frequently asked questions
There is no such thing as a stupid question; prove me wrong.
Honest answers to your questions. Everyone has questions they want to ask, so don’t worry about speaking up. If you don’t ask, you won’t find out the answer. To help you out, I’ve put together a list of the questions I get asked most often. This list isn’t complete, so as new questions come in, I’ll add them here with the answers. There’s no such thing as a stupid question—unless you already know the answer. Then it becomes the most stupid question you've heard.
sensibly asked questions
How Much do you charge for wedding photography?
Every wedding is unique, with no two weddings being the same. Once you let me know when and where it's happening, the number of guests, and the package you are interested in. When I have that information, I can get my shoes and socks off and start working out a costing for you.
The average cost of wedding photography is around £1000 to £2500 depending on package and location.
Do you shoot outside South Wales?
I do, yes. I shoot across South Wales and the South West, including the rest of the UK. I have shot weddings in St Helen's, Sunderland, Swindon, Badger, Welwyn Garden City, Solihull, Dawlish, Exeter, Cardiff, Caerphilly, Newport and Wolverhampton, and Narborough. to list a few. So yes I do get around.
Are you insured?
Yes, I’d be an idiot not to be insured. I carry public liability and professional indemnity insurance. Some venues will not let you work unless you have insurance. Proof of insurance is available on request.
Just a thought: have you got wedding insurance? You really should you know.
Are you GDPR compliant?
I do comply with the GDPR. See my privacy policy to learn what I do and how we stay in compliance. I learn a great deal of sensitive information from my couples’ details. I take security seriously and find it to be very important.
How do we book you?
Do we have to feed you?
That would be greatly appreciated; I do have breakfast in the morning, before leaving. I am with you longer than any other vendor on the day, and as you can imagine, I expend a lot of energy during the course of the day. As a diabetic, I have to ensure I eat, and a hot meal (either what your guests are having or a bar meal) is most welcome. It's often a good idea to speak to the venue about this, as some venues have supplier meals at a small fee or, in some cases, free of charge.
Either way, please let us know so that I know in advance; if there is no meal for me, I will have to leave the venue for a while to get something to eat, which could result in missed moments from your day.
Is the booking fee refundable?
It is in the first 14 days, but not after that. The booking fee covers the administrative tasks that I must perform, such as sending emails & invoices and blocking dates in the calendar. Additionally, it pays for business expenses like advertising, insurance, web hosting and online galleries.
How do we pay you?
I accept cheques, cold hard cash, credit/debit cards, PayPal, and bank transfers. I send out electronic invoices with bank details on them. You get a receipt for all payments.
If you want to pay by cash, let's, meet at, 02:00 and make it memorable. We'll meet at the back of the local pub headlights blazing. You with a brown paper bag stuffed with used non-sequential notes. Me and my accounts manager armed with receipt pads and quills loaded with black ink. Oh and we'll all be wearing shades.
When is the balance due?
Four weeks (28 days) prior to your wedding day, you must pay the remaining balance. An invoice will be sent out eight weeks (56 days) in advance, along with additional reminders at six and four weeks. I won't show up on the day if you don't pay. Please let me know if you are struggling financially (weddings are pricey, after all), and I can assist you
What happens if we have trouble paying?
Talk to me, get in touch, and let me know I don't bite. Everyone has times when money is tight, and planning/paying for a wedding is one of those times. Get in touch, and we'll work something out together.
Can we pay by instalments?
Mmmm, let me think about it. Oh go on then. You've twisted my arm; you didn't have to do it that hard, though. I hope it heals in time for your wedding. I like the pair of you, so what the hell? Yes, just drop me a note or call me, and I'll invoice you with the amount you want to pay and deduct that payment from your balance. I'll send you a receipt for your payment.
What if we don't pay?
Oh, that's dead easy to answer. If you don't pay, I'll be pissed off, and I'll have a day off. On that day off I'll be planning my revenge. Do I take you to court for breach of contract, or do I get the guys with the big sticks and even bigger dogs to pay you a visit? Either way I won't be there.
Really! You won't turn up?
That's right, no matter how much I like you, I won't turn up. I don't do this for the good of my health. This is how I earn a living, put food on the table and pay the bills. I am a full-time professional photographer who doesn't work for free.
Will we meet before the day?
Ideally I like to meet everyone face-to-face at least once before the day of the wedding. Meeting over a coffee is great but if this isn't possible due to distance we can do it online.
What if we are camera shy?
If you or your guests are feeling a little anxious, that is totally normal, and I recognise that. No one wants a camera lens in their face because it can be awkward and make them self-conscious. I'll get rid of the group and formal photos as soon as I can, freeing me up to photograph you and your guests being their authentic selves. Later on in the day, when the sun is setting, we'll schedule some time to take pictures of the two of you in the enchanted light at that time of the day.
What if you are ill on the day?
I will make every effort to find a photographer to cover for me in the very unlikely event that I become ill. Here in South Wales, there is a close-knit community of photographers, and I am confident that someone could take over. I would make sure you could speak with them and give your approval if this was something that needed to be planned before the wedding day. My go-to would be my wife, who is also a photographer with years of experience.
What if you've never been to our venue before?
If I haven’t visited your venue before, don’t worry. For local venues, I’ll arrange a visit with you or check it out myself. If it’s further away, I’ll look it up online and arrive early on the day to explore. I enjoy travelling, so I might even stop by during one of my trips.
When do you start on our wedding day?
For a full-day wedding, I recommend arriving at least 2 hours before, which allows me time to capture the necessary photos, travel to the venue, and set up. If
How long are you with us on our wedding day?
I never set a finish time. For full-day weddings, I'm usually there for an hour after the first dance, but if the dance floor is busy or something else is planned, I may stay longer. For shorter days, we'll discuss at the time of booking.
Why Should we book you?
Why shouldn't you book me?
That's a big question! There are so many amazing photographers in South Wales that create a huge pool of talent.
For me, it's about delivering a lot more than just photos. The whole experience is important to me, and I find all of my couples interesting. I want your experience with me to be relaxed, enjoyable and easy throughout the day. I am not trying to get amazing social media images; I'm there to document your day from start to finish as it unfolds. I'm not going to manipulate the day to suit me; I'm going to capture you and your loved ones in the most natural way possible.
My aim is and always has been to deliver beautiful images that evoke memories of your day. I started photographing weddings back in 2019 when I was studying for my BA in photography. Besides weddings, I have and do shoot portraits, award shows and even stills for TV programmes that have been seen on BBC & S4C.
When you book with me, I'lll give you an unforgettable experience as well as the knowledge that your day is in safe hands.
Do you offer drone or or videography services?
That's not something I offer at the moment, but I may do in the near future. I have no problem working with videographers or drone pilots as long as they know we have the same aim.
How many photos do you take and how many will we get?
During the course of a full day, I can shoot in excess of a thousand photos. However, not all of them will be usable for various reasons; someone moved, blinked, wasn't looking, or the light changed.
I don't set a limit on the number of images that you receive. You will typically receive 600-700, maybe more for a full day; a half-day is between 400 and 500. However many you receive, you can be sure that they will all be of the highest quality, professionally edited images.
When do we get our preview photos?
I try to get a preview gallery to you within a week. If we can't meet this, I will let you know. Remember that these images will not be the finished article. These will be very quick edits, just to give you a taste of what's to come.
How long until we get our finished photos?
It states in my contract that this will take between 6 and 8 weeks; in peak wedding season this can take up to 12 weeks. I will try to get them to you in the time limits we set.
Remember that for every hour I spend shooting, I spend another 9 hours in post-production. A 10-hour wedding results in over 90 hours of processing time.
Can we print the images ourselves?
Definitely, the photos are yours with full personal usage rights; you are free to print and share your images amongst your family and friends. However, you may not edit the images or sell them for financial gain without asking me first, as this would be a breach of copyright. The Copyright belongs to Charlie Hannah; I give you a licence to print the images and share them on social media. You must not alter the images in anyway.
The contract states that I can use the images for marketing material (websites, social media, trade and advertising). If you are uncomfortable with this, the contact can be changed to reflect this.
Will our online gallery expire?
Yes, your online gallery will expire after one year. Please download your images and store them somewhere safe.
Do you supply wedding albums or photobooks?
I can supply albums or photobooks; these do come at an extra cost. Photos take on a new life when they are in an album.
How Far in advance do we need to book?
The majority of couples book 12 - 24 months in advance, especially if the wedding is taking place during peak wedding season. To ensure my couples receive my full attention, I book a limited number of weddings each year.
Do you photograph same sex weddings?
The simple answer is yes, I happily shoot same-sex weddings. After all love is love and the heart wants what the heart wants
Will you Photoshop me to make me look thinner?
No. I am a photographer, not a plastic surgeon. You look exactly how you are meant to look, and my job is to capture that authenticity. You will look fantastic on the day, just as you are.
What about minor touch-ups?
I will clear up temporary blemishes—like a rogue zit that decided to show up on the morning of—but I do so within reason. My goal is to capture the day, not reconstruct your face.
Will you Photoshop out my tattoos?
No. They are part of who you are; you chose them, and you’re stuck with them—so am I. They are part of your history, and I will be documenting them exactly as they appear.
why should we book you?
If you'd like to work with me, check my availability here.That’s a really good question. Why should you book me? That’s a hard one for me to answer without sounding big-headed. I should say because I’m shit-hot at what I do, but that’s not my style. I guess it comes down to whether you like my work, my style, my approach, and my attitude to weddings. I guess it comes down to whether you like me and feel comfortable with me.
This works two ways; for you to get the best out of me, I have to get the best out of you. The way I do that is by having a laugh and a joke and actually joining in the spirit of the day. If I am enjoying myself, that is reflected in my work.
If I’m not enjoying myself, you’ll still get excellent photos and service, but I find I’m so much better when I’m having a good time.
Curious? You'll never know if we work well together unless you get in touch.
If you would like to hire me for a specific event, wedding, or portrait shoot, send me the details. If I'm interested in it, I'll get back to you. If I'm not, I won't, so don't hold your breath.