Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions about how we do things? Find those answers, and more below!
Weddings
First and foremost, we prioritize the EXPERIENCE! We love to have fun and capture your day in the most authentic making sure to create those picture perfect moments that we capture, style of photos is timeless and classic, authentic/genuine, vibrant colors, beautiful light. Directing the photos but also letting organic moments happen.
We do not currently offer videography for weddings or events. Please reach out to us and we can forward you our top recommendations for video!
We do! Our Fun Photo Station is not your average photo booth. It includes one photographer with professional camera equipment and lighting, on-site printing, backdrop & props, and a high resolution digital download of all the images via your online gallery. We definitely recommend having this fun addition to your reception!
Yes and no! Every photo you receive will be fully edited and adjusted to the extent that you see on our website and social media. If you purchased an album or prints, all of your images will then be retouched on top of all the previous editing. While we soften skin, remove exit signs and flyaway hairs with our retouching, we don’t edit out moles, freckles, scars, etc. as they are permanent markings that are a part of defining you. If you would like to have anything specific removed or softened, we are always happy to accommodate. No request is an odd one!
We do not hold/reserve dates without these two things given the nature of our business. We have limited availability and dates, so our bookings are on a first come-first served basis. That said, if we have had a conversation with a client and began the journey and we receive another inquiry for your date but you have yet to finalize things with us, we do our very best to reach out and give our prospective clients first right of refusal. Because we are a family business built off of relationships and taking care of our clients, we try to be easy going and flexible for you.
This is a question we get often and a difficult one to answer. We always encourage our clients to make decisions as quickly as you feel comfortable so you can have the A Team you would like for your wedding. We are often booked 9 months to two years in advance, but given that we have an amazing team of like-minded and equally skilled photographers, we usually have someone on the team available.
We offer a variety of products both in our packages and a la carte including handcrafted leather albums, prints & framing, canvases, metal prints, and more!
Absolutely! We photograph many smaller weddings and celebrations throughout the year and absolutely love capturing the intimacy of the smaller celebrations. We are happy to customize and create a coverage option that best fits your needs and celebration.
As far as you will take us! Seriously though, while the majority of the weddings we photograph are in the Greater Philadelphia/New Jersey/Delaware area, every year we find ourselves traveling to other destinations such as New York, New Orleans, Jamaica, Mexico and more…
Typically we deliver 1000-1200 images. Every wedding day is different from the moments, length of time, etc which can play a big part in how many images we deliver. We don’t limit the number of images we take or deliver. We have delivered weddings with approximately 800 images and as many as 2000. If moments are happening we are photographing!
Of course! Each wedding and engagement package includes a password protected viewing gallery with access to our online store. You are welcome to share the login info with whoever you wish, and they can easily order prints, USB drives, and other products directly through the gallery. We LOVE when clients share their images on social media!
A check is preferred, but we do accommodate credit card payments as well. A $2000 retainer and a signed mutual agreement is all that is needed to book us for your wedding date.
Yep, you sure do! The assistant is in addition to the photographer(s). The assistant is with us to help with almost anything… gathering people for photographs, keeping the important details and group photos in check, helping with lighting/equipment, holding your flowers, helping with your dress, coming to aid the emergency with their tool kit… scissors, bobby pins, tide stick, crochet hook, etc.
Of course! You can even have a third or fourth photographer if you’d like! We have coverage options with one or two photographers. We are happy to chat with you about your day and help to see what might be best for capturing your wedding. All of our second photographers are equally as qualified as our primary photographers.
When you contact us, we check our availability on your date to see which of us is available and who would be the best fit for you and your wedding. When you book us, you are reserving that specific photographer we discussed with you. We always welcome our clients to speak with the photographer they are reserving prior to booking. Aligning you with the right photographer is most important to us!
The engagement sessions are in addition to the wedding packages as over the years we have found that it is not something that every client wants. For those clients who are hiring us for their wedding we offer the engagement session at a discounted rate and can be booked at any time. They are a great way to get to know your photographer prior to wedding day!
Within 8-10 weeks following your wedding day, you’ll receive a link to your online gallery where you can relive your wedding day memories, order prints and download your images.
Engagements & Proposals
A typical engagement session is 1 hour. We find that this is plenty of time to get all of the shots we need and more! However, if you are looking for a longer session, we are always able to accommodate!
We recommend booking your engagement session as soon as possible after your proposal. If you are looking to utilize any of the photos from this session for “save the date” cards or any other materials that will be sent out prior to your wedding day, we recommend booking at least 9-12 months before your wedding day. This will ensure that you are reserving the season you’d like your photos to take place in and leave plenty of time to make arrangements to print any of the images that you may be sending out!
While there are many reasons why a couple might want to capture their love story prior to their wedding day, one of the most beneficial is the enhanced comfortability it provides. This is a great opportunity for you to get acquainted with your photographer and how our team operates! Being comfortable with your photographer on the day of not only makes for a more fun and relaxing day, but it also creates much more naturally posed photos and the ability to figure out what poses are your favorite ahead of time. Additionally, the photos from this session can be used for “save the date” cards, or even utilized at your wedding on printed canvases, incorporated in a slideshow, or bound into a sign in book! The possibilities are endless!
The engagement sessions are in addition to the wedding packages as over the years we have found that it is not something that every client wants. For those clients who are hiring us for their wedding we offer the engagement session at a discounted rate and can be booked at any time. They are a great way to get to know your photographer prior to wedding day!
2020 has been a really tough year. Easily the biggest highlight for us was our wedding which just preceded the onset of the COVID pandemic. And we will be eternally thankful to Gabe “G2” Cariola and the entire Philip Gabriel Photography team for the huge role they played in making our day so special. Gabe immediately put us at ease. We did an engagement shoot with him 9 Months before the wedding and it was a great warm up for the main event. For those of you who are a bit shy in front of the camera, Gabe is so easy to work with and goes out of his way to make you feel comfortable. Our wedding was in January, and Gabe had the not so easy task of whisking us around Old City Philadelphia, trying to keep us warm and getting great shots—to say he and his second shooter succeeded is an understatement. You really feel special as multiple photographers, lighting specialists and others make sure your day goes perfectly. We’re not even sure how Gabe got some of the shots during the ceremony—he must have been hanging off the ceiling like Spiderman! He’s also got a great sense of humor and is a good sport, which is very important when you’ll be spending all day together and he has to put up with family members not always sticking to the meticulously planned out photo order! We were so happy with how the shots came out. We’re working with Nicole now on our album and can’t wait to see it. I know we’ll be coming back the next time we need lifetime memories. Thanks so much, Gabe! We will always be grateful.
- Raina and Ben
