Toronto Wedding Photography Pricing: FAQs
Before we secure our services with any client, we always do a virtual meet and greet so that everyone can asks all the questions they have! This FAQ, however, is a great place to start.
Service Questions
Documentary photography depends on how much is going on and how much travel time there is during your day. Our average is 60-80 images per hour that we’re shooting. For most full-day weddings this can be anywhere from 600-900+ images.
We never hold back amazing images—if you end up with more images, then that’s awesome! That being said, though, we also only click the shutter when we truly feel something. We are not in the practice of taking images for the sake of increasing image count. We want the images to mean something.
If your intentions are to book with the photographer who will give you the most photos per hour of coverage; we are not the right fit for you.
Our full-day wedding packages typically end 30 minutes after the dancefloor opens. We do that for a few reasons: (1) anyone who is going to dance will do it in the first 30 minutes (2) you can only have so many photos of people dancing (3) once the party really starts to get going, a photobooth is often a better investment! You can extend coverage with an hourly rate coverage price; but unless there’s something very specific you’re seeking to capture, I urge you to consider whether extended reception coverage is the best investment.
I want to preface this with the following: to keep us away from a wedding takes a lot. We would have to be so sick that if you or your spouse were that sick, you wouldn’t attend your own wedding. We take this seriously and make more than a reasonable effort to push through any minor illnesses and still bring our A-game to you.
In the event that an emergency does occur, or if we are ill and cannot attend the event, we will make every effort to find a replacement that we feel matches our quality and skills. We will ensure that we engage with you during this process and that communication is transparent. In the event that we feel a suitable replacement cannot be found, a full refund will be provided (less any services already delivered).
This has never happened in the past – but we do have this contingency plan in place just in case!
If you would feel better about pre-reserving a replacement photographer, we can discuss this with you during your consultation. This would be an additional cost above and beyond your package price and is custom quoted based on the length of time this person would be “on-call” for (and thus turning away their own weddings). The cost of this generally ranges from 30-40% of a package price.
Style & Approach
We are documentary-style wedding photographers. This means that there is very little posing. Instead, we use prompts and suggestions to help foster natural moments that evoke emotion and that is what we capture.
We look for actions, reactions, and emotions and capture the day from various angles and vantage points. We are focused on not only the couple but on their friends and families, for a full and complete story.
We established our editing style a long time ago – long before ‘presets’ could be purchased. This makes our style unique.
Our editing style is rich, warm, and vibrant. Our style is transformative in that it adds to the existing scene in terms of creating a more bold and distinct flare. We are cautious not to ‘overdo it’ and turn skin tones into those resembling Oompa Loompas, but we would not consider ourselves to be traditional or totally true-to-life either.
Editing means that your images are adjusted for color, exposure, tint, and contrast as well as processed with our signature rich and warm color profile (as mentioned above). With this, a gentle skin softening filter is included as well as natural highlights and shadow enhancements to create a vivid result. In the editing process, we review all images twice, with 2 different sets of eyes, to ensure consistency and quality.
Where editing ends is where retouching starts – retouching is what happens to magazine covers where bodies are artificially manipulated and enhanced in ways that change the reality of the day. We do not remove background images, seams on clothing, bra straps, or tattoos nor do we change people’s body shape, “swap heads” or provide airbrushing of skin.
The nature of documentary photography is that beauty is found in the everyday moments; if you feel like your images may require manipulation beyond what is naturally occurring, documentary-style photography may not actually be the best fit for you.
Every photo will be delivered in color, and a select number will also have a black-and-white copy at our discretion. We love black-and-white, so we include those as bonus edits, but only for the photos where black-and-white really had an impact.
Our editing is done entirely in-house in a multi-step process. This ensures that regardless of who is capturing the day, the resulting images have a consistent esthetic.
We’re a body-positive company, and we will never alter a person’s body without their express permission. That being said, retouching is not a common practice in the documentary photography community. The authenticity of documentary photographers does not align with artificial adjustments to a person’s face or body.
If this service is requested by clients, we first need to explore whether documentary photography is the approach they truly prefer. If it is; however, it is discovered that there are extenuating circumstances that would make them want their images fully retouched, this service is quoted separately.
Pricing Questions
All prices are subject to applicable taxes unless otherwise stated. Part of running a sustainable business means following the proper guidelines in place regarding taxes. If you have any questions regarding this, please contact us.
While we understand budget concerns, it’s crucial to remember that any flexibility involves a give-and-take from both sides. Negotiations may be considered for off-peak times, with each request evaluated individually. It’s important to respect that this work is not just our passion but how we support our families, especially in these tight times that affect us all.
Absolutely, all our packages are customizable. If you’re aiming to stick within a certain budget, we’re open to exploring all available options together. However, it’s key to understand that customization isn’t about getting the same package for less—it’s about tailoring our services to best fit your needs and budget.
We don’t often work with second photographers, and truthfully, most weddings don’t need them. When we do, though, they are of equal or greater experience to us and also specialize in documentary coverage. This means the price reflects the value they bring to your day.
If you stumble upon companies who offer a second shooter for free, it’s likely that person is looking for more experience or an amateur.
Booking Questions
About half of our clients book 12 months in advance, and the other half book only a few months in advance. It really depends on how long you’ve been engaged and actively planning your wedding day.
We generally do not book more than 12 months in advance but can often make some case-by-case exceptions for those seeking full day coverage.
Whether your wedding is a micro wedding (with only a handful of guests) or a larger-scale event, requests for bookings that are less than 3 months in advance can book packages that are 3, 4, or 5 hours.
To secure us more than 3-months in advance, a minimum purchase of the 6-hour package is required.
Reach out via email and we’ll set up a time for a virtual meet-and-greet! These aren’t “sales sessions” – they’re more of a Reddit AMA (Ask me Anything).
General Questions
Absolutely, embracing your unique brand of “awkward” is right up our alley — especially if it’s paired with valuing deep connections, embracing vulnerability, and loving with an open heart. Awkwardness can manifest in beautifully diverse ways; we celebrate those who are deep-feeling, emotional, and unafraid to break the mold.
However, it’s key to recognize that documentary photography thrives on the visible expression of those traits. If you’re more introverted, reserved, and less inclined to openly show emotion, keep in mind that our style leans away from direct guidance. We’re all about capturing your genuine selves and the spontaneous moments of joy and emotion, without posing or direction.
Things have changed quite a bit since those initial days in 2020, when Covid turned the world upside down. So here’s what you need to know:
Regardless of the reason, any change to the date (either cancellation or postponement) would mean that your retainer for the original date stays with us, and a new retainer would need to be placed on the new date.
Remember – retainers are about reserving dates. We turn away all other clients for that date, and the retainer is the official “pinky promise” between us that you will use that date, and if you don’t, it’s compensation for opportunities lost. We do ask for a relatively low retainer (especially for the wedding industry!) and as such, we remain firm on this policy.
Yes, we’re absolutely open to photographing cultural or traditional weddings! It’s important to note, though, that our approach remains firmly non-traditional and documentary.
We’ve noticed that at times, couples opting for traditional ceremonies or wedding days might find themselves explaining their choice of a non-traditional photographer to surprised family members. As long as you’re fully on board with our style—capturing genuine, spontaneous moments without altering our approach—we’re all in.
Our commitment to staying true to our documentary and non-traditional ethos means we bring the same creative vision to every wedding, honoring your story in the most authentic way possible, without compromising our signature style.
Yes – we offer photobooth services to our Toronto and southern Ontario clients! Have a peek at our photobooth page to learn more about our digital photobooth that drops images directly to your guests phones!