J: There is a $975 non-refundable deposit to secure your wedding date. The remainder is split into 2 payments (and can be more at your request). The first is due 6 months before your wedding date, and the last is due 30 days before your wedding date. Payments are ideally made by check but I can take credit cards as well. We can discuss timing for payments if needed, or split the remainder into more payments-- just reach out to me!

Q: WHAT IS THE DEPOSIT, AND HOW DO I MAKE THAT PAYMENT?

J: Yes, please! In order to not risk missing even a moment of your day, it is written in my contract that a meal at the reception will be provided for me and up to 2 assistants. There is no need to give us seats at a table, however. We are more than happy to find another spot to eat! 

Q: DO YOU REQUIRE A MEAL DURING MY WEDDING?

J: We LOVE traveling! Please contact me to talk further about my travel package, and let me know where your wedding is and we can talk details! For car trips over 60 miles, I charge mileage at a rate of $.57/mile (for wedding day and engagement session).
If you are planning a wedding more than 2.5 hours away from Springfield, we can talk about the travel package! Please ask for more details-- we work hard to make destination weddings work! Chicago weddings are only subject to mileage! 

Q: WILL YOU TRAVEL FOR MY WEDDING?

J: Yes! I take an approach to editing that corrects for perfect color and light that makes your images look like real life.  My editing style is classic and timeless so that your photos will be considered as beautiful 20 years from now as they are today! However, I am not a photographer that believes in editing out every blemish, wrinkle, and line (or changing shape/etc)-- I believe in capturing you and your loved ones as you are, not as photo-shop can pretend you are! Feel free to ask me for more details or examples of this.

Q: WILL OUR FINAL IMAGES BE EDITED?

J: I use a beautiful program called Pixieset for my online galleries- it puts all of your photos, beautifully laid out, at your finger tips on any computer, phone, or tablet device and makes your images super easy to share with your loved ones. You will also download your images through Pixieset, making it a perfect one-stop shop!

Q: WHAT DOES MY ONLINE GALLERY ENTAIL?

J: Nope! I do offer a selection of high quality canvas and print options to keep it simple, but you are more than welcome to order prints wherever you’d like. I try to make things as easy and as convenient as possible for my clients, so the print order system built directly into the online gallery you’ll receive is just that! Prices are very affordable and the prints are printed at an amazing production facility that works solely with professional photographers and delivers directly to your home in just a few days!

Q: DO I HAVE TO ORDER PRINTS THROUGH YOU?

J: Email me! Once you let me know that you are ready to move forward, I will get the ball rolling through my booking system, and 2 things secure your date: 1). The online contract we will set up for you there, and 2). Your deposit. I prefer a check if possible, but can also send a paypal invoice for a credit card charge. After those 2 tasks are takeen care of, your date is reserved, and the fun begins!

Q: I'M IN! WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP TO RESERVE YOU FOR OUR WEDDING DATE?

J: YES! I believe that engagements sessions are one of the most important parts of the process, so they are gifted to my couples as complimentary with the Wedding Experience. It allows us to get to know each other much better, and also gives you a chance to get comfortable in front of the camera and interacting with each other-- it makes the wedding day so much easier! I would love to share more reasons that it is important if you need. These are shot at sunrise or sunset on Mondays-Thursdays.

Q: IS AN ENGAGEMENT SESSION INCLUDED? 

J:I believe that having a second shooter is one of the most essential parts to your wedding day coverage so that my focus can be solely on the couple. My husband Michael is my main second shooter (he is an amazing photographer!) and it is so much fun to capture your wedding with my best friend and husband by my side!
When he stays home with our kids, I bring other experienced photographers who have been trained by me to be the perfect addition to your day!

Q: WHO IS YOUR SECOND SHOOTER?

J:As a business owner with a business license, I have to follow local regulations to avoid risking my license.  As someone who cares about your safety, I will wear a mask in any situation you would like or I see needed for safety.
In terms of reschedules required by local regulations, I will eagerly work with all of my couples to find a new date within 16 months of the cancelled date (or longer if needed due to regulations) that I am available to transfer your contract to (or split your contract between a smaller ceremony and larger celebration later) that I am not currently booked on with no extra fee. Changes can be made within 2 months of initial wedding date (the info is moving and changing too fast to make decisions much before that).
I will help you in any way I can! Please reach out if you have further questions about this policy.

Q: WHAT IS YOUR COVID-19 POLICY?

J: YES! One of the things I love to do for my couples is provide them with an in depth custom Vendor Guide where I share all my favorite vendors for weddings in the area.  I share their names with direct link to their websites and a link to their work in some of my weddings if it is shown in photos. Every single vendor in my guide is someone I have seen do GREAT work and truly recommend for your wedding day.  I send this to all of my couples shortly after booking!

I am also happy to hook you up with some potential planners who can help with overall vision, just day of planning, or get fully involved in your planning process if you are interested!

Q: WE NEED HELP PLANNING! ANY IDEAS?

J: This is a question I want to address carefully, because I know you may hear from other photographers that they will give "unlimited" coverage of your day.  The truth is, most couples don't want or need "unlimited" coverage.  Typically, I arrive 1.5 hours before you even get your dress on, allowing lots of photos of you and your girls getting ready, and photos of your details- but not a ton of photos before you have even gotten any makeup or hair done (which were not photos I wanted as a bride!).  And we stay long enough to get some great photos of your open dance floor with all your loved ones (because let's be honest, after a while, the dancing photos either look all the same, or get a little "sloppy" depending on the intensity of your party!!).  Almost every wedding day allows us to do this in 8 hours, and I'd love to speak with you about how that all works out with some sample schedules before you book if you would like!  If you are having a full mass ceremony, have lots of travel in between locations, and other factors like that, that is when we consider extra time needed- but almost all wedding days are fully and well covered with the coverage included in my wedding experience!

Q: IS 8 HOURS REALLY ENOUGH COVERAGE?

J: There are so many factors that go into choosing the BEST wedding photographer for you!  I think you could be happy with any number of amazing local photographers!
I recommend you choose your photographer based on a few things:
1). Personality. You will spend the most time with them on your day out of anyone- so find someone who's personality you LOVE, and someone you can get to know from their online presence!  A reference from a friend who worked with the photographers you are looking at is SO helpful!
2). Style.  Are their photos light and true to life in coloring? Is their work highly stylized, with deeper or darker colors? What will you love 20 years from now when the "popular" styles have changed?  Look at a lot of their work and make sure you LOVE it and can see yourself in it!
3). Read the coverage options carefully and make sure you are getting what you want (digital files, coverage, etc). It's easy to pick based on price, but remember-- higher priced photographers likely have more experience, better equipment, and more education-- otherwise, people wouldn't pay that price to begin with so likely, their prices would be lower.

I'd LOVE to be your pick and have served over 75 HAPPY couples over the past 7 years!

Q: HOW SHOULD I CHOOSE MY PHOTOGRAPHER?