I heard a new term today. At a client meeting the bride asked me if I ever photographed valley weddings
What’s a Valley Wedding?
Some people get married in churches, or at a specific wedding venue, or even in a hotel. This couple wanted to get married outside. There was a beautiful vineyard they had in mind. They wanted a small relaxed event, with picturesque backgrounds. Rolling hills, green pastures, faded barns.
As we talked I learned they were planning their destination wedding to the Napa Valley, and had been doing their research on-line. They were finding everything they needed for their wedding on the internet. Florists, caterers, the photographer (me), all the little details could be easily taken care of by using the web.
I told them that since my wife and I moved to Austin, I haven’s had the same opportunities to shoot as many weddings in Napa as before. Most of the stuff I do is between Dallas and San Antonio. However I do travel. Around 12 of the weddings I shoot every year aren’t in Texas at all. I am contacted by couples who have met me at a previous event, or who have found me by doing a web search. Strangely enough, my prices aren’t crazy high, and in many cases it is actually less expensive to have me fly out for the weekend and photograph your wedding than it is to hire a local photographer.
This couple told me they are getting married at the Carneros Inn, in Napa. They were amazed at the the prices of Northern California wedding photographers who had a similar style to me. And asked why I didn’t charge as much as some photographers. In Texas the cost of living isn’t as high as the napa valley or Northern California. They told me something similar about their wedding planing – they live in a small austere town in Virginia, and had always thought their dream wedding would be in the Napa Valley. So they were going to make it happen, and I was glad to be able to be a part.
