Intimate Restaurant Weddings | Micro Weddings | Mountain Elopements

Thank you so much for taking the time to look at my work! If you’ve done a bit of browsing already, you might have noticed that I photograph intimate weddings in restaurant settings, micro weddings, and mountain elopements.

Nothing beats capturing your love story in a cozy, rustic or elegant restaurant, or in front of giant mountains. It’s where my heart is — I moved to Alberta for the mountains and worked in a restaurant for years while spending every free moment I had hiking and snowboarding. As photography became a bigger and bigger part of my life, as it went from passion/hobby to passion/career, I naturally leaned towards those settings that already felt like home.

And then it’s all about capturing your wedding day, your love story, in the most natural, candid way. I love a flowy dress and a gorgeous veil, so sometimes you just gotta work it and include a little bit of posing, but even when it comes to formal bridal portraits, the more you have fun together, the more you move (love movement), the more your photos will be you, and remind you of how you felt on that really important, beautiful, meaningful day. And I’ll do it in a very joyful, cheerful way — might even be your number one cheerleader.

Welcome to your complete wedding photography booking guide.

First Step: Browse

Get a Feel for my Work

Available to you on my website are wedding and engagement session galleries as well as blog posts. The galleries are a smaller sample. The blog posts include a bigger portion of the photos from weddings I have covered. They tell the full story. Some of them even include short slideshows.

So browse and get a feel for my style!

Visit my Investment Page

Find out more about my wedding packages and pricing.

Love it? Reach out and let’s chat

That link is at the bottom of the guide so you can get all the info first! Which brings me to the…

Second Step: Get in Touch

Fill out the Contact Form

Make sure to include the basics:

1- What is the name of your fiancé?
2- Do you have a date and venue picked out?
3- Do you already have a sample timeline for your wedding day?
4- Do you have a theme, a style, an estimated number of guests, a vision you want to share with me? Include it all!

Let’s Meet for Coffee and Chat

I love meeting in person so we can get to know know each other. This is a great opportunity for you to ask me your questions. I’ll also bring in sample albums for you to have a look at.

You can fill me in on the planning you have done so far.

And we can plan the when and where for your engagement session if your package includes one, or if you decided to add it on.

From out of town or unavailable to meet in person? We can schedule a video chat instead.

Third Step: Secure your Booking

Complete the Booking Steps

A $500 deposit and a signed contract are required to secure your wedding booking. I will also send you a Google Form link with a short wedding questionnaire. It often gets updated as we get closer to the wedding day, but it will allow you to start including things like:

1- All locations/venues we will go to during your wedding day
2- Bridal party information and number of guests
3- If you want formal portraits included or want to keep it strictly candid, if you want to do a first look, private vows, etc.
4- Additional contacts or coordinator information
5- Basic timeline if it is ready

FAQs

What happens to our deposit if our wedding plans change?

The deposit is non-refundable, but life can be unpredictable so if your wedding plans change and you choose a different date or location, I will do my best to accommodate you. If for some reason the wedding gets cancelled or I am not able to accommodate your changes, and we have not done your engagement photos yet (when included), the deposit will be transferred to other photography services.

How long does it take to get our full gallery back?

Full wedding galleries are delivered in 6-14 weeks, depending on the time of the year (longer during the busy summer-fall seasons).

How do you deliver the photos?

If you book the 4 hour package, you will get a link to a private online gallery where you can view your slideshow and download your photos in high resolution. For 6+ hours of coverage, you will get a portion of your photos in an online gallery, but all of them (including the ones in the online gallery) will be delivered on a USB key in a personalized keepsake box.

Do you travel to other cities for weddings?

I am based in Calgary, and also offer wedding photography without travel fees in Cremona (or other rural areas within a one hour drive of Calgary), Kananaskis Country, Banff and Canmore (additional licensing fees apply within the town boundaries of Banff or Canmore).

Do you have a second shooter?

I’m a solo photographer. If you would like a second shooter on your wedding day — if your partner is getting ready in a separate location and I don’t have time to get to both of you for example — I can provide a second shooter at an additional cost.

Are you a full time wedding photographer?

I am a full time photographer and offer lifestyle, branding, engagement and wedding photography. So not full time with only weddings, but full time nonetheless! I’d be the person you message for your engagement photos, and then again if you need to update your branding images or if you are having a baby. Hope we can stick together for a while!

Do your packages include location scouting?

Yes! If I haven’t been where you want to go, I’ll go check it out before your wedding day. I often do it on my own, but we can also do it together if you want to show me something specific about the location and we are able to make it work with our schedules.

Do you use natural light or flash photography?

Both. I love natural light but it is not always there. I also use on and off camera flash photography when necessary. With those various techniques, you will get different looks to your photos which makes your final gallery even more diverse and unique.

Can you recommend wedding vendors like florists or hair and makeup artists?

Sure can. I have worked with a ton of amazing business owners. Just ask and I’ll give you some names.

Fourth Step: Your Wedding

The Month Leading Up to your Wedding

I will reach out to get your final schedule and confirm that your wedding photography package is perfect for the coverage you need, or make adjustments if needed.

I’ll also get your list of super talented vendors so I can credit them when sharing photos.

When the Big Day Comes

I’ll show up ready to capture your memories. I usually do some posing and give you pointers during the first portion of the day, keeping it all natural and mostly using prompt so you don’t feel like you’re overly posing — and I’ll probably make you work that wedding dress and veil! The second portion of the day is mostly me hanging out in the background taking photos of all your happiness.

The Week After

SNEAK PEEKS!

I’ll post some sneak peeks of your day on my social media pages.

If you want to get your thank you cards going and want a few high resolution images right away, I can send some your way as well.

6-14 Weeks Later

FULL GALLERY TIME!

Get the snacks and bubbles ready and watch your slideshow. It’s the best way to first see your photos. Then text me and let me know how much you love them. I always love to hear from couples!!

Then share with your friends and family, enjoy over and over, and order prints or a photo book. Hopefully I’ll see you again when you want more couple’s photos, or when you have a baby or need branding images for your business!

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Ready to Book?

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Valerie Richer Photography | Calgary, Banff, Canmore + Kananaskis Country Wedding Photographer