span generations. Cliche, but so very true. Those that understand the high value of wedding photography also understand the pressure and responsibility placed on the wedding photographer to document and create these important memories for their client. There’s no “take-two” on the set here folks. Weddings happen in real-time. Selecting the right photographer should be on the top of a bride’s list. Many wedding planners recommend to NOT skimp on your wedding photographer and prepare to invest in the one you really want.

There is more to it than just showing up and taking pictures at a wedding. Wedding photography today has evolved to a higher standard, almost an art form requiring the right equipment and skill set. Not only is it a physically and mentally demanding job on the day-of, but there are behind-the-scenes work going on before and after the wedding day the client does not see. It’s not unlike hiring an attorney to represent you in court. You’re not just paying him/her to show up on your court date right? You’re paying them for their level of expertise, education, the resources they have access to, and the time and labor put into building your case and executing the mission before and after the court date. It’s a professional service business, very similar to a smooth running photography business.”

I deliver a brand of peace of mind to my clients throughout the entire experience.  The last thing I want them to worry about is photography.  The clients I cater too have a high hopes and set high standards for their wedding, the photography is no exception.

Thinking back about all the weddings I’ve covered, there are 3 things I hear guests say at almost EVERY wedding I shoot…

1. Your dress is gorgeous!
2. Congratulations!
3. The flowers are so pretty!

Ah yes… FLOWERS. One of the most important details at a wedding. What makes flowers so important? They add color, contrast, and texture to my photos of course!! =)  Seriously though, choosing the right florist can be fun and challenging. I’d like you to meet florist, Laura Williams! Check out her website Loda Floral Designs!

I met DC area florist Laura Williams of Loda Floral Designs last year when she was doing an amazing job with the flowers for one of the weddings I was shooting. Her creativity and attention to customer service has grown her business to a point where she might be considering making it a full time job. I asked Laura what she enjoys most about her business and what sets her apart from the hundreds and hundreds of other florists in her market.

“At Loda Floral Design, we focus on the personality of the couple in order to create a visual aesthetic that imbues their love on their special day. Flowers are one of the most critical ingredients of the wedding day; they are there to welcome guests, walk the bride down the aisle, and pass on the tradition to the next bride-to-be. It is because of this that we take pride in crafting something as special and unique as the couple and their marriage.”

As a wedding photographer I pay attention to the details that can make a wedding. The flowers can play an obviously big role in some brides’ weddings. If you’re one of those brides, get to know Laura, she might be the one to bring that extra special touch to your wedding that you and your guests will remember! To connect with Laura, visit her website Loda Floral Designs.

Hiring a wedding photographer can be a very personal decision. Business is usually generated by referrals, word-of-mouth, and viral marketing. Brides typically trust their friends’ opinions first when choosing a wedding vendor as opposed to any advertising or sales pitch out there. Evan of MyDeeJay.com has a very informative blog post to help guide clients in choosing the right photographer for them. In it you’ll find me and a handful of my friends in the wedding photography industry offering their advice on hiring a wedding photographer. Feel free to contact me anytime or leave a comment if you have any questions for me!

CLICK HERE TO READ EVAN’S ARTICLE ON MYDEEJAY.COM, “HIRING A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER.”

When my album designer Grace Chou and I were checking out a trade show in Vegas we came across Graphi. GraphiStudio products were some of her favorites at the Wedding & Portrait Photographers International in Las Vegas earlier this year (WPPI). Because my clients expect high quality products along with the level of service I deliver, I’m always choosing products that’s aligned with my brand experience. GraphiStudio meets my requirements and the quality and presentation of the books always impresses my clients. Depending on what my clients prefer, sometimes I’ll use GraphiStudio or KISS wedding books. I also offer luxury albums by Leather Craftsmen, but I’m also very interested in trying PictoBooks this year.  Luxury albums step things up by offering a multitude of unique and elegant enhancements, print & bind choices, and a higher level of customization.

Here are a couple of Graphi books I received lately…

One of my favorite products that my clients love are large canvas wraps. It’s a great way to enjoy your favorite images. Not to mention the wow factor it has on your house guests! I recently tried out a canvas company Pixel2Canvas that my friends and celebrity wedding photographers & designers Bob & Dawn Davis recommended. I ordered a 16×24 canvas wrap of an image from Reanna & Jeremy’s destination wedding  at Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas. Reanna’s gonna love this! I’m so pleased with the service, turn around time, and quality of work! The color reproduction is spot on and the impact it adds is amazing. Photographers, if you’re looking for a quality canvas product, check out Pixel2Canvas. If it’s good enough for Bob & Dawn’s celebrity clients, it’s good enough for me. And the proof is in the pudding, I really like what I see already. Check it out!

Some of you may have already seen this video. Thank goodness this has not happened at any of the weddings I’ve photographed. I feel horrible for the bride IF this is even a real video (there’s been some chatter as to whether this was staged or not). Funny and horrible at the same time.

I had the pleasure of documenting my friends Meghann & Curt’s wedding day this summer. I feel even more honored that I was part of their family’s second wedding this year because I also shot Meghann’s younger sister Maggie’s wedding this past spring. What a busy year for the family! DC and Baltimore area makeup artist Crystal Hannon of Crystal Jo Makeup was also there doing what she does best!

Here are just a few of my favorites…

Just a sneak peek from this week’s amazing workshop by celebrity wedding photographers Bob & Dawn Davis. More to come!

MORE BEHIND THE SCENES ACTION COMING SOON!