Photography | Videography

Hiring the RIGHT Wedding Media Team with Kyrsten Ashlay Photography

November 14

Your wedding is one of the most important events of your life. When the big day rolls around, you want to make sure it is captured with expertise, finesse and intention. This is where your wedding media team comes in.

With countless photographers to choose from, how does one go about the selection process? While price tag and skill are important considerations, so is your connection with the photographer.

Below, experienced wedding photographer Kyrsten Ashlay dives deep into what you should look for when it comes to choosing your media team. Along with sharing valuable advice, she also provides you with six questions to ask photographers that go beyond what they charge. Read on!

Photos: Kyrsten Ashlay Photography

Q&A with Kyrsten

What factors should a couple consider when booking a wedding media team?

Couples are going to spend a lot of time with their wedding media team leading up to the wedding, the day of and even afterwards. This is one vendor with whom I believe personality is imperative to consider. You want to feel at ease with them, to truly express your wants and desires when it comes to your wedding day and the art they produce.

Another thing I would strongly suggest couples consider is choosing someone who truly understands what they desire when it comes to their wedding day. This is important for when timelines get delayed or something happens (hair and makeup gets delayed, someone is running late, unforeseen weather) and the media team has to make a quick decision. You want to be able to trust them in that moment, that they’re making the best decision for YOUR wedding. Personality, how they make you feel and whether you feel seen, heard and respected by them is key.

Ultimately, if you have a subpar experience with your media team, every time you look at your photos/video you are going to be reminded of that experience and how your media team made you feel rather than appreciating the imagery they created for you.

What are a few good questions to ask photographers besides what they charge?

How do you manage a wedding day? Do you guide the day or hands off and let the day flow naturally?
What would be your response if something happened that derailed the timeline? How active are you in planning the timeline?
What’s your favorite part of wedding days?
How do you ensure my photos/videos are safe between wedding day and delivery?
How do you interact with our guests/other vendors?
How do you describe your style (editing + shooting)?

What surprises couples the most about hiring a wedding media team?

Oftentimes, couples are surprised by the cost of hiring a wedding media team. Other than cost, I feel couples are surprised about the amount of time needed for their media team. In my experience, they often underestimate the time they need.

Why should I choose Kyrsten Ashlay Photography?

I truly care about my couples, their wedding days and their guests. My couples to me are not just another client or a date on the calendar, which is why I only take on a limited number of weddings per year. I want to ensure they’re getting the experience they deserve.

My ultimate goal when it comes to our couples’ wedding photos and video is to represent them, tell their story and protect their legacy. We believe in treating their guests like our family, with love and respect. Our team also understands that wedding days are an event where our couple is the guest of honor. We take a role in creating their photographic timeline to ensure we have enough space to capture what is ultimately important to our couples without turning their day into a production. This way, they can enjoy each other, their wedding day and their loved ones.

Bottom line: we want to capture our couples’ wedding days in the most authentic way possible, knowing when we need to guide them and when we need to take a step back and just observe to create the imagery our couples are dreaming of, imagery that they’ll be proud to show their future kids and grandkids.

Your wedding day is important, and Kyrsten Ashlay Photography wants you to make the right choice when it comes to your media team. While considering your budget, be sure to prioritize more than a photographer’s skill or photo gallery when making your selection. Their process, planning and connection with you matter just as much.