The earlier the better. Most couples book me 9 to 18 months out, and peak season dates (October and November especially in Texas) get booked up fast.

If your date is within the next 6 months, reach out anyway. If I'm not personally available, I have associate photographers who shoot in my style at my quality level. The editing and all communication still goes through me. So if you want my quality of work, you can still get it. It just may not be me personally on short notice.

A signed contract and a $1,000 non-refundable booking fee. To be clear, this isn't a deposit. It's a booking fee that reserves your date and means I turn down every other inquiry for it. Your date isn't held until both the contract and the booking fee are in.

Yes. My standard structure is the $1,000 booking fee up front, then the remaining balance split into two: a midway payment, and a final payment due no later than 30 days before your wedding. If you need a different breakdown, just ask. I'm happy to build a plan that fits your needs.

Absolutely. I'm Dallas-based but I travel for weddings all the time, both within Texas and across the country. Travel fees are based on distance, lodging, and flight costs, and I'll always give you a transparent breakdown before you commit. There are no hidden travel charges that show up later.

International weddings are also on the table, but they come with one extra layer: local laws. Some countries require a work permit or visa for foreign photographers to shoot a paid wedding, others don't. Every country is different. We'll talk all of that through before you finalize your booking so there are no surprises later.

My wedding minimum is 6 hours, and most full weddings land between 8 and 10 hours to capture everything from getting ready through the reception. The right number depends on your timeline, your venue, and how much of the day you actually want documented.

We'll map it out together during our discovery call so I can guide you and set the right expectations. I don't do the "upsell as much as you can" thing. If I think you don't need that many hours, I'll tell you. If I think you need more, I'll tell you that too.

My 8 hour and extended hour collections include a second photographer. For larger weddings (200+ guests, multiple locations, or a first look happening at the same time as bridal party photos somewhere else), a second shooter is mandatory. For smaller, more intimate weddings on shorter coverage, I can absolutely cover the day solo. We'll talk through what your wedding actually needs during our consultation.

Yes, and a complimentary engagement session is included with every one of my wedding collections. It's how I break the ice between you and my camera. You'll get comfortable in front of the lens, I'll learn how you two interact, and by the time the wedding rolls around, working together feels familiar instead of brand new.

Sometimes. It depends on the wedding scope, the timing, and what kind of coverage you want for it. Some couples want full rehearsal dinner coverage, others want just an hour or two of casual documentary-style shots. Ask me about your specific plans and we'll figure out what makes sense.

Editorial meets documentary, with a soft, intimate feel. I want your wedding photos to look like a story, not a posed catalog. The best images come from real moments: the look you give each other during your vows, your mom losing it during her toast, your nephew sprinting across the dance floor at 11pm. I'll guide you when it helps, but I'm not going to spend your wedding day micromanaging every smile.

I give a damn. That sounds cheesy but it's the truest answer I can give. After almost 20 years and 500+ weddings, the thing that still gets me is the people. I treat every couple like the only couple I'm working with that season, because in your head, you are. I respond to your emails like a human, I show up early, I notice the small stuff, and I'd rather underpromise and overdeliver than the other way around.

The other practical thing: I'm self-taught and have been shooting professionally for almost two decades. I know how to handle weird lighting, chaotic timelines, rain plans, drunk uncles, missing rings, and the million other things that can go sideways. Nothing about your wedding day will fluster me.

Yes, gently. I'll give you prompts and direction so you're never standing there wondering what to do with your hands. But I'm not going to wrench you into stiff Pinterest poses. The goal is to get you both moving, laughing, interacting, and let the camera catch the in-between moments. Most "awkward" couples tell me afterward that they actually had fun.

Nope. Some of my couples are traditional and want the first time they see each other to be at the ceremony. Others aren't traditional at all and love getting that quiet first look moment before the day really takes off. Both are great. I'll build the timeline around what you want, not what anyone else thinks you should do. Whatever you choose, I'll find a way to make it happen and make it happen efficiently.

Yes, and you actually want me to. After 500+ weddings I have a sixth sense for how much time photo blocks really need, where the light will be best at your venue, and how to build a timeline that doesn't have you sprinting between locations. I'll work with you and your planner (if you have one) to build a photo timeline that fits the day you want.

A limited one, yes. Key family combinations (we'll build that list together), specific cultural moments that matter to your family, and any must-have shots you'd be devastated to miss. What I don't do is a minute-by-minute, every-detail shot list. Those kill the actual day. They turn me into a checklist robot instead of a photographer, and the magic moments happen in the gaps between scheduled shots, not during them.

Generally no, and there's a reason. Wedding venues photograph completely differently with 150 guests in them vs. an empty room at 2pm on a Tuesday. Light shifts, decor goes up, the energy is different. I'd rather show up on your wedding day, walk the space with fresh eyes, and find the best moments in real time. That said, if your venue is unusual or there's something specific you want to discuss, I'm flexible.

Yes, always. I bring backup cameras, backup lenses, extra batteries, and extra memory cards to every wedding. On top of that, I shoot to dual memory cards in-camera, which means every photo is being written to two cards at once. If one card fails, the other has everything. I do absolutely everything in my power to make sure your photos are safe, but I can't legally guarantee against every possible technology failure. What I can promise is that I'll have prepared for every scenario I can prepare for.

The wedding goes on as planned. I have a network of trusted backup photographers I work with, and in the very rare event I can't shoot personally, one of them steps in. They know my style, my approach, and how I deliver. You'd still be in great hands, the day still gets covered, and the gallery still feels like mine on the back end (because I do all the editing personally regardless of who shot).

It depends on the wedding, but I keep every moment that matters. If an image makes me feel something (a smile, a laugh, a quiet ache), it'll do the same for you, so it goes in the gallery. For a typical 8 to 10 hour wedding, you can expect somewhere between 600 and 1,000 fully edited images. I'd rather give you a curated gallery of beautiful, well-edited photos than dump thousands of mediocre ones on you.

Yes. I always try to send a small batch of sneak peeks within a few days of your wedding so you have something to share before the full gallery is ready. Just enough to satisfy the "I need to post something" urge without rushing the actual edit.

No, and here's why. RAW files are like recipe ingredients without the actual meal. They're not finished images, they're not color-corrected, and they don't represent my work as a photographer. The editing is half of what you're paying for. What you'll get is a gallery of fully edited, high-resolution JPEGs that look exactly the way I want them to look.

For a standard wedding (up to 8 hours), full galleries take 6 to 8 weeks. Longer weddings or full wedding weekends will take more time, and I'll always communicate that with you up front. My contract states up to 90 days as a safety net, but that's the absolute outside edge. I'd much rather surprise you with "your photos are done early" than ever have to say "I need more time."