Please scroll down to view my detailed wedding photography FAQ
Contact details:- Gerard Conneely Photography | Mobile: 0872295675 | Email: [email protected]
Dromoland Castle wedding photography
Q: How much coverage do you provide?
A: I shoot your wedding day from bridal preparations right through to the dancing after the speeches. If less coverage is required, or if you are getting married at a civil ceremony, I can tailor your package accordingly. When we meet for a pre wedding day chat to discuss your photography requirements, we'll go through the day's timeline so we can ensure appropriate time is allocated for the bridal preparation photos & the creative location photos etc. You'll spend quite a bit of time with your photographer in the early part of the day, so it's important that you are both comfortable with your photographer as well as aware of the photographic schedule. This allows us to ensure we have all the people we need where we need them, and get you back to your guests in a timely manner so you can spend as much time as possible with your family & friends.
Q: In terms of photography, are there any considerations we should keep in mind for winter weddings?
A: Yes, summer weddings allow for more flexibility in terms of the day's timeline as there is ample daylight late into the evening. With winter weddings, it can start to get dark from 4:30PM onwards so the timeline for the earlier part of the day becomes more important. There are a number of simple planning steps that we can take to ensure there is ample time for outdoor photos. Those include an earlier ceremony time, maybe 12:30PM instead of 1PM, deciding when & where to take the family formal photographs & choosing weather or not to shake everybody's hand as they leave the church/ceremony if the guest list if big. This is all discussed at the pre wedding meeting and I’ll be able to recommend and guide you on those options as well as others. Then I work out a timeline for the day based on what we discuss (after factoring in travel times between locations) and the day typically flows along. With a small bit of planning, the schedule takes care of itself & there is allocated time for outdoor photos. It's a responsibility of the photographer to ensure your day runs on time and is stress free for all involved.
Night-time photography at the Meyrick hotel in Galway
Q: Do you edit all your wedding photographs?
A: Yes, most definitely. Each & every image is hand edited to ensure it is of the utmost quality. A typical wedding will produce anywhere between 800-1400 images depending on the amount of coverage selected & whether or not a second shooter is working alongside me. The editing process adds a little finesse to each of the images; typically, photo editing is a subtle process to ensure colour tones etc are accurate. As you will receive all your images on a USB key (whether or not you opt to purchase a wedding album), I like to ensure the high resolution images are print ready so you may print the images yourself, if you so choose. I also provide a list of recommended local outlets for printing of your wedding photos as well as online print services.
Wedding couple on the waterfront at Screebe House in Connemara, Galway
Q: What time do you arrive on the wedding day?
A: A number of factors will determine our start time including the ceremony time & the travel time from the birde's house to the church. Typically for a 1PM ceremony, I arrive at 10am and start shooting the details like the wedding dress & shoes etc. I like to also cover the groom prep where possible, so often I will visit the groom if getting ready relatively close by or I may visit the grooms prep address on route to the bride's house in the morning. In that scenario, I would arrive a little later to the brides house, all those options are discussed at the pre wedding meeting. The morning coverage is very hands off, I try to blend into the background as much as possible and document the events in front of me. Prior to leaving for the church, we set aside a short amount of time to take portraits of the bride when hair & makeup is done & the bride is in her dress.
Taking a moment after the meal & before the band starts to take a portrait of the bride
"Thank you so much for the photos Gerard! We love them & every time I look at them, I see something different. They really are great, & I especially love how relaxed & candid they are. We really appreciate how you managed to take such great photos but never intruded or hindered our day. I was showing some guests the photos and one said, “I never even noticed he was there taking these shots!” Thank you" - Blaithin Walsh | Meyrick hotel wedding, 2019
Q: How long does it take to recieve the edited photos and photo ablum?
A: You may expect to have your fully editing photos within 6 weeks of your wedding day, during peak season in the summer months, this can extend out to 8 weeks. These include facebook size & full high resolution size images. These are provided to you in a number of ways, via electronic download, via USB key & via a private password protected online gallery which you may share with family & friends if you so wish.
Q: We are currently living abroad but having our wedding in Ireland, do you need to meet us before we book?
A: No, certainly not for the booking stage. Once you have chosen your preferred collection, booking can be arranged via email or phone and the deposit may be paid via wire transfer or paypal etc. In the run up to the wedding, we can discuss details via email/phone but I do recommended we meet before your wedding day, even as close to 1-3 days beforehand to become acquainted with each other and finalise any plans for the day.
Q: How do you approach the day when it's raining?
A: For the most part, it's like any other wedding day as the majority of a wedding day is indoors. For the outdoor scenic part of the day, we always have a backup plan for a wet day, an alternative location we can visit which has shelter. Often locations have both indoor & outdoor options close by, we can shoot between showers & I love to get creative shooting indoors. With a background in interiors photography, shooting indoors in something I've very comfortable with.
Wedding photography at the Hardiman hotel in Galway & a couple portrait at Menlo Castle
Dusk photo at the Lodge at Ashford Castle
Styled wedding shoot at the At the G hotel, Galway
Bride & groom on their wedding day at the G hotel, Galway
Wedding photography at the Glenlo Abbey hotel, Galway
Wedding photography at the Connemara Coast hotel in Galway
After saying I do at an outdoor ceremony in Slevoir House, Co. Tipperary
Q: Do you provide black & white images?
A: I do, you will receive a selection of images in black & white, I take the long route when it comes to editing images into black & white, spending on average 30 minutes per edit per image. I don't believe that clicking a slider to remove colour turns an image into black & white, rather I use an advanced editing process to separate out the tonality of an image and finesse the levels of darks, mid tones & highlights which provides a true black & white end result.
Wedding photography at the Circle of life park in Salthill, Galway
Q: Are you insured?
A: Yes, I have full public liability & personal indemnity insurance for my photography business.
Couple wedding photos on the grounds of the Glenlo Abbey
Mother & son at the G hotel in Galway
Q: We have a son(s) and/or daughter(s) - can they be included in the wedding photos?
A: Most definately, they are a very important part of the day and during the times when they are with you, wheather it be during the bridal or groom prep or at the church/reception etc I will ensure to include them in the photos.
Giving Dad a helping hand on the morning of the wedding
Q: What if you become sick or are otherwise unavailable to shoot our wedding?
A: If this was ever to happen, rest assured that I know many professional photographers who can step in to cover your wedding photography.
The moment the junior bridesmaids see the bride in her dress
Wedding photography on quay street in Galway
Q: Do you have backup camera equipment?
A: Most certainly, I shoot with 2 or 3 cameras and one additional camera stays in the car as a backup, all equipment is professional Sony gear.
Q: Do you accept provisional bookings?
A: I'm sorry I don't, I do not hold or pencil in dates without a deposit.
A morning walk for bridal portraits on the grounds at Mount Cashel Lodge in Co. Clare
Q: What is the payment schedule?
A: A deposit secures your booking, a second payment is due 4 weeks prior to the wedding date when we meet to discuss the plan for your day & the outstanding balance is due on the morning of the wedding. When I send you over wedding collection options to choose from, you will also receive the exact payment schedule & pricing so there are no hidden surprises before you secure your booking.
Wedding Photography on Quay Street Galway
Q: Will there be watermarks/logos on my final images?
A: Certainly not, all images will be delivered in both small size and full size high resolution without any watermarks or logos.
For more informaiton, please contact me via the "Check Dates / Get a Quote" icon above for full details on my range of wedding photography coverage, album options & pricing. I will be happy to tailor a package to suit the amount of coverage you require.
