Wedding Planning Advice from Newlyweds

We thought it might be helpful to ask one of our newly wed couples, Derrick and Jackie, if they had any advice for newly engaged couples. We recorded it live on our Facebook page, so if you prefer watching a video over reading you can skip to the video below. Here's what they had to say.

Do you have any advice for newly engaged couples?

Jackie: Start planning now. Like immediately. Start planning immediately. Put any deposits or down payments as fast as you can.  If you are working on a budget have a long engagement so you can make a bunch of small payments rather than lumps sums.

Derrick: I would say go ahead and make a list of priorities of what you want in your wedding. One thing that we did wrong is we started with all the little things that didn't really matter that we thought did then when the priorities came up we had to create more room in the budget to make sure we got those things. And have fun the whole time instead of getting stressed out.

Do you have any regrets about getting videography, would you recommend videography?

Derrick: Yeah, all day everyday. 

Jackie: No regrets.  Looking back and watching it I know that the first few times we definitely got teary-eyed.  My mom got teary-eyed. His mom, I mean everyone that watched it that loves us really really appreciated that. I think it's something that we are going to hold on to forever. We are excited to have kids and have them watch that and see us young. Because I don't think they are going to believe we were young at any point in time!

Derrick: It really helps with sharing. One of my really close friends was one of my groomsmen and she is bed rest and can't move and she has know me since I was real little. So that was a good way for me to share that day with her so she actually didn't look at any pictures, didn't let anybody tell her about the wedding and then I sent her an email with the link that I got from Nate and she got to relive the whole wedding. So just that alone was worth it for me.

Facebook Live Video

Derrick and Jackie's sneak peek video

Videography Interview for the Las Cruces Bulletin's Perfect Southwest Weddings

Today the Las Cruces Bulletin released their 2017-2018 Perfect Southwest Weddings magazine, and once again I am honored to have been interviewed for one of the many articles found within. I think writer Adam Palomino did a great job curating three interviews, between myself and two other local vendors, into an easy to read article so if you haven’t seen that yet be sure to check it out. It is on page 20, titled “Treasured Moments: Photography, Videography Packages Preserve Precious Memories”. This time, due to scheduling difficulties, I was interviewed via email rather than in person. Fortunately, that means I have a copy of the questions and my answers behind the scenes. So without further ado, here are the questions I was asked accompanied by my full responses.

1. What’s trending in wedding videography?

Wedding videography in Las Cruces is kind of like chalk paint. Chalk paint started trending in other parts of the country about three years before it was even available in Las Cruces. I feel like Las Cruces is finally starting to come around on wedding videography. Brides are really starting to see the value in having a motion picture as opposed to just still photographs. Same day edits, super 8mm film videography, and 4k are trending in other parts of the country right now, but in Las Cruces the value just isn’t there yet. I had one groom ask me “Why don’t you shoot in 4k?” I asked back “Oh, do you have a player that can play 4k video?” To which he bowed his head almost in shame and said “No”. I would love to shoot a wedding with a super 8mm film camera, it would give an organic vintage film look that digital videographers do their best to mimic, but it just never quite looks the same. But convincing a bride to want a 3 minute un-editable highlight video with no audio is a hard sale in Las Cruces. It’s sad really because anything on film will outlive digital data.    

2. What options are offered locally?

Locally, couples are starting to see their friend’s wedding videos on Facebook and Instagram, and that sparks an interest in having a highlight video from their wedding day as well.

Highlight videos, full length edits, and I have even heard that some videographers in town offer the raw video files. The last option is insane to me. I would never hand raw video files over to one of my clients and essentially say “Here you go, good luck!” I don’t expect my clients to have the software or experience I have with color grading, cutting, and audio editing, to make a full video that would be enjoyable to watch as opposed to short video clips they would have to open one at a time to view.

In my public accounting days, I had a co-worker show me videos from her daughter’s Quinceañera. She popped a DVD in her PC and showed me the highlight video. Her face lit up as she remembered the event. After it ended, she said “Then they gave me all the video files too”, with a disgusted smirk on her face. She opened up one so I could see, and yeah it was awful. There is a reason why not all of the videos shot that day didn’t make the highlight video. Videographers include their best video clips in the highlight video. Don’t talk yourself into thinking there is more value in having the files that didn’t make the cut.

3. What are the different types of packages one could get; engagement + photo session only? Photo + Videography? And what are the price ranges for packages, generally?

Taylor’d Photography is a family business, husband and wife photography and videography team. My wife is the lead photographer, and I am the lead videographer, and I use two of my brother-in-laws to second shoot video for me at weddings, who I trained personally. So we do offer both photography and videography to our clients. And we give a discount for booking us for both. Ultimately, we are trying to help our couples tell the story of how and why they decided to start a family together.

Pricing and packages are something we discuss with our clients when we initially meet them.

4. Digital only or prints? What other options, if any?

We deliver wedding videos to our clients on DVDs, Blu-Rays, USBs, and also make them available for digital download and viewing online. We also post sneak peek previews on YouTube at our client’s discretion.

5. What’s the process like? How early would you recommend a couple meet with the videographer? What considerations are there when deciding what’s right for a client? When and how often do the couples meet with the videographer to discuss plans/themes/pricing, etc.?

The first thing couples should do when looking for a videographer is watch videos from different videographers in town and determine which style they can relate to. The one that feels right to them is the one they should book for their wedding.

As far as timing, once you have decided which videographer you like best, book them as soon as you possibly can. We met with a couple that was getting married in 9 months. After meeting us they said they would let us know in a week whether or not they were going to book us. That same week another couple contacted us for the same date. They ended up booking us for their wedding, putting down a retainer to reserve the date. A couple weeks later, the first couple called us and wanted to book us. Sadly, we weren’t available for their wedding date anymore. With that said, if possible, couples should try to book their videographer six to twelve months out. I know for us (Taylor’d Photography), August, September, and October tend to fill up fast.

Since we do charge a nonrefundable retainer fee, it is better to lock in a venue or venues if different locations are going to be used for the ceremony and reception, before locking in a videographer/photographer.

Since we are a family business, we like to meet our clients, and get to know them before we just show up on one of the most memorable days of their lives. So the first we thing we require of our potential clients is to meet us to see what we offer and ultimately to see if we are the right fit. After they have booked us, we hash out more details of their wedding, help them with their timeline for the most photogenic experience possible, and keep in touch up to and after the wedding. We want our clients to feel that we are approachable, and we end up becoming good friends throughout the process.

6. How do couples help the videographer shape the narrative of their wedding video?

When a couple gets married they are really starting a family. Our approach centers on what that family is going to want to see. We tell the story of the wedding day for someone who wasn’t there, but wishes they could have been. And the best way we could tell that story is by knowing the couple. When I edit wedding videos I am thinking about what I would want to see if it were my parents’ wedding. I want to see the younger version of my Dad with the same mannerisms, looking at my Mom the way he still does with that beam of light in his eyes. And I want to see the younger version of my Mom shine like she did at their golden anniversary. I want to capture the bride and groom’s personality for their posterity.   

2017 Las Cruces Bridal Show

Come join us at the Las Cruces Bridal Showcase at the Las Cruces Convention Center on January 29th. It starts at 11am and ends at 4pm. If you haven’t met us (Elise and Nate) yet, visit our booth. We will be showing off our heirloom albums for you to peruse through, our amazing giclée cotton prints framed in custom hardwood frames made by me, and some of the wedding videos we made in 2016. If you haven’t see our products yet, you need to see them, touch them, smell them, seriously though. Bring your fiancé, and come say hello to us as you tour all the wedding vendors that are going to be there. If you are getting married in 2017, you don’t want to miss this event.  

An old motel, vintage dresses, and lots of make up

Life is full of busyness, deadlines, and schedules. Which is why Nate and I both feel it is so important to carve out time to be creative in our own personal projects. I have been failing at this goal! I have actually been quite jealous of how much fun Nate is having with his vintage film projects (check out his Instagram @melodysdad). So when Nicole invited me to collaborate on a photo shoot with her I jumped at the chance.

Nicole is a photographer and one of my 2015 brides. You can check out her fabulous work on her website. Seriously though, go take a look, her concepts and creativity are thriving. Nicole thought up the concept and arranged all the clothing with her local contact, Miss Ruth's Time Bomb vintage shop.

Nicole recruited Abbey, co-owner of the art gallery, Art Obscura to be our model. Abbey, who is also a sustainable farmer (Brazito Farms) never having modeled or had professional hair and makeup done, hesitantly said yes, not really knowing what she was getting into. My kind of adventurous woman! 

Once Nicole and I had decided on the concept and location of a seedy motel, I knew Brenda Tarango was the perfect addition to the creative crew. And she absolutely nailed the 1960's look we were going for with the hair and makeup. I am a firm believer in putting the best people on your team and then getting out of their way to let them work their magic, and everyone agreed that's exactly what Brenda it. 

So here are a few of my favorite photographs I created at the shoot!

Creative Team:

Photographer: Elise Taylor, Taylor'd Photography

Collaborating photographer: Nicole Dube, SheSoPhoto

Model: Abbey Carver, Art Obscura, Brazito Farms

Hair and Makeup: Brenda Tarango, Makeup by Brenda

Dresses: Miss Ruth's Time Bomb

Location: Century 21 Motel, Las Cruces NM

Business Headshots, We Do Those

We may not advertise it, or really talk about it anywhere on our website, but headshots are as important to small business as is a smile to an introduction, so of course, we have been photographing them. Virtually, your headshot is your business’s first impression, so take a second look at yours to make sure it is the business rep you want standing at the front door.

Convenient

The way we do business portraits is different, we don’t ask you to come to our space, we go to yours. This is really convenient for an entire staff that could use consistent looking headshots. Rather than everyone in the office having to schedule a time to visit a studio and waste an hour, an employee can walk down the hallway and be done in less than 5 minutes.

Modern

So if you have been seeing some business headshots with white backgrounds around Las Cruces, and have been wondering how to go about getting one yourself, contact us. Modernize your profile pictures, update your staff’s photographs so they look consistent, and refresh your business’s virtual first impression.