Thoughtful Thursday- Why invest?- Sacramento Wedding Photographer

Okay is it just me, or do weddings seem to cost an arm and a leg these days? Did you know the average wedding cost over $20,000 and there are many couples who spend more than that?! For me, that number makes my head spin, especially when I think about how that is for one day. Granted, it's your wedding day, one of the most IMPORTANT days of your life, but still one day. I think there are many ways to cut costs and still have an amazing wedding, but there is one area in particular that I think a couple should NEVER compromise on, the photographer! Now I'm not just saying this because I am one, honestly I think the photographer is one of the most important behind the scene elements of your wedding day. Want to know why? The photographs will most likely be the ONLY thing you keep from your wedding day for the REST of your life! Okay, maybe your spouse, but that's besides the point!
Think about it, when someone gets married, what is the first thing you want to see afterwards? The photographs, right?! When you're wanting to go down memory lane, what helps you bring those memories to the surface? Photographs! Brides today truly pour their heart and soul's in to their weddings and want to be able to remember their wedding exactly how it was. In order to do that, you want someone who can capture your wedding in it's truest form, right? Someone with experience and knowledge of what's important to capture on that amazing day.  Someone who knows how to capture candid, in the moment, pure emotion, photographs.
A wedding is one day, which means you have ONE chance to capture it. Do you really want to be an experiment for an inexperienced photographer, have your family member or friend that has a nice camera capture it, because they won't cost you very much? Or do you want someone you know will deliver you quality images that will take you back to your wedding day and bring memories flooding back, but the cost is higher than you thought you wanted to spend? Which cost are you willing to sacrifice?
I was talking to a bride last week about possibly shooting her 2014 wedding and I was explaining to her why I believe my job is so important. Everything else from a wedding, the flowers, the decorations, the cake and food, they all are tossed out or given away after a wedding. You pay to have them for that one day, and one day only. Granted you could keep some of your decorations, but most people don't. Your photographs on the other hand, you pay to keep them forever. I have heard it time and again, couples wishing they had invested in a photographer because the cheaper photographer didn't give them what they wanted. I have also heard it said to me that clients were so happy they went with me because the quality of my work and my way I captured their wedding was more than they hoped for. I recently got a message from a groom of a wedding I shot almost two years ago. He said, "Every time I look at the pictures of my wedding on the wall I remember how much fun you made the picture taking. You especially had my groomsmen laughing and in an unusually jolly mood during picture taking!" It's amazing to me that I can still touch someone's life with my photographs long after their wedding! A wedding is one day but the photographs go beyond that! The important thing is to find a photographer you love and you know will deliver you photographs that you can reflect upon for years to come! Enjoy some of my favorite wedding shots to date! Can't wait for all my future weddings! If you would like to book me for your wedding email me at jhallphotograph@gmail.com

Sarah- Chico Senior Photographer

For all who don't know, Sarah is my twin sister! Growing up, we never really got along. I think mainly because we are so opposite of each other. I'm so thankful that now we are grown up, things are so much different. We actually enjoy hanging out with each other! Anyway, I cannot say enough how incredibly PROUD I am of my sister for graduating! She has worked so hard and I know she is going to do so well wherever her next path takes her. For her session we started off at Chico State, where she is graduating, and then moved to a secret spot. I feel as an on sight photographer I need to constantly be on the look out for new locations. The second location in her session I actually saw while driving down the freeway in Chico. You never know where you'll find beauty. It's everywhere, you just have to keep your eyes open for it!

Zepeda Family- Chico Family Photographer

It's crazy to me that I have known Robyn since high school. She actually used to cheer with my older sister. When I first started this amazing photography adventure, her and Mario's wedding was my very first. In my last post about baby Warner, I had mentioned that one of the reasons I love my job is being able to witness other peoples' life events, watch them change. I have been able to witness so much with this family. I started with Robyn and Mario's engagement session, then wedding, baby Giovanni and now baby Josiah. It's such an honor to be able to be the one to capture the photographs they will be able to reflect upon. I seriously just LOVE MY JOB! This was a very quick session, both boys were NOT very happy about taking photos. It actually didn't surprise me since even at Giovanni's newborn session he wasn't having any of it! Even though we had to work around some crying and running around I think the photos still turned out great! You would never have guessed! Thanks for choosing me again Robyn and Mario! I can't wait to see what's next in your lives! Love you guys :)