Frequently Asked Questions
Below you’ll find a list of common questions that we get asked about our service, and wedding photography in general. You can always contact us by email at studio@unioneleven.com or by phone at 613-317-7566 if you have any further questions!
Click on any question below to be taken directly to the answer.
General Wedding Photography Questions
- When can we expect delivery of our wedding photos?
- Do you deliver every single photo that you take?
- How many photographs will I receive?
- Will we receive black and white photos as well as colour ones?
- Will you take photos of both the groom and the bride getting ready?
- How many hours do you suggest we set aside for portraits of the bride, groom and wedding party?
- How much time should I set aside for family photos?
- We have some downtime during the day, can we split our coverage?
- What happens if we go over the hours of coverage we have in our collection?
- Do we have to provide our photographers with a meal during the wedding reception?
Engagement Session Questions
- Should we book an engagement session?
- What’s included in an engagement session?
- When should we schedule our engagement session?
- Can we schedule our engagement session on a weekend?
- When can we expect the delivery from our engagement session?
- How many images do you deliver from and engagement session?
- We are thinking of doing our engagement session in another town, are there travel fees associated?
Image Download and Product Questions
- What size can we print our wedding photos?
- Do you provide the RAW files from my engagement session and/or wedding day?
- What rights do I have to the digital images?
- What happens if I lose my images?
- How long do you keep our photos online?
- How long does it take to get my wedding album?
- How long does it take to get an engagement album / signing book?
Booking and Payment Questions
- How do I book and what is the payment schedule?
- If we cancel the wedding will our retainer be refunded?
GENERAL WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY QUESTIONS
When can we expect delivery of our wedding photos?
Our standard delivery time for wedding photos is 6-8 weeks.
Do you deliver every single photo that you take?
We do not deliver every image we shoot. We eliminate duplicate images, missed focused shots, shots with bad expressions and test shots. We will deliver all of the photos that we know you'll want to see, without you having to sort through any rejects.
How many photographs will I receive?
The number of photographs you receive will depend on how long and how busy your wedding day is. There is no maximum or minimum number. Typically, we deliver around 400-600 photos.
Will we receive black and white photos as well as colour ones?
Yes, some of your photos will be in black and white but the majority will be in colour.
How many hours do you suggest we set aside for portraits of bride, groom and wedding party?
We recommend about one and a half hours for portraits of the bride, groom and wedding party. We can do it in less time but we want to give you as much variety as possible. We're always here to help if you need advice on how to layout the timeline of your day!
How much time should I set aside for family photos?
We suggest thirty minutes for family portraits. Portraits may be taken before or after the ceremony depending on if you are doing a first look or not.
Will you take photos of both the Groom and the Bride getting ready?
We try to visit both the bride and groom before the ceremony. Normally we will visit the groom first because it's easy for him to take off his jacket and loosen his tie while he waits for the ceremony. On the other hand, once the bride is in her dress, it's go time!
We have some downtime during the day, can we split our coverage?
Unfortunatley we cannot split coverage. Coverage starts when we start photographing at the first location. You may think there is nothing to photograph during the downtime but our photographers will find something!
What happens if we go over the amount of hours of coverage we have in our package?
We understand that sometimes weddings can run behind schedule. We will ask you at the end of our contracted time whether or not you would like to for us to stay longer. If you would like us to stay, we will charge the rates specified in your contract.
Do we have to provide our photographers a meal during the wedding reception?
We ask that you provide us with a meal, but you're certainly not required to. If you do, it makes things much simpler for us, and ensures that your coverage is never interupted. If you don't provide us with a meal we will take a short break to find something else.
ENGAGEMENT SHOOT QUESTIONS
Should we book an engagement session?
Engagement shoots are great for a number of reasons. First, they're the perfect opportunity to get to know your photographer better. Even more importantly, the photos and artwork you can make will have everlasting value to you and your fiance. This shoot is an opportunity to celebrate this phase of your relationship, before your transition into being a married couple.
What's included in an engagement session?
Every session in cludes a one hour shoot and fully edited digital files.
When should we schedule our engagement session?
Its always nice to book your engagement session during a different season than your wedding. If you are getting married in the Fall, then schedule your shoot for the Spring or Summer. Try to do the shoot at least two months before you wedding date so we have time to prepare any artwork that you may want.
When can we expect to see our photos from our engagement session?
It typically takes a couple weeks for us to deliver engagement photos.
Can we schedule our engagement session on a weekend?
Typically we can't schedule engagement sessions on weekends because we're busy shooting weddings. However, if weekends are your only option, we will tentatively schedule a shoot. If we book a wedding for that weekend later on, we will have to reschedule.
How many images do you typically deliver from and engagement session?
We typically deliver anywhere from 30-50 images.
Are there travel fees associated with the engagement session?
See below for some common destinations and their associated fees:
– Toronto – $500.00
– Montreal – $250.00
– Tremblant – $250.00
– Any other destination that is 100 KM or greater from Ottawa will be custom quoted.
What size can we print our wedding photos?
Unless we made an extreme crop, you can easily print your photos 20 x 30 inches in size.
What rights do I have to the digital images?
You can print your photos all you want, post them online, make copies of the digital files and give them to family and friends. Basically the only thing you can't do is sell your images for profit without the consent of Union Eleven Inc.
What happens if I lose my images?
Once we deliver your photos, they're your responsibility to keep safe. That said, we will keep your online gallery up for a period of 6 months after your wedding. If you're not comfortable with the idea of safely archiving your own photos, we offer a lifetime archiving service for a fee of $3.99/month. To learn more about the image archiving plan, please get in touch.
How long do you keep our photos online?
Your online gallery will remain active for 6 months after we deliver your photos. After that we will remove it to clear space for other events.
Do you provide the RAW files from my engagement session and/or wedding day?
No, we never deliver unfinished work to our clients. RAW images are data read directly off the camera's imaging sensor and require special software to view and edit. Part of our service is to edit your photos so they look as amazing as possible.
How long does it take to get my wedding album?
We can start working on your album as soon as you've taken delivery of your photos. Once the design is finalized the album takes around 4 weeks to be printed and delivered to us.
How long does it take to get an engagement album / signing book?
Once the design is approved the sign-in book takes around 4 weeks to print and be shipped to our studio. If you need it sooner, our album company offers a rush service for an extra fee.
How many photographs do we get in our wedding album?
Our standard package includes a 10x10 album with approximately 30 photographs.
BOOKING AND PAYMENT QUESTIONS
How do I book and what's the payment schedule?
We ask for a $1500 retainer to secure the date. The remaining balance is due one month before your wedding day.
If we cancel our wedding will we receive our retainer back?
The retainer is non-refundable as we immediately begin turning away clients for your date once it's received. The is standard in the industry.
If we change our wedding to a different date will we be able to apply our retainer towards the new date?
If we have a photographer available for the new date, absolutely! This is one of the advantages of having a team of photographers!