Stress-free Wedding Planning Podcast #187: From Behind The Lens: A Photographer’s Honest Advice To Protect Your Wedding Memories
How do you pick a wedding photographer vendor who truly understands your vision?
The Stress-free Wedding Planning Podcast
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Meet Sal and Sam, your hosts for The Stress-free Wedding Planning Podcast. Additionally, this podcast is for engaged couples who feel overwhelmed with wedding planning and family expectations but want a memorable and fun wedding day.
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Sal and Sam are your hosts, two professional DJs with over 80 years of combined wedding expertise and thousands of happy couples. Furthermore, they’ll guide you through planning your wedding. As a result, taking you from concern and being overwhelmed, to a memorable, fun, and stress-free wedding.
Also, listen for engaging interviews from event professionals and insightful topics.
In This Edition
In this week’s edition, we discuss crucial tips and insider secrets from professional photographer Dariusz Terepka to ensure your wedding memories are perfectly captured.
Firstly, the episode features advice on criteria for selecting a skilled photographer, including artistic style, experience, professionalism, and customer testimonials.
Additionally, key tips include questions to ask vendors, identifying red flags, and expressing your vision.
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Stress-free Wedding Planning Podcast #187: From Behind The Lens: A Photographer’s Honest Advice To Protect Your Wedding Memories
Host: Sal & Sam
Music: “Sam’s Tune” by Rick Anthony
Join our community for free tips and suggestions – Stress-free Wedding Planning Community
Produced by Atmosphere Productions in association with After Hours Events of New England
Transcript
From Behind The Lens: A Photographer’s Honest Advice To Protect Your Wedding Memories
DJ Sal: If you could sit down with an experienced photographer for an hour, what would you want them to walk you through first? Timeline, maybe the shot list, or vendor red flags.
DJ Sam: So many brides walk away from their wedding day with a quiet ache. The photo that never happened, the moment that slipped away, the detail that went unnoticed. What’s the one photo or moment you must have captured on your wedding day?
DJ Sal: We’ll answer these questions and more in today’s edition of the Stress-Free Wedding Planning Podcast. From Behind The Lens, A Photographer’s Honest Advice To Protect Your Wedding Memories. Thanks for joining us. Hi, I’m Sal from After Hours Events of New England. That’s After Hours Events Of N.E dot com.
DJ Sam: I’m Sam from Atmosphere Productions. Atmosphere hyphen productions.com. Learn more about our [00:01:00] experience and the journey to help you with stress-free wedding planning in the trailer or pilots of this podcast.
Speaker: Welcome to stress-free Wedding Planning, the podcast that will transform your wedding planning journey from chaotic to enchanting, Sal and Sam bring over 80 years of combined wedding expertise and exclusive insider information to the table. If you’re recently engaged, feeling the pressure of wedding planning.
Struggling with family expectations, but still dreaming of a joy-filled wedding. You’ve come to the right place. Get ready to unveil the best-kept wedding secrets. Discover practical tips and strategies and learn life-changing lessons for a stress-free wedding. Your unforgettable wedding day awaits.
We’re here to take you on a transformative journey of love, laughter, and memories, so don’t miss out on the podcast. That just might change your life. This is the Stress-Free Wedding Planning Podcast with Sal and Sam.
DJ Sam: There are specific considerations for determining which photographer to hire for your wedding. Keep in mind these [00:02:00] criteria before parting with your hard-earned money.
DJ Sal: Consider artistic, authentic style.
DJ Sam: Search for experience and professionalism.
DJ Sal: Your choice must have a guided, supportive approach for couples.
DJ Sam: Make sure your choice has comprehensive wedding coverage and services.
DJ Sal: Most importantly, only consider vendors with consistent rave reviews and respected professional awards.
DJ Sam: Your memories deserve to be handled by people who see them as priceless, because that’s exactly what they are.
DJ Sal: Behind every beautiful gallery you see online, there are real stories. Brides in tears over missed family photos. Let me tell you, I’ve seen timelines that fell apart before the ceremony, florals that weren’t what was promised, and once-in-a-lifetime moments that were not captured!
DJ Sam: We saw this post online recently, and we were so moved by it that we had to pass it on to you, our listeners. This post [00:03:00] was written from the heart by a professional photographer who we know and have worked with on numerous occasions.
His name Darius from Dariusz Terepka Photography.
DJ Sal: Darius is a professional that has stood in those ballrooms and event spaces, seen the regret in couples eyes and knows with the right guidance, so much of that heartbreak can be prevented.
DJ Sam: And now here’s Darius’s post in its entirety.
Edward: Actual post by Dariusz Terepka – Professional Photographer.
” Engaged couples, this is something I feel you truly need to hear – from a professional photographer who’s seen a lot behind the scenes.
Every week, I hear stories from brides who are heartbroken because parts of their wedding didn’t go as planned – photos missing, timelines falling apart, florals not as requested, coordinators running late, special moments never captured. And the truth is: you only get this day once.
I’m not writing this to tell you to hire me.
I’m writing this because sitting down with an experienced photographer – someone who has worked countless weddings – can save you from [00:04:00] so many of the situations I see couples go through after the fact. A simple consultation, even if you end up booking someone else, can completely change how you plan, prepare, and choose the right team for your day.
A professional photographer can walk you through:
One: What questions to ask your vendors.
Two: Red flags to watch for when hiring.
Three: How to structure a timeline so nothing gets rushed or missed.
Four: Which moments typically slip through the cracks, and how to prevent it.
Five: How to ensure family formals and special requests don’t get lost.
Six: How to communicate your vision clearly and confidently.
You deserve a team that treats your wedding with care, professionalism, and preparation.
If you’ve recently been married and feel disappointed, please know you are not alone. I hear these stories far too often, and every time, it reminds me just how important proper guidance is before booking your vendors.
Sit down with a photographer – even if it’s just for advice.
Learn what to do, what not to do, and how to protect the memories you cannot recreate.
Whether you choose me, or someone else doesn’t [00:05:00] matter.
What matters is going into your wedding day informed, prepared, and surrounded by professionals you can trust. Your memories des
DJ Sal: If you wanna take a peek at someone who’s gonna give you genuine experience at preparation and show you what that really looks like, you need to go see Darius on his website at DariuszTerepka dot com forward slash portfolio. That’s D-A-R-I-U-S-Z-T-E-R-E-P-K-A forward slash portfolio with a lowercase “p”.
Vanessa: This is the stress-free Wedding Plan podcast with Sal and Sam. A podcast for engaged couples concerned about wedding planning and family expectations, but who wanna have a stress-free, fun and unforgettable wedding.
JR: You are not the same as the person next to you. You dress to reflect your personality. You enjoy customizing your drink at the coffee shop. Even your pet’s collars match at least two pairs of your pants. It’s only natural that your wedding would showcase your unique touch. [00:06:00] After Hours Events of New England gets this; they like to give their clients full artistic control.
If you find yourself lost, their team of event specialists can help. They handle everything from DJs, photo booths, event lighting, photography, videography, even Officiants. Give them a visit on the web and call today. Let’s get planning, After Hours Events of New England. After Hours Events Of N.E. dot com.
Don’t forget to like and follow on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel, all at After Hours Events Of N.E. That’s After Hours Events Of N.E.
DJ Sam: Do you have a question or concern? Go now to Facebook and join us on the stress-free Wedding Planning Community and now in the Connecticut Wedding Advice Community. You can also join us on our YouTube channel. Just search for Stress-Free Wedding Planning Podcast with Sal and Sam. Like, comment, subscribe, and get it first. We’d like to thank you for listening, and because of you. We’re now ranked at number 13 in the Top 60 Wedding [00:07:00] Planning podcast by million podcast dot com.
DJ Sal: It’s that time. It’s Wedding Tip Wednesday time. But first, some wedding advice. Always remember the three special words that will smooth over any marriage problem. What are those three words? “You’re right dear!”
DJ Sam: Again, Sal, truer words have never been said. On today’s Wedding Tip Wednesday. It’s all about nourishing your wedding vendors. Now, I think this is very important. Make arrangements to provide a meal for your wedding vendors. They’ll be working hard throughout the day to ensure your celebration is memorable. So, it’s important to coordinate with your wedding venue or caterer to have food prepared for them. This way they’ll feel appreciated and energized to keep delivering their best for you. And as a host, that should be important to you.
DJ Sal: That’s another wedding tip from Sal and Sam.
Vanessa: And now back to the Stress-Free Wedding [00:08:00] Planning Podcast.
DJ Sam: Thanks for joining us back for From Behind The Lens A Photographer’s Honest Advice To Protect Your Wedding Memories. I’m Sam from Atmosphere Productions.
DJ Sal: And I’m from After Hours Events of New England.
You heard some powerful thoughts from our friend Darius in the first half. As you heard, an experienced wedding photographer pulls back the curtain to share what really happens behind the scenes and how a simple consultation can save the stress, time, and regret.
DJ Sam: Before you finalize your vendors, take an hour to sit with a photographer who has walked through dozens of wedding days and knows where things most often go wrong and how to make them go right. Ask the hard questions, learn what to watch for, and leave with a clearer vision on how to guard the memories you never want to lose.
DJ Sal: Now let’s get to it. The key points to remember [00:09:00] when picking a wedding photographer. Focus on genuine emotions, natural interactions, and candid moments rather than stiff overly-posed photos. Look for a photographer who uses creative lighting, angles and movement to create timeless story-driven images that feel like you, the couple, not a template.
DJ Sam: Consider experience. A strong portfolio, and at least eight years in photography and extensive wedding experience is important. Maybe even the photographer team dedicated to the full wedding journey. Also look for a certified professional who’s a member of an organization, such as PPA, and known for reliability, preparation, and polished results.
DJ Sal: Something that’s very important, guided, supportive approach for couples. Look for photographers who emphasize communication, comfort, and build trust so couples feel [00:10:00] relaxed and confident in front of the camera. Research photographers who provide education and guidance on questions to ask, timelines, and expectations. This helps a couple avoid common photography regrets.
DJ Sam: Look for vendors that offer extended coverage, second photographer, high resolution images, albums, prints and video options to fully document the day. Have a tailored coverage, so you, the couple, can protect the moments that matter most. From quiet getting ready moments to the last dance.
DJ Sal: Search reviews on Google, Wedding Wire, The Knot, Zola, that past couples have described as professional, energetic, and “the best decision” plus five-star reviews reinforcing trust for newly engaged couples.
Finally, check out our edition 117 Wedding Photography Scams. Don’t Let Your Special Day Turn Into A Nightmare. Our [00:11:00] special guest was Darius.
DJ Sam: So there you have it. This isn’t about selling a service. It’s about offering you a quiet, steady hand before you make decisions that shape your memories. Sitting down with an experienced photographer, even if you don’t book them, can change everything about how confident, calm, and cared for you feel on the day. You say, “I do.”
Sal: Now as you spend the next week planning your wedding, if you want me, Sam, or our community of stress-free engaged couples and wedding experts to answer any wedding-related questions, join us over in the Stress-Free Wedding Planning Facebook group. Once you’re in, go ahead and share your concerns and worries and we’ll let you know if you’re on the right track or if there’s something we need to work on.
The link to join us is in the show notes of this edition, or go to Facebook and search for the stress-free Wedding Planning Community. A new edition is released every Wednesday. Subscribe and get it first. Remember to do something nice for someone today, [00:12:00] and if you can’t, do something nice for yourself.
We’ll catch you then. Ciao!
Sylvester: Thank you for listening to this edition. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve just heard, leave a review and share it with a friend or someone who would benefit from this information. Until next time, it’s TTFN. Tah Tah for now.
Wayne: The Stress-Free Wedding Planning Podcast is produced and copyrighted by Atmosphere Productions in association with After Hours Events of New England.
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