I took a chance when I hired a photographer for our wedding in August 2019. My fiance and I lived…read moreout of state, and since we weren't able to visit Fargo before the wedding, I had to pick someone based on internet research and phone/email communication only.
Things could have gone so, so poorly, but instead I got a social media recommendation to check out Alecs Kay Photography. From the beginning, I was very impressed. In one of our initial emails, Alecs proposed a photo timeline for the day which took into account our existing plans and venues, our individual requests, and the season.
Alecs did her best to help us, a clueless couple, navigate the wedding planning process. Her blog was a great source of information, and after we'd signed the agreement she sent us a welcome kit that included a book she'd put together with some sample photos and advice. She recommended vendors when I asked, and was very responsive in answering any questions.
She managed to walk the fine line of being an advisor without ever making us feel pressured. She recommends doing a first look, but when we said we weren't interested she didn't try to insist. In one case, I ended up choosing a vendor she didn't recommend, and she never showed any sign of disapproval.
It was quite clear that to Alecs, our wedding photos were about us. She didn't treat the day as an opportunity to get samples for her portfolio, instead she was concerned with making sure we were comfortable and had the shots we wanted. She had us fill out a detailed survey of all the groups we wanted photos of, and then she made a point to follow it.
She normally offers an engagement shoot as part of a package deal, but since my fiance and I had already had an engagement shoot, I asked if she could do a boudoir shoot instead. She happily agreed, even though it wasn't a specialty of hers and required some extra research and planning on her part.
Since we had never met in person I was surprised at how quickly we developed a rapport. I expected some degree of awkwardness since we were essentially business contacts meeting at a formal event, but she quickly set everyone at ease. Anyone who didn't know better might think she was an old family friend who was doing this as a favor.
After the wedding, she was very prompt about editing and sharing our photos. One major plus, and a big reason why I signed the contract in the first place, was that all the digital photo files were included in the standard package price. (This may just be my own pet peeve, but I positively HATE IT when photography package prices are based on a handful of prints or a printed book, while the digital files are protected like trade secrets. What century are we in, anyway? I'm going to share these photos on Facebook long before I get around to framing them.)
Overall, I was extremely impressed with Alecs, and would definitely recommend her to other couples. She is outgoing, considerate, and a great photographer to boot. I'm not planning to get married again any time soon, but if I was I would certainly work with her again.
