I get a lot of questions, so I’ve listed some of the
most common questions here, along with my answers.

How long have you been photographing weddings?

I photographed my first wedding in 2006. I've since lost track the number of weddings I've captured in my career, but it's well into the hundreds.

How many weddings do you photograph every year?

After seven years of shootings 25+ weddings each season, I'm limiting the number of weddings I accept to no more than 10 weddings in order to create an extraordinary experience for my clients and simultaneously give time back to my family.

How soon do you book?

On average, weddings are booked 9-12 months before the event date. However, the months of July, August, and September are usually the first to book and usually go 9-12 months before each event. May-June and October-December typically book 6-9 months before. If you're getting married in the Pacific Northwest during the summer, you're best chance at booking your wedding or event is to contact me as soon as you get engaged. If photography is extremely important to you and you connect with my work, it's probably best to contact me even before you've booked your venue. I've photographed so many venues in Seattle and surrounding areas and can give great recommendations based on your personal style and aesthetic. So get in touch and let's talk about making photo magic together. If I'm already booked for your date, inquire about my Associate Photographer, Rosanna, who might still be available!

What kind of camera equipment do you use?

I shoot with Nikon D850 full frame bodies and all prime lenses.

Why don't you include a DVD or thumb drive with your base package?

In order to create more budget flexibility, I don't include the thumb drive so couples can prioritize their coverage needs in a way that allows them to invest in things they care about up front, like additional wedding day coverage, an engagement, second shooter, or wedding album, etc. The best part is, the high resolution images are always available to purchase later.

Do you use an assistant or second shooter when you photograph weddings?

Second shooters are available as an additional service to wedding coverage. I recommend adding a second photographer if you're expecting more than 120 guests at your wedding or if your wedding is taking place across multiple locations, to ensure your guests are photographed candidly, all your details captured, and to capitalize on every special moment and artistic detail that went into creating your beautiful event. If you expect less than 120 guests and everything is happening in one place, I’m comfortable capturing it all on my own. As of 2017, I photograph 80% of weddings solo.

Do you travel for weddings?

Yes! About 20% of the weddings I photograph take place outside the Pacific Northwest. I've shot weddings in some beautiful places including Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, California, New York, and several southern states like North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Arkansas, and Virginia. I've even photographed weddings in Puerto Rico! I look forward to photographing more international destinations in the not-too-distant future!

Are there fees for weddings taking place in the San Juan Islands?

Travel to anywhere in the San Juan Islands requires an additional $700 (covers two nights stay, gas, ferry, and meals).

Are you willing to provide the RAW files for a cost?

The RAW files are available for $2000 (plus tax).

Do you offer a discount for “off season” or weekday wedding dates?

I'm happy to discuss possible options for your off season (November-February) or weekday wedding (Mon - Thurs only). Simply get in touch via the Contact Form or email me at carly@carlybish.com.

Why do you charge significantly more for wedding coverage while seeming to provide less coverage than some of the other photographers we’ve found?

This is a loaded question, so it comes with a loaded answer...

After 16 years of photographing weddings, I’ve learned that I care more about the quality of service I‘m able to provide over how much I can pack into a single package. My base coverage is built on my experience of the “average” wedding and it more than meets a lot of couples’ needs. I‘ve learned that eight hours is too much for many couples, and seven hours seems to be the “magic number” that allows me to capitalize on the time my couples paid to have me, while eliminating “value-less” images from final galleries. So only the highest quality images are delivered and the story told in a meaningful, thoughtful way.

My biggest priority is being fully accessible, highly communicative and involved with each of my couples’ planning process. So when your big day arrives, not only am I documenting your wedding as a photographer and as an artist, but as a friend who is there to celebrate with you as much as your friends and family, who love and support this huge decision to begin a marriage. I get to know my couples on a very deep level and that‘s how I choose to foster that relationship. Because when everything is said and done, your photos are the only thing you have left to remember and reconnect with the amount of love that went into creating the happiest day of your life. Which makes photos a very big deal!

If I’m busily trying to edit the photos I took, as well as a second shooter’s photos, your engagement photos, custom design your wedding album, create a slideshow, storyboard your blog post, burn your thumb drive, upload your online gallery, mail out your deliverables, while also trying to meet and book other potential couples, and doing it all for half of what I charge, I can guarantee you a few things...

1: My communication and response rate would decline. Right now, I pride myself on same-day responses.
2: Your photos wouldn’t be seen until 12-16 weeks after your wedding day. Versus the 6-8 weeks I currently turn them around during peak season.
3: The quality of image processing would also decrease due to the quantity of images needing to be culled and edited.

Worst of all, I would lose my passion for what I do and that isn’t something I’m willing to sacrifice.

So instead, I take on fewer couples during the year so that I can pour everything I am and what I do into providing them with full service and beautiful photos they will cherish forever. At the end of the wedding day, you get what you pay for and if another photographer can provide you with the same quality of work and service for less, then you struck gold! But if you want a more personalized experience with the one wedding professional who’s going to act as your “shadow” on your wedding day, to feel like that one person isn’t just documenting your story but who you’d also call a “friend”, then look no further.

I value what I do for my clients and I also value how I spend time away from my family. That just about sums up why my fees are built how they are.

If you have any other questions, please email me at carly@carlybish.com! Thank you!