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Raleigh Wedding Photographers

Kivus & Camera

Kivus & Camera

Love is fun & colorful.
Your wedding photos should be too.

The umbrella question is ‘how does this whole wedding photography thing work?’

So let’s start there. 

Basically, there are four main stages of working with your wedding photographer:

Frequently Asked Questions

let's Answer Some

And then, you get the photographs from said wedding! YAY!

After the Wedding Day

04.

Then, you have a freaking awesome wedding day...

The Wedding Day

03.

Then, you work with us and your other vendors to plan your wedding...

Planning Stage

02.

First, you pick the right wedding photographer and book us...

Inquiring & Booking

01.

CAN WE SEE A FULL WEDDING GALLERY?

Yes, for sure! Once we know a little about your wedding (the venue style, guest count, overall vibe, etc.) we’d be happy to share a similar real wedding gallery with you. Or at least as similar as we can get - we tend to attract couples who include awesomely distinctive, and often unrepeatable, things at their wedding so no two weddings are ever the same.

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WHAT'S YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY PRICING?

This is of course the MOST frequently asked question. Our base collection with two photographers for 8 hours of coverage starts at $3600. On average, our couples spend about $4500 on wedding day coverage, other portrait sessions, and products. We also offer some smaller, lower-priced collections specific to micro-weddings. Send us a note so we can chat and figure out what fits your needs!

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DO YOU CHARGE TRAVEL FEES?

That depends on where we’re going! We’re based in Raleigh, NC, so anything within a 100 mile radius of Raleigh would not have a travel fee. Beyond that, we do charge a travel fee, starting at $300.

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CAN WE MEET YOU BEFORE WE BOOK?

This is a definite yes. In fact, we almost never book a wedding without meeting the couple beforehand. In many cases we meet via a video chat, but we like to get together over a beer/wine/coffee/beverage of choice in person whenever possible. It’s important that we get along and we want to meet you just as much as you want to meet us!

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DO YOU DO ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS? BRIDAL PORTRAITS?

Yep and yep! We can also do bridal boudoir through Triangle Boudoir and anniversary sessions. However you want to commemorate the time around your wedding! Check out this page for more about engagement photos in particular. 

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WHAT KIND OF PAYMENT DO YOU ACCEPT?

Credit card, check, cash.

John says I shouldn't accept payment in puppies. 

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WHAT ELSE SHOULD WE BE ASKING?

Well, you should go on and check out these two question lists:

Questions to ask your Raleigh Wedding Photographer

How to Choose a Wedding Photographer

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Do you have a recommendation for a 
<<insert vendor type here>>?

Yes! So glad you asked. We love getting the chance to work with our friendors and we will happily refer you to other amazing vendors you’re still needing to book. Check out some of our favorites here. 

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WHEN SHOULD WE DO OUR ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS?

For scheduling these, you'll want to consider if you plan to use the engagement photos for your save the dates or wedding invitations or the like. If you do, factor in how long those take to design and order, and plan to have your engagement photo session at least a month before that order deadline.

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DO YOU HAVE ANY GOOD WEDDING PLANNING TIPS?

So many!! My first one is always to listen to the Bridechilla podcast and to get Aleisha's books. Aside from that, just tell us what's stumping you. We’ve been to A LOT of weddings and we love sharing our knowledge with you! Making your life easier is an important part of our job.

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Planning a wedding is a lot of work and we just have a lot of questions, can we ask you them? 

Of course!! We’ll be there with answers to whatever questions you have during that time, whether they’re related to photography, wedding planning in general, or even deep philosophical questions about the nature of human existence. 

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WHAT SHOULD OUR TIMELINE LOOK LIKE?

Remember how I said we share helpful planning tips? Well a lot of those have to do with developing your timeline. Every wedding truly is different, so no two weddings should have the exact same timeline, but we’re happy to help you figure out what works best for you. We’ll talk through things like the sunset time on the day of your wedding, how many group photos you want to do, how you want to prioritize certain events/moments, etc.

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SHOULD WE HAVE TWO PHOTOGRAPHERS FOR OUR WEDDING?

We think it makes a pretty big difference. Yes, there are definitely a good number of solo photographers out there, and on occasion for small weddings, Elyssa will be the only shooter for Kivus & Camera, so having just one wedding photographer is certainly doable. BUT, having two opens up many more possibilities. We can divide and conquer during the getting ready section of the day, so you don’t have to add extra time or worry about the photographer missing important getting ready moments. We can cover multiple angles of the first look and the wedding ceremony; think about that walking down the aisle moment: when we’ve got two photographers, we don’t have to worry about which face to focus on. The same thing goes for the reception: more unique angles of those important moments. Finally, different photographers see things a little differently, so with two photographers, you’re getting extra creativity!

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We're awkward in front of the camera, how will we do portraits?

We got you!!! Our superpower is creating incredible portraits of portraits of people regardless of how “photogenic” they think they are. Easily 90% of the people you see on this website and our social media have said something along the lines of “I’m not good at having my photo taken,” but look at them! They’re all basically models now. Because our job is to help you feel comfortable in front of the camera and then we can bring out your best! And honestly, on the wedding day, you’ll be floating a little so you won’t even be 100% in the moment for portraits, which often means you won’t be worried about feeling awkward. It will be great!

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DO YOU DO GROUP PHOTOS?

Yep! This is what we call “formals.” Now, formal doesn’t mean everyone has to be stiff and serious in those group photos. It just means those are the group photos we’ve specifically set aside time for and they’re formal (posed, everyone aware and looking at the camera) as opposed to candid (documentary shots that aren’t posed). We’ll show you some example formals lists and walk through yours with you before the wedding day to make sure we’ve set aside the right amount of time (either before the ceremony right after the first look, or after the ceremony during cocktail hour).

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What about photos of our rings and invitations and stuff like that?

Sure! We want to document as many details of your wedding day as we can, and those little pieces are part of what makes your wedding awesome. We’ll talk in advance of the wedding about special details and how you want to prioritize those shots.

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What if <<insert worst-case scenario situation here>> happens?

Bad weather, we’re sick, something breaks, there’s a global pandemic that puts life on hold for nearly a year, etc… Those are all reasons to hire true professionals for your wedding day. We have systems in place to deal with whatever comes up. And backup systems in place. And backups for those backups. And yes, we’re definitely licensed and insured. But if there’s a particular worst-case scenario you’re worried about, let us know and we’ll walk through it!

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When do we get our wedding photos?

We put together a blog post of highlights (and send you the link to the start of your gallery) that very same week. You can check out our blog to see what those previews looked like for other couples. The rest of your gallery will be finished 6 to 8 weeks after the wedding.

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HOW DO WE GET OUR WEDDING PHOTOS?

We deliver all of our photography via an easy-to-use online gallery that (1) allows you to download your images and (2) includes a spectacular print shop linked to our trusted professional labs. (Note that there's no obligation to buy anything from the print shop though - see the FAQ about printing your photos)

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Why do you use an online gallery instead of a flashdrive?

It’s more sustainable, both from a tech cost perspective and from an environmental perspective. And honestly, we find online storage of images easier and more reliable than hardware that tends to go obsolete quickly. Have no fear, we're utilizing both hardware and cloud storage solutions on our end. We just find that cloud storage is the easiest for transfer. That said, we definitely recommend you read this post all about backing up your wedding photographs yourself!

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Can we share and/or print our wedding photos? 

Yes!!!! By all means, please share and print your photos. We want your friends and family to share in the memories with you, and we want you to have tangible representations of your wedding day in the form of albums on your coffee table, prints on your walls, your faces on a coffee mug, etc., etc., etc. We offer custom designed albums and then wall art and prints through the gallery shop, but you'll also get a release that allows you to print the photos yourself, so there's no obligation to go through us if you'd rather order elsewhere. 

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DO YOU OFFER ALBUMS?

Definitely!!! We want you to print your photos. Holding them in your hands is an entirely different feeling than flipping through an online gallery. Shoot us a note for information about the albums we currently offer.

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WHAT ABOUT OTHER PRODUCTS?

Your online gallery shop has prints, ready-to-hang wall art (canvasses, matted framed photographs, metal prints, etc.), and more available. Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions about that!

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Can we have more photo sessions after the wedding?

Um, yes!!! Some of our couples elect to do “day after sessions” and/or anniversary portraits. Day after sessions are when y’all put your finery back on the day after the wedding and we go out adventuring to make more incredible portraits. This is an awesome option if you don’t have a lot of time built into the wedding day for portraits or if you’re just getting married in an incredible place and want more time getting photographs made there. Anniversary portraits are just what they sound like. I like to say they’re like engagement photos but after the wedding. And then we can work together as often as you want after that. We still do holiday card photos every year for some of our couples from 4 or 5 years ago.

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