Wedding Planning

 by Roddy Mackay

Wedding Albums – What should we choose?

 

Wedding albums are much like weddings –  rarely are two the same nowadays, and what one couple loves will likely not always be to someone else’s taste!

With that in mind I offer a range of wedding albums, designed to help you get an album that you love and that will best complement your images.

I currently offer a range of 4 albums with my packages, all of which are customisable to some extent.  I’m also happy to source a different product should you have seen something elsewhere that you would like instead.

I’ve outlined some of the core information on the albums I offer, and links to where you should be able to find the PDFs with set information on the different albums. You can also send me an e-mail if you need more information.

 

What’s Included in our package?

I offer an album entitlement with most of my wedding packages, in addition to your USB of images and online galleries. This allows you to pick which album you would like, and which images you would like to have in it. You can also customise your album with extra images, or extra pages. Package prices have changed recently but you should find a guide to your album allowance below.

For packages booked pre October 2015

£1,600 package a 20 page Mini Eros, A 20 page Combi Book or a 30 page Layflat Infinity
£1,800 package a 30 page Mini Eros, A 30 page Combi Book or a 40 page Layflat Infinity
£2,000 package a 40 page Mini Eros, A 40 page Combi Book or a 40 page Layflat Infinity (additionally you also have 2 x parents vouchers with this package)

What is the difference between the different albums?

The Mini Eros album is handmade in the UK, and features a range of overlays which frame the prints in the album. It comes in a range of 20, 30 or 40 pages. Each page has an overlay with a variety of different apertures, some with space for one image, and some with space for 2, 3 or 4 on a page. The album page size is approx 10 by 8 inches, with a maximum print size of 8 by 6 inches.

The Mini Eros is available in black or white, and comes with a faux leather cover.

wedding albums inverness

The Mini Eros Wedding Album

 

  •  The Hera

The Hera is the big sister to the Mini Eros, and like the Mini Eros it uses a range of mounts to frame images into the page. The biggest difference with the Hera is the size of the album, with a page size of approximately 14 by 11 inches and a maximum print size of 12 by 8 inches. If your budget will stretch to it, I’d highly recommend it as it’s a beautiful product!

the hera albu inverness wedding albums

The Hera wedding album

 

The Combi Book is made by the same craftsmen as the Mini Eros and Hera, but rather than utilising mounts to keep the images on the page, prints are applied directly to the album page, making the most of the images.

The Combi Book comes in two sizes, (8 by 6 and 12 by 8 inches) and your choice of a 20, 30 or 40 pages. (The Combi Book option included in package is for a 12 by 8 version of the book.

 

Combi Book wedding album inverness

The Combi Book

 

The Layflat is a press printed book with a unique spine system that allows for images to be spread across two pages with virtually no loss of image on the centre of the page.

With a 12 by 12 inch page size that folds out to a 24 by 12 inch size, the Layflat is a great product when you want to make the most of your key images.

Layflat Coffee Table Book

Layflat Coffee Table Book

 

The Memento is a great additional product to accompany your album, or great as a basic standalone product in its own right. As a digitally press printed book it allows space to have contact sheets of all of your images from the day in addition to a selection of some of your favourite images as larger prints. Due to its size  (A4) it’s also a great product to pop into a handbag and take with you to share with friends and family.

The Memento also makes a great gift for family or bridal party members, with costs from £95 or £75 when ordering multiple copies.

The Memento Book

The Memento Book

 

 

 

How many images can we have in our album?

Each product contains a different number of images, but most are cutomisable.

With the Mini Eros, Hera and Combi Books you have a set number of images which corresponds with the number of pages in your product, so a 20 page would have 20 images and so on.

Additional images can be added at a cost of £5 per extra image, or 10 extra pages can be added at a cost of £95, with 10 additional images.

You can have an unlimited number of images in a Layflat album, presuming there is enough space for the design to hold it.

Can we add an album or extra albums to our package?

Absolutely! Albums can be ordered as standalone products should you wish to add one into your package, or additional albums can be ordered for yourself, friends and family.

Costs of albums vary depending on up to date info from suppliers, but as a guide – current album costs are as below.

30 page Mini Eros – £295

40 page Mini Eros – £395

20 page 12 by 8 inch Combi Book £250

30 page 12 by 8 inch Combi Book £295

40 page 12 by 8 inch Combi Book £395

40 page 12 by 12 inch Layflat: £295

60 page 12 by 12 inch Layflat: £395

The Hera: POA

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sunset wedding photo
 by Roddy Mackay

Inverness Wedding Photography Costs

Recently engaged and planning your upcoming wedding? Congratulations!

Once the celebrations have calmed down a little you’ll no doubt be getting your notepad out and looking to get an idea about the different costs involved in planning your wedding. There’s a lot to take in – but I’ll be happy to help!

I’ve been photographing weddings for the last 10 years, and have had the pleasure of sharing the day with hundreds of couples during that time. I’m now based in Inverness but I love visiting new venues (and old ones!) and frequently travel throughout Scotland and further afield for weddings.

Wedding photography costs are essentially determined by what you would like to include in a package – that normally covers a certain amount of time on the day and all of the rest of the work that comes either in preparing for the wedding, or the post wedding edits, gallery construction and albums. As photographers we know that everyone has a camera with them at a wedding nowadays – but our skillset is unique, and you can expect us to spend about 6-8 days in total working on your wedding.

It’s great to have images available to share with family and friends after the wedding – so that is included in all of my packages as standard. It can be tempting to hide a USB in a drawer and forget all about it after the wedding, so I also offer a range of wedding albums, wall art products and prints in order to make the most of those important images. Each package also contains a personalised mobile app with up to 40 images of your day – ideal for sharing with friends and family!

You can find a full listing of my pricing for weddings below but if you are planning a small boutique wedding, a midweek celebration or an elopement then please do get in touch, I’d be happy to advise further.

You can also download a PDF with information on my packages here – or send me an e-mail here.

£995
  • - Pre wedding consultation to help plan out your wedding day and advise on the best options for your wedding photos.
  • - Coverage on the wedding day up until the mealtime.
  • - A USB of your images post wedding with licence to print and share images with family and friends.
  • - A password protected online gallery of your images to share with family and friends.
  • - A mobile app of a selection of your images to give a flavour of the day - accessible online or via your mobile device!
  • (£995 package is only availble on select dates and smaller
  • weddings - get in touch for more details)
Enquire
£1,295
  • – Pre wedding consultation to help plan out your wedding day and advise on the best options for your wedding photos.
  • – Coverage on the wedding from the preparations on the day up until the first few dances.
  • – A USB of your images post
  • wedding with licence to print and share images with family and friends.
  • – A password protected online
  • gallery of your images to share with family and friends.
  • – A mobile app of a selection of your images to give a flavour of the day – accessible online or via your mobile device!
  • – A £100 print credit towards prints, wall art or album products
Enquire
£1,695
  • - Pre wedding consultation to help plan out your wedding day and advise on the best options for your wedding photos.
  • - Coverage on the wedding from the preparations on the day up until the first few dances.
  • - A USB of your images post
  • wedding with licence to print and share images with family and friends.
  • - A password protected online
  • gallery of your images to share with family and friends.
  • - A mobile app of a selection of your images to give a flavour of the day - accessible online or via your mobile device!
  • - A £100 print credit towards prints, wall art or album products
  • - An additional selection of Black and White images in your edit
  • - A choice between a 30 page Combi Book, Layflat or Mini Eros album
Enquire
£1,995
  • £1,995
  • - Pre wedding consultation to help plan out your wedding day and advise on the best options for your wedding photos.
  • - Coverage on the wedding from the preparations on the day up until the first few dances.
  • - A USB of your images post
  • wedding with licence to print and share images with family and friends.
  • - A password protected online
  • gallery of your images to share with family and friends.
  • - A mobile app of a selection of your images to give a flavour of the day - accessible online or via your mobile device!
  • - A £100 print credit towards prints, wall art or album products
  • - An additional selection of Black and White images in your edit
  • - A choice between a 40 page Combi Book, Layflat or Mini Eros album
  • - 2 x parents vouchers with a £100 print credit towards prints, wall art or album products
Enquire
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bayble beach wedding western isles
 by Roddy Mackay

Stornoway Town Hall Wedding Fair

Stornoway Town Hall are planning their first wedding fair to be held on March 14th, and I’ll be exhibiting there on my first trip to Lewis of the year.

The fair is a charity fundraiser, with monies raised from the event going to support 3 charities on the island which are:

  • Lewis & Harris Breast Cancer Support Group
  • Hebridean Men’s Cancer Support Group
  • Action for Children Stornoway

As well as being a great opportunity to meet suppliers for your wedding planning, there will also be a fashion show and other events on the day. Ticket costs also cover a buffet lunch, tea and cakes + mocktails. You can order tickets through Third Sector Hebrides.

 

Eoropie Beach Engagement Session

Mairi and Tim’s Bernera Beach Wedding

I won’t be offering portrait sessions on this trip over due to availability (and waiting until the weather improves) but I’d be happy to advise on availability for upcoming holiday dates for both my portrait and wedding work.

 

I’ll also be showcasing some of my previous wedding work during the show from weddings either on the island, or off it. I should have some limited availability to meet with prospective couples on the evening of the 13th March also, should you want to get booked in before others take the available dates!

 

You can view some of my previous Lewis Portrait work here, or some of my previous Wedding content here.

 

Tickets for the show are available from Third Sector Hebrides – I look forward to meeting you there!

 

Want more info? Get in touch!

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glencoe winter wedding engagement photos
 by Roddy Mackay

Non wedding day Wedding Photos – time to do it again?

I love photographing weddings and trying to capture as much of the day as I possibly can on camera to give couples great memories for years to come.

There is however something even more satisfying about photographing couples before or after the wedding, where the time or weather constraints on a regular wedding day don’t apply and we can really make more of the surrounding landscape to find some really extra special shots to give you great memories.

It’s becoming increasingly popular now to plan a mini pre wedding shoot before the wedding to help give you a little time to get used to being in front of the camera, or even getting dressed up after the day and heading to a location that may be out of your reach on your wedding day.

Typically I’ll be happy to take some ideas from a couple on locations that are special to you – or give you some ideas as to where would work well – and what time of year may be a good option.

You don’t need to be getting married to get some great shots, and even if you have been for a long time – why not arrange a session to get back out to your favourite places and create some beautiful shots together?

 

Get in touch for more info!

in Uncategorized / Wedding Planning / Weddings 0 comments
 by Roddy Mackay

Win another Luxury Mini Break in Strathpeffer!

Love is definitely in the air.

It’s a busy wedding weekend with my first wedding of the year tomorrow. Julie and Jordan have come from Germany and Cambridge via the USA to get married and I’m looking forward to getting some great shots for them.

I’ll also be exhibiting at the MFR Wedding fair at the Mercure Hotel this weekend and to celebrate I’ve teamed up with MacKenzies’ in Strathpeffer again to offer a mini break in Strathpeffer.

The prize consists of:

– 1 night’s accomodation for two at Linnmhor House, a beautiful luxury Bed and Breakfast in the heart of the Highlands.

– Lunch for two the following day at MacKenzies in Strathpeffer.

– A mini Whisky tasting course at Celtic Spirits.

To enter you need to head to head to my Facebook Page here and like and comment on the post to nominate yourself or a friend!

The winning entry will be notified by Saturday 28th February.

in Wedding Planning / Weddings 0 comments
 by Roddy Mackay

How to pick a wedding photographer

Getting married? Congratulations!

If there’s one thing guaranteed about your wedding day, it’s that it will fly by.  So getting some great wedding photographs to make the most of your memories is highly recommended.  There’s a lot of options out there when it comes to photographers, so here’s 4 points to consider when making your selection:

 

1. You like their portfolio

It may sound obvious but you need to love the style of photographs that your photographer takes and understand what’s involved in shooting to that style.  ‘Documentary’, ‘reportage’, ‘traditional’: there’s a lot of buzz words in wedding photography – ask your potential photographer what they mean to help you decide what you are looking for.

 

2. You like them

Your photographer will be around you and your guests for a lot, if not all, of your wedding day – you want to make sure that you can enjoy their company.  A good photographer should have the equivalent of a doctor’s bedside manner and be able to get alongside you, your friends and family, and know how to help you make the most of your wedding day. It’s not just what they do, but it’s how they do it!

 

3. They have the right kit

The photography (and videography) market is swamped with amateurs and hobbyists.  While they might be able to take some good pictures, you need to know that they can shoot a job from start to finish.  Photography equipment is very expensive but a full-time professional photographer will have invested well to make sure they have the full range of kit required to give you the best possible photographs.
Do they have back up lenses, back up cameras? Can they provide a set of studio lights to shoot indoors should the weather not be as you hoped?

 

4. They’ve got experience

We’ve all got to start somewhere but a photographer with experience of wedding environments and timetables is a huge benefit.  They will be able to give you plenty ideas as to how to make even more of your schedule, the weather on the day, and the photographs that you hope they can capture for you.

 

Want more information?

I’ve been shooting weddings for 10 years and still love the excitement of getting great images that make the most of your wedding memories. If you would like more information, get in touch – I’d love to hear from you.

Send me an e-mail
in Wedding Planning / Weddings 0 comments
 by Roddy Mackay

Working with an Assistant Photographer

Why You Should Consider It

As much as I try to cover everything I can on a wedding day, there are some weddings especially where a second pair of hands if of real benefit.  A second photographer who understands how I work and has experience of my style can really increase the number of images from all parts of the day that are then provided to you post-wedding.

At certain stages of the day, the second shooter will be photographing alongside me, whereas at other points I’ll ask them to cover things that I’m not able to.  For example, while I’m undertaking the group shots, a second photographer will be able to capture candid coverage of your drinks reception, thus covering more of the action of the day! They can also be of great benefit to help cover a second angle on certain moments such as the ceremony.

When working with a second photographer, I always try to give them a brief based on what you’ve told me will be happening on your wedding day, who’s coming and what they can expect.  I realise that you might have a lot of pictures from your wedding guests, but images shot by a trained second shooter to a brief will be of a defined quality that matches the style that you’ve asked me to provide you with.

 

Who do I use as my second shooters?

I have 3 main criteria for recruiting assistant photographers to work alongside me and these are:

1. They can shoot good photographs.
2. They have quality kit, capable of the job.
3. They have a friendly personality.

 

I currently have a selection of second photographers that I work alongside, I’ll only ever use somebody who’s quality I can be certain of, and who has the right personality that you are going to want to be with you at your wedding!

 

What does it cost?

Depending on who is available, the typical costs for 2015 weddings are approximately £400 – £500.  Each second shooter supplies me with their files post-wedding for me to edit alongside my own, to then provide to you as part of your package.

If you want to find out more about an available second photographer for your wedding then get in touch and I’d be happy to help.

 

Get in touch for more info

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