About your wedding day:

To start, the bride now has two options about how her wedding is photographed. For many years Mike would bring in a background and professional lighting. By creating his own "set" he has total control of what the final portraits will look like. But lately we have been receiving requests for a more free style or photojournalistic style of photography. While not the style of portraits we have become used to, it does provide a few advantages. With the smaller packages, more time is available for the reception. This means the bride can get a smaller number of pre-wedding photographs and still have time for the reception. The background is still included with the larger packages, since the larger packages provide more time to work with. The background style of coverage can still be added to the 4 or 5 hour packages.

No matter which style the bride selects, she is assured of the finest possible portraits.

Your wedding day actually starts weeks before the wedding. The Bride meets with Michael about three to four weeks before the wedding day, to discuss just what Mike wants to do, this planning will provide the Bride with a schedule of when she and her ladies need to be dressed and ready, what time the Groom is expected to be ready with his best man and his attendants, and at what time family members need to be available for portraits. All these issues and more are resolved during this short appointment with Mike.

With the 4 and 5 hour packages we start the photographs 1 hour before the ceremony, no background is used, only the local area in the church itself. Photographs are taken of the Bride and her ladies. The Groom then gets the remainder of the available time. 

With the 6 and 7 hour packages, the portrait time starts 2 hours before the ceremony. It sounds like a lot of time. But Brides are always surprised at how quickly those 2 hours pass. Mike starts with the Groom and his attendants first, that gives the Bride a little more time before she is needed. After finishing with the Groom, the Bride is given special attention. Mike spends more time with her, it is after all, the Brides day. After creating every possible portrait (and using the unique areas of the wedding location), the Bride is returned to her private room to await the time her wedding will begin.

We start with the groom, we will create portraits of him and his attendants, his parents, his grand parents, his siblings and of course, him alone. His portion of the pre-wedding portraits take approximately 30 minutes. 

Then we start with the bride, her session is a little more involved of course. We will photograph her with her maid or matron of honor, her bridesmaids, her parents, her grand parents, her siblings, then unique and elegant images of her alone, color and black & white images are created. More time is spent with the bride, since we do believe the tradition of it being the brides special day.

With the background style, this means we have usually created most of the required images before the ceremony, this way we can get the wedding party out of the church or ceremony location, much faster and on their way to the reception.

During the ceremony, images will be created from the rear of the sanctuary, using no flash and creating no disturbances! After all, everyone's attention should be focused on the happy couple! Following the ceremony, a few more images will be created at the altar, taking approximately 20 minutes of time.

At the reception, tradition reigns. There, depending on your plans, maybe a receiving line, or images of Dad dancing with the Bride and the Groom dancing with his Mom will be taken. A toast to the happy couple, the cake cutting, and the famous feeding of the cake, are all part of the wedding reception experience and fun. Special family members, college friends, they all make up the fun and thrill of your wedding day.

Followed by a bouquet toss and the garter removal, the excitement of the wedding event continues.

If location and time permits (larger packages usually allow the needed time), we will create breathtaking outdoor environmental portraits, images that will mean as much to you, as the day we create them.

Every bride has said that it was nice to know that Mike's experience was there guiding them through out the day, helping them by offering suggestions, as each part of the event was taking place and capturing the memories that will otherwise fade with time... But will NEVER fade with the beauty of your wedding album and the awesome photographs within to keep your memories fresh and vivid!

Usually 3 weeks after the wedding, we will call to schedule a time for you to pick up your wedding preview album, this album will be used to show your images and to allow members of the families and the wedding party to place any orders they may wish. Order forms are contained within and by simply marking your selection, you'll create a unique storybook effect to your wedding album.

Call the studio ( 304•776•4297 ) to see if your special date is available, we schedule weddings almost 1½ years in advance, due to high demand for our services. If the date is available, we can plan a time for you to come into the studio and enjoy viewing our sample albums and wedding portraits. You may also view additional images here, online, starting in our Wedding Gallery's.

A wedding agreement/contract must be completed and a deposit of $300.00 paid before any wedding date is reserved.

Sorry, but wedding dates are Reserved only with a signed agreement/contract and a paid deposit of $300.00. We do not accept wedding scheduling by internet, or e-mail. A wedding is a very personal experience, to the couples, to the families and to us. A quick trip into the studio or a personal phone call is required.

We accept cash, check, MasterCard and Visa for wedding payments.