Planning Your Day: Frequently Asked Questions

 
 
 

Everything you need to know about our process, from booking to your gallery delivery.

 
 
 
 

The Experience

 
 
  • When you book with us, you get us. We believe that the connection we build with you is what allows for truly natural photos and film, so we never "outsource" our weddings to outside contractors. Patrick and Stephanie will be your lead storytellers from the first email to the final gallery delivery, ensuring a consistent style and a personal experience.

  • We have had the honor of documenting over 1,000 weddings throughout our career. This experience is your "insurance policy" for the wedding day. We have navigated every lighting challenge, survived every type of weather, and managed every timeline shift imaginable. Our goal is to be a calm, steady presence that allows you to simply enjoy your day while we handle the rest.

  • To ensure we can give every couple our full creative energy and a fast turnaround, we strictly limit the number of weddings we take per weekend and per year. You aren't just a number on a calendar to us; you are our priority, and we want to be as fresh and excited for your celebration as you are.

  • Our standalone collections for either photography or cinematography begin at $2,500, with our most popular 8-hour, two-artist packages beginning at $3,600.

    We love the seamless storytelling that happens when we handle both your photos and film together. To encourage this cohesive experience, we offer a 10% 'Collection Credit' when you book both services as a bundle. Most of our couples find this the best way to ensure a consistent style across their entire wedding gallery and film.

  • Yes, absolutely. We carry full professional liability insurance. We are happy to provide a Certificate of Insurance (COI) to your venue if they require one for us to work on-site. Just let us know, and we’ll take care of the paperwork.

Planning & Process

  • While every package is tailored to your needs, all of our standard collections include high-resolution digital files, an online gallery for easy sharing, and a personal use license. Most importantly, you get our 'Guided Candid' approach and our full dedication to your timeline. We’d love to send you our full Guide for a detailed breakdown of our hours and all collection details.

  • We include an engagement session in many of our most popular photography collections. We highly recommend them! It’s the perfect 'warm-up' for your wedding day, allowing us to get comfortable with each other so that when the big day arrives, you’re already pros in front of our lenses.

  • Depending on the collection you choose, we offer both lead-only and multi-artist coverage. For most weddings, we recommend a two-person team. This allows one of us to focus on the 'must-have' moments while the other captures the candid reactions and details that often go unnoticed.

  • We include travel within 80 miles of Shamong, NJ. For weddings outside of that radius, we have a very simple, transparent travel fee to cover our time and mileage. We’ll provide a clear quote for this upfront so there are never any surprises later.

  • We’ll help you determine the perfect amount of coverage before you even sign a contract. By looking at your ceremony time and locations, we can recommend a collection that ensures you aren't paying for more than you need. Plus, if your plans change closer to the day, you can always add additional hours later—or even on the wedding day itself—to make sure we don't miss a single moment of the party.

  • To keep things fair for everyone, we cannot hold dates without a signed contract and a 30% non-refundable retainer. Our remaining balance is typically due 21 days before the wedding. Everything is handled through a secure, easy-to-use online portal where you can manage your payments and contract in one place.

  • While we have never missed a wedding, we take your day seriously. We are part of a trusted network of high-end professional photographers and cinematographers. In the unlikely event of a true emergency, we would secure a lead artist with a similar style and skill level to step in, ensuring your day is still documented beautifully while we handle all the post-production and editing ourselves.

The Gallery & Films

  • We know the anticipation is real! You will receive a 'Sneak Peek' of your photos and highlight video within 48 hours so you have something to share right away. Your full, hand-edited photo gallery and cinematic films are typically delivered within 8-12 weeks.

  • We do! One of the biggest benefits of hiring us is that we handle the entire process from start to finish. Patrick and Stephanie personally edit your photos and films to ensure the colors, tone, and storytelling match the high standard of work you see on our website.

  • On average, you can expect about 80 hand-edited images per hour of coverage. We don't believe in 'capping' your gallery or holding back great shots—if a moment is beautiful and meaningful, it will be in your final collection. The final count simply depends on the unique events and details of your specific day. Our cinematic Short Films are designed to be high-impact, typically ranging from 1–2 minutes (with options to extend for more story). For those who want to relive every word, our Documentary Feature Film generally runs between 60–90 minutes, capturing your full ceremony, toasts, formal dances, etc. Just like our photography, we prioritize quality and storytelling, ensuring the final length perfectly reflects the energy of your celebration.

  • While your Short Film is a cinematic 'best of' the day, the Documentary Feature is a full-length, chronological edit of your most important milestones. We take the raw footage from your ceremony, toasts, formal dances, etc. and apply professional color grading and sound design. It’s a 60–90 minute viewing experience that allows you to relive every word and every moment exactly as they happened.

  • To maintain the quality and brand standard of our work, we do not release RAW or unedited files. Think of it like a chef—we wouldn't want to serve you the ingredients when you’ve hired us to prepare the full meal! We take great care in the editing process to ensure your final gallery and films are polished, professional, and beautiful.

  • While PSH Photography & Film retains the copyright, your online gallery includes a personal use license. This means you are free to download, share, and print your images wherever you like! Your private gallery also includes an integrated professional print shop, making it easy to order heirloom-quality prints and albums that are guaranteed to look exactly as we intended.

The Technical Side

  • We use professional-grade Sony mirrorless cameras and a curated collection of high-end lenses. We choose our gear specifically for its ability to perform in low-light environments (like candlelit receptions) and its silent operation, allowing us to remain as discreet as possible during your ceremony and quiet moments.

  • This is exactly why we invest in professional-grade equipment. Our cameras feature 'Dual Card Slots,' meaning every photo and video is recorded to two separate memory cards simultaneously as we shoot. If one card were to fail, the other has the backup. We also arrive at every wedding with multiple camera bodies and backup lenses—we are prepared for any technical hurdle so your day never misses a beat.

  • We love the mood of natural light, but we are also experts in professional lighting. When the sun goes down or the party moves to a dark reception space, we utilize off-camera flash and specialized video lighting when needed to ensure your photos and films are crisp, clear, and full of energy without ruining the 'vibe' of your room.

  • Data safety is our top priority. The moment we return from your wedding, your files are backed up to multiple physical drives as well as a secure cloud-based server. We maintain these backups until your final gallery and films are safely delivered to you.

 

Still have a question?

We’re an open book. Reach out at patrick@pshphotography.com or call 856-264-4391.