FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
GENERAL BOOKING QUESTIONS
How far in advance should I book?
There are no minimum requirements but to avoid disappointment you may need to book as early as 12-18 months before your wedding date – sometimes longer for peak periods. If your wedding is on a Saturday, these days fill up very quickly so you should definitely book early. Also, as we now restrict the amount of work we accept each year, once we reach our quota bookings will be closed for that particular year.
However, don’t let that put you off. The latest we have managed to do a wedding was booked only the day before so if you are really, really lucky we may still be able to help!
Which member of the team will shoot my wedding?
For all photography packages, it is myself Tony Hailstone that will be with you. Where both video & photography have been booked, an experienced member of a team will be with me to assist (with the exception for Mini Films which will just be me). Where a video-only package is booked, typically it will be myself in attendance but in some circumstances it may be an experienced member of my team.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept bank transfer (preferred) or credit/debit cards via on online payment provider (Stripe)
How much is the deposit and when is rest due?
The deposit is £150 for all single-day packages within England & Wales. The remaining balance is due 28-days before your wedding, although can be paid off any time prior to that. For destination or multi-day weddings (or where we have advised at time of booking) additional upfront costs such as flights & accommodation may be required at time of booking with the final balance due 28-days before the wedding.
Are you insured?
Of course! We have Public Liability cover for £5m and Professional Indemnity insurance. You can view our current insurance certificates HERE.
What happens if I need to cancel?
Something may occur meaning you need to cancel your wedding booking with us. To cancel, you should put this in writing (via email or post) AND follow it up with a phone call. We will send you written confirmation once your booking is cancelled. Depending on how much notice you give us, you may still be required to pay for the entire balance, pay for out of pocket expenses or simply lose your deposit. As a rule, if you give us less than 60-days notice, the entire balance is due. More than 60-days, you lose your deposit only. For all bookings, any out-of-pocket expenses will need to be reimbursed regardless of notice period (e.g. flight tickets for international weddings)
What happens if I need to postpone or change the date of my wedding?
Give us a call and if we are free on the new date, we’ll simply switch over your booking. If we are not free on your new date, then this will be treated as a cancellation and normal rules apply. Please note, if we accept a change of date, you will not be allowed to switch dates again and the full balance will be due regardless of the notice period you give the second time around.
What happens if the weather is bad?
Welcome to the UK – home of the unpredictable weather. Bad weather can affect coverage but only so far as an outdoor shoot may need to move indoors. Come rain or shine, we’re there to cover the day – long as our equipment isn’t put at risk, there are very few conditions we cannot shoot in.
For EXTREME weather such as heavy snow, we may need to cancel your booking with very little notice if we cannot safely get to you. We’ll keep an eye on weather patterns leading up to your wedding and make appropriate travel arrangements to avoid missing the big day. Should we be unable to get to you, you will be entitled to a refund of any monies you have paid to us.
Should the weather turn bad during your wedding – putting us at risk of being stranded – we may need to leave earlier than scheduled. We do not offer any compensation for this and you should also consider your own guests safety as they will be in the same situation
PHOTOGRAPHY QUESTIONS
What time do you start shooting?
We offer three types of coverage: Micro Wedding, Standard & Full Day. Micro typically starts 30-45 minutes before the ceremony starts and ends 1-hour after the ceremony finishes (max 3 hours). Standard Coverage starts with one hour before the ceremony for your guest arrivals and ends shortly after the first dance (max 8 hours). Full Day Coverage offers a flexible start and finish, with 11 hours to use as you like. We can also offer Bespoke coverage for weddings that don’t quite fit into any of our main packages.
What is your photographic style?
Photo-journalistic with an artistic flair is probably a good description. We like to be natural, candid and spontaneous but also love to take some amazing portraits. We’re not big fans of posey pictures so no matter what, it will feel fun & relaxed.
How many group photos can we have?
We don’t have specific rules but we highly recommend keeping group photos (the formal ones after the ceremony) to ten or less. The reason being each photo will take a few minutes to get everyone together – once you start adding them all up, your time gets eaten away very, very quickly and you’ll be stood there thinking you’d much rather be at the bar.
I hate posing for photos – can I have all the photos taken naturally?
Of course! In fact the majority of what we shoot is all natural. If you would prefer to skip the formal group and couple photo session, just let me know
Is a photo album included?
Afraid not unless it is specifically mentioned in your packages description. You are given free copyright clearance to arrange your own printing or can contact for pricing for us to produce an album for you.
How are the photos delivered?
Photos & video are delivered via USB stick and digital download for 12 months. Occasionally packages may specify differently so please check when booking what is/is not included.
Can I share my photos on Facebook?
Of course! We just ask you give us a small credit
How long does it take before I receive the photos?
We aim to have the photos with you in around 6-8 weeks – this is just an estimate though and can be shorter or longer. Peak time is April-October so wait times can be longer then but we do aim to have a photo preview with you within 48-hours of your wedding.
Do you touch up the photos? Will I look like a magazine model?
You may have heard of the terms “Airbrushing” and “Photoshop” before. They are overused words that normally refer to making someone look like a catalogue model. In short, no that’s not what we do. We want to bring out your natural beauty, not some magazine fakery. However, we do touch up a small selection of photos (the big shots) to remove temporary marks such as spots, cuts, bruises and other blemishes but we will not change your overall appearance. We do not remove permanent features such as tattoos, scars, birthmarks & moles unless you specifically request (and we agree) to it. We edit every single photo but this is more about colour, contrast, tone, composition and other techie-photo stuff
VIDEO QUESTIONS
What type of cameras do you use?
We use cameras very similar to the photography as they are small, discreet and most importantly offer excellent quality – even better than some of the giant cameras other companies may use
Will I need to speak to the camera or do any acting?
No. Just go about and enjoy your day.
Do you supply DVDs or Blurays?
Due to a lack of support from software and hardware companies, we no longer supply DVD or Bluray discs. However, we do provide a USB stick with most of our packages that offer better quality than DVD and equal (if not better) than Bluray.