Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. How do I make sure my date is available and I can reserve your services?
A. You can click the "Contact" button and simply tell us the date of your wedding or the date(s) you are considering. It is never too early to make an inquiry and usually we can hold a date for you even if you haven't booked your venue. We typically get booked over a year in advance on popular dates, so contact us soon.
Q. I am so excited about my wedding, but there seems like so many details to plan. I feel overwhelmed. Where do I start?
A. One good way to start is with the end result in mind. Twenty years from now all you will have are your photographs to take you back to those feelings you had on your special day. What type of photographs do you want to have? What are the most important things to be in those photographs; emotions, beautiful venue, friends and family celebrating your special day, beautiful flora, your dress and jewelry? You can get ideas for many different venues and backdrops by viewing our on-line galleries to get a feel for the most important elements that you would like in your photographs to cherish for a lifetime. Also, contact us for a consultation where we can provide planners that help guide you in your decision making process. With a little guidance, your planning should be an enjoyable part of the whole experience.
Q. I was thinking about having a friend (who has a new digital camera) photograph my wedding, isn't this almost as good as having a professional take the images?
A. Where do I begin to tell the large number of stories of how disappointed friends of our clients have been with their photographs? We have heard numerous stories about a friend of the family, Uncle Harry, or the college roommate who wants to get into wedding photography because they have captured some cool portraits with their new camera. Save yourself some heartache and please contact us for a short article on the 7 most common mistakes brides make with their wedding photography and how to avoid them.
Q. How do LightRain Images photographers dress on the wedding day?
A. We dress as a guest would to your wedding, generally in black slacks and a black or gray dress shirt/blouse. We have seen some very casual photographers at formal events and although we understand the need to be comfortable we feel it unprofessional and just a little tacky to be in t-shirts and jeans, we NEVER wear t-shirts and jeans.
Q. Do you provide backup camera equipment?
A. Yes, we treat your special day with the type of care and caution that we would our own and have a backup of every critical device to ensure that all images are captured without fail. You can’t go back and recreate the fleeting moments of your special day if something malfunctions or is lost, so we plan for any possibility.
Q. Is this your full-time job or do you have day jobs?
A. This is not only our full-time job this our passion; we depend on providing a valuable gorgeous product for our livelihood and are always working to improve our services because of this. Week days are used for post production (about 3-4 hours for every hour photographing) graphic design, retouching of images, archiving and uploading.
Q. Should I hire a wedding planner?
A. We would highly encourage you to consider a wedding planner. Many might think this is a luxury, but planners can pay for themselves in the discounts they received from vendors and in avoided costs and mistakes, not to mention the incredible amount of stress relief in knowing that your event is running smoothly. If you are stressed out on your wedding day, it will show through in your pictures. A planner will allow you and your mother to enjoy the wedding rather than working on your special day.
Q. I have gained a little weight and want to look my best in my wedding pictures, how can I ensure I look good?
A. We guide you in posing and have specific techniques to make you look your best. Certain poses are particularly intended to make you look slimmer. We will provide you a guide to posing during the planning process. It will show you a number of poses designed to flatter any figure. Additionally we will guide you in the process on your wedding day to make your poses look natural, sexy, romantic and fun.
Q. What types (religions) of wedding ceremonies has LightRain Images covered?
A. We have covered just about every major religion and ethnic tradition including: Jewish, Catholic, Hindu, Sikh, Cambodian, Muslim, Protestant, nondenominational, LDS and American Indian. Through experience, we are familiar with most customs, traditions and religions; however, part of our wedding planning process is to learn about your family and your religious traditions and to make sure the things dear to you are highlighted in what we call Photobiography. We capture all the joyful moments and feelings which are the essence of you celebrating what makes you and your families unique.
Q. Which wedding venues have you photographed?
A. Since most of our weddings are in Arizona we have worked at most wedding venues including, Sassi, Desert Ridge Marriot, Orange Tree Golf Resort, Ashley Castle, Bella Rose Estate Ocotillo Golf Resort, Wrigley Mansion, Villa Siena, Seville Golf and Country Club, Nielsen Art Galleries, Tapatio Cliffs, Brophy Chapel, Phoenix Art Museum, Marriot at McDowell Mountain, Royal Palms Resort and Spa, Foothills Golf Resort, Phoenix Zoo, Enchantment Resort, Club West Golf Club and many more. If we haven’t photographed a wedding at your chosen venue yet, we visit the location for an ocular inspection several days before the event. We visit at the same time of day to meet with the banquet manager and to review the lighting angles, flora and dramatic backgrounds. We can make any venue look great with the right angles, our lighting gear and our techniques honed over the years.
Q. Can I get my digital images?
A. Yes, most our packages include your favorite images, including unlimited copyright. In addition, we provide you an image catalog of all your images (1,500-4,000 images) for future viewing and reference. Also, we archive everything on DVD and hard drives so that just in case your album is lost or destroyed in a fire, for example, we can republish it.
Q. How much does LightRain Images charge for products and services?
A. We have several packages that range from $2495 to over $4998. However, we can customize a package to create the perfect fit for your dream day.
Q. What vendors do you recommend?
A. During every wedding, we work with many vendors of all types of services. We recommend wonderful vendors who are reliable, provide the best value and are a joy to work with. During our consultations we can provide a customized list of vendors to make your wedding dreams come true. Here are few from our Tips and Information section.
Q. Can I make my own album?
A. Absolutely. The album can be deducted from the packages or you can purchase the services you would like a la carte. However, our graphic design team is outstanding and very skilled at telling the story of your wedding day in beautiful images – so make sure that you really want to do it yourself, because to make it look stunning takes lots of work even for our talented designers.
Q. How important is the Engagement Portrait Session?
A. We highly recommend the engagement session for several reasons. First, it captures a special time in your relationship where you are unmarried, yet very deeply in love and this chemistry shows through in the images. Second, because creating great imagery is a collaborative process, it allows us to get to know you as a couple. In a very relaxed setting, our couples become so comfortable that even the posed portraiture looks candid and natural. We show you numerous tips and techniques for posing and making the most, fresh and fun imagery as well as sharing tips and insight into what we have seen work well at weddings and what doesn’t work (not just photography, but everything about the event). Also, it provides stunning imagery for invitations, table cards, signature book, the HD Dream show or any other purpose before the wedding. Last, but not least, it is just a whole lot of fun and a great way to spend an hour or two with someone you love in beautiful settings.
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