photography
Q & A with Carissa Leveille, owner of Ella Grace Photography
When to book: One year in advance. With me, a non-refundable deposit
holds your date and I only book one wedding per day, so couples know that
they will have my undivided attention. I also offer a free engagement session
to all clients that book eight hours of wedding day coverage — I find that
eight hours is the perfect amount of time to capture everything from getting
ready to up until when the dance floor opens for the night.
What should couples consider when looking for a
photographer? The most important thing you can do is meet with
potential photographers in person. Before you schedule these meetings,
you should have your ceremony site and venue officially booked. Then
you need to do some homework and check out potential photographer
websites and reviews. What are past clients saying about them? The next
step would be to schedule an in-person consult. Meeting up for a cup of
coffee and having them bring along their printed portfolio and some sample
albums is an excellent way to get to know their personality. You want to
make sure that you not only love their work but love them too!
What kind of questions should couples ask during their
consultation? I have shot weddings for ten years now and can almost
recite word for word the generic questions that some clients bring to
consults. It’s not going to matter one bit what I wear to your wedding, but
what will matter is that I have backup equipment and that I back up your
photographs every hour on my tablet. Instead, ask a potential photographer
how they would deal with a flat tire or a blizzard. It's a good way to get some
insight into how they deal with stressful situations. It’s invaluable to have a
wedding photographer that can handle fast-moving and often unexpected
circumstances and still capture them with ease. Being a photographer
sometimes means pinning on boutonnieres, sewing up a loose button, and
being there to remind the bride to use the bathroom before she puts that
gorgeous dress on.
24 | RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY'S ENGAGED 2018
How important is it for the couple to put a list together of
shots that they want? It is critical to have a plan for your posed
portraits. I am able to anticipate and prepare for moments like when
someone is about to cry, split their pants on the dance floor or have a little
taste of the cake before it's cut, but what I don’t know is your family dynamic.
There can sometimes be sensitive family matters and by communicating
with your photographer ahead of time you can make the day enjoyable
and stress-free. I always have my clients fill out a final day timeline about a
month before their wedding day to re-confirm all final details and go over
the posed shots that they want.
Have you noticed any new trends? I have loved seeing four-legged
friends at weddings this past year. Between dogs walking down the aisle,
being part of the getting ready process or making an appearance during
the posed session, there are so many ways you can include your best friend.
And if your venue doesn’t allow dogs, you can always bring them to your
engagement session instead.