Place setting detail at the Reception

At Chi Town Weddings we love our FAQ page. It gives us a chance to share the ins and outs of our wedding photography studio. We like to keep a running list of common questions, concerns, awards, promotions and so much more to allow access to leads and clients. Check out the entire FAQ page here.

The “Frequently Asked Questions” section is a great way for prospective clients to get a preview of our operations and mission, and a chance to get to know us a little before we meet. Hopefully this equates to a productive consultation by helping our clients create questions and concerns specific for their wedding vision.

The question clients ask most often is “how long have you been a Wedding Photographer?” Back in 2006, a friend asked me to photograph their wedding as a wedding gift to them…I thought, sure, why not? It was a small, personal wedding and I was happy to use my expertise of photography to help a friend. At that point in my career, I was focused on photographing Architecture and Landscapes. The chance to add couples to the mix was something new and exciting. Photographing that friend’s wedding turned out to be a successful and enjoyable experience. I learned that I liked photographing weddings and I was surprisingly good at it too. In 2007 a friend who attended the first wedding asked to actually hire me to photograph their wedding. I was flattered and grateful for another opportunity to hone my photography skills. This wedding was a much larger and more formal event, and it went really well. Afterwards I added wedding photography to my portfolio while continuing my Architectural and Landscape work. A few months later I was yet again requested by a personal connection to photograph their wedding, this was the turning point in my photography career. I shifted my focus to Wedding Photography and have since created a boutique client focused wedding photography studio. I never realized I would find such satisfaction photographing weddings.

Detail of the cake and cutting utensils

Like any business I needed more exposure to grow my portfolio. For the next 2 years I photographed most of my weddings as a contracted photographer for 2 big wedding photography agencies in the USA wedding market. These types of studios lack genuine client supports and personal touch within their wedding photography model. It was a real struggle for me personally and creatively. I could not thrive or excel in such a cookie cutter wedding photography “factory”. By the end of 2009 I was shooting nearly 30 weddings a year and quickly became the top photographer within these agencies, winning “photographer of the year” awards. By early, 2010 I was confident and ready to go out on my own and be the kind of wedding photographer who knows his clients and their vision in order to provide very personal and unique photographs. Of course, I could not start my dream wedding photography studio on my own, thankfully I had the help of my wife Rachel, and together we built Chi-Town-Weddings.

To this day nearly 9 years later, our family owned and operated photography studio is still run by my wife Rachel and I. As a team we work together, and have had so much success at our little “Mom and Pop” shop for which we are truly grateful. Please reach out if you are looking for an expert wedding photographer!

See below for few other popular Questions and Answers:

Table Flower centerpiece

Q: What is your photography style?
A: I would say my style is Creative, Spontaneous, Modern, Photo-journalistic/Candid and easily adaptable to personal style. I love to have input on photo ideas to make any photo shoot unique.

Q: Where can I read reviews, comments, or compliments about your photography services?
A: In a few places, my Wedding Facebook Page , Wedding wire and the Knot. Our studio has won “Best of the Knot” for 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and now 2019…making us part of the elite “Hall of Fame” boasting over 80 five-star reviews and we are still growing!

Q: What does it mean to win “Best of the knot”? 
A: In order to receive the “Best of the Knot” award a professional must have a minimum of 10 5-star reviews for the previous calendar year. Only 3% of venders featured on The Knot win the “Best of the Knot” award.  Venders receiving this award for at least 4 years are eligible for an even high honor, “The Knot Best of Weddings Hall of Fame” . We are proud to be part of “The Knot Best of Weddings Hall of Fame”. These hard earned awards provide Brides and Grooms with additional confidence in the services provided by these winning venders. We want to ensure our clients that we can and will provide the highest quality services for them as their wedding photographer. Knowing you will be in best of hands on your wedding day allows you to simply enjoy your special day and leave all the hard work to the experts.

Bread and butter art

Q: Why don’t you post wedding photography package prices online? 
A: As a wedding photography studio, we are not in the business of selling an off the shelf product that fits one size. Every package is customized and needs to be created with the attention of an expert who can utilize years of professional experience to create something that is unique to you, your family, friends, goals, and beyond. During the in person consultation we will share with you our complete “press kit” that includes reviews, a comprehensive price sheet, sample contract, album price sheet, mission statement and more. There are of course companies out there that have no local office or affiliation to the Chicago area where you can book a photographer on-line. At many of these photography studios you are not speaking directly to your photographer and we know from experience, communication is key to capture the perfect wedding shots! We offer more hands on client led services, we believe in building personal relationships prior to your wedding to ensure you are comfortable and to understand your vision for your wedding day. 

Table Details with small centerpiece

Q: Will I be able to contact you before the wedding? 
A: Yes, I’m always available for my clients. All of my clients have my cell number, my office number, and my email. You can call, text, or email, and I will respond as quickly as I can. We will have plenty of time together prior to your big day to talk and get to know one another as well. I typically meet with my clients to formalize and sign the contract, again we see each other at the engagement shoot, perhaps a walk thru at the venue and I am available to speak with you as needed prior to the wedding. As well, I like to go over your preferred timeline two to four weeks prior to the wedding. These personal interactions and accessibility  make me stand out among other wedding photographers, when you call or text, you will be speaking directly with me, not a sales agent or an assistant.

Feel free to check out the complete Frequently Asked questions on my website by clicking here.

All Details photos above from 12-05-2018 at the Blackstone Autograph Collection, Chicago, IL