Let Yourself Be Inquisitive!

Please take a moment to read this before hiring Wendi and her photography team.

“How long have you been doing what you do, and how did you become a photographer?”
When I was 7, I received a little 110 camera for Christmas, and was always giving my parents rolls of film to develop for me.  My dad gave me an old Minolta SLR when I was 12, and I loved figuring out how to work this fully manual piece of equipment to get the look I wanted from my images.

I attended Western Illinois University and double-majored in Psychology and Communication, and entered the 9-5 world after I graduated.  I never felt fulfilled, though, and turned to photography to keep my mind occupied. What started out as a hobby has turned into an amazing career, and I love that every day I get to pick up my camera and create amazing images and moments for my clients.

I started photographing weddings in 2004, and Wendi Riggens Photography was born in 2006.  Weddings are my world!  The love, the anticipation, the excitement – I love every moment of them!  The biggest compliment I receive is when clients view their images and say that they feel like they can hear what is going on, and remember those moments as if it were yesterday.  That is my goal – to capture your day the way it happens, so that 10, 20, 30 years from now, you remember why you married the person you love, and remember the excitement and love of your day!

 

“We love your services and your portfolio.  Everything sounds fantastic!  So what sets you apart from all the other photographers out there?”
First, I am a full-time professional, which not only means you are getting real experience, but you are also getting our fullest attention.  Many photographers are part-timers that have another job and other obligations that take their attention away from you, the client.  This is our livelihood and our passion, which means you get our fullest attention and the best quality!

We have Christie our office manager and Donielle our album designer on hand to take care of you every step of the way! My wedding second shooter, Brandy, is amazing, too!

Second, the most important part of my job is capturing who you are and the relationship you have with your fiancé, not what you look like.  I am a natural at making my subjects feel at ease in front of the camera, and take great pride in the emotions my images display.

My experience with weddings goes beyond the camera.  In 2002, I opened a bridal shop with my mom, Bonnie’s Bridal and Prom Boutique, and have extensive experience with all aspects of wedding planning.  When necessary, I’ve stepped in to help bustle dresses, pin boutonnieres, cut cakes, and even arrange transportation when the limo didn’t show up.  Throughout your planning, I am available to make recommendations on vendors, time lines, and anything else you may have questions with.
“Do you have a second photographer or assistant with you when you shoot a wedding?”
Yes, I always work with a second photographer who is trained in my style and uses the same level of professional equipment.  My shooters aren’t just someone wanting to learn the business, or a friend tagging along to help.  They are professionally trained and very skilled behind the lens as well.  This allows me to really focus on my clients and provide the most comprehensive coverage possible.  Having two photographers cover your wedding gives you piece of mind that your images will be perfect!

 

“What about an engagement session?”
I love engagements, and include them in all of my packages.  I am not your typical photographer, and your engagement session is a great way for you to get comfortable with my shooting style, and for me to get to know you better.  Many of my clients have told me after their session that they haven’t spent that much quality time with their fiancé in months, and that they fell in love all over again!

We also offer amazing guest books and wall art to display your engagement images at your wedding and in your home!

 

“Do we get our digital files or a CD with our package?”
Yes! I shoot a lot of images throughout a wedding to ensure I am telling the story of your day.  Only so many of those will end up in your custom album.  And no one needs a million 4×6″ proofs laying around.

In select packages, we provide medium-resolution digital files on your choice of CD, DVD, or flash drive, which is the perfect size for scrapbooking, and you can see all of the images we shoot at any time on your computer.  Digital files are only available in packages that include an album or wall art pieces. The digifiles come with a personal reprint release, however the federal copyright is always retained by Wendi Riggens Photography.

If you need larger pieces for your walls, we have a wide variety of custom wall art options available to order including frames, canvas gallery wraps, standouts, floating wraps, and more to ensure you the highest quality possible for your amazing images!

“Do you travel?”
Yes!  In fact that is the one thing I possibly love more than photography.  Combining the two is the best of both worlds!  Local travel to most of Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri is included in all packages.

Destination engagement sessions, destination weddings, even honeymoon photography – I’m there!  I’ve worked all over, including Ohio, Arizona, Tennessee, Florida, and Mexico.  Chicago and St. Louis are just a hop, skip, and a jump away.  I have a “bucket list” of places I want to shoot weddings some day, including Paris, Rome, San Francisco, Jamaica, and NYC.  I’m an experienced traveler and even speak some Spanish, so getting around is easy for me, and my passport is always up-to-date.

 

“Do you have back-up equipment?”
Of course! I will arrive at your wedding with 3 professional Canon EOS camera bodies, multiple lenses, and several Speedlites to ensure that I have the best coverage for your day. My second shooters also have an entire setup as well. Having appropriate backups for equipment is important, just in case something breaks, so I know I am always covered!

I also have several layers of backup for your images during the wedding, so that nothing is ever lost!

 

“This all sounds so wonderful, but it also seems expensive. Are we going to be able to afford this?”
Yes, absolutely!  In fact, when it comes to your wedding photography, it is the one thing that you can’t afford not to afford.  After the wedding, the cake has been eaten, the flowers are wilted, and the dress is preserved, likely never to be worn again, but 20 years from now, you will still have your photos to look at.  Sure, you can ask Uncle Bob to photograph the wedding for you.  But can you trust him to provide you with amazing images that truly tell the story of your day and that are as unique as you are?

Your wedding photography is an investment.  By hiring Wendi Riggens Photography, you are putting a guarantee on your memories. You will have custom images that are more than just your “stand-up-straight-and-smile-pretty” poses at the altar.  Your images will let you remember the little moments that you forgot and relive the love and excitement that you felt as if it were yesterday.

For most of our clients, their photography package is in their top three expenses for the wedding day, but it is by far one of the most important investments they make in their wedding and their future.

Our packages begin at $2500.

 

“Do you take credit cards or have a payment plan?”
Absolutely! We accept all major credit cards.  We will set up an automatic payment plan so that you never have to worry about mailing checks or getting your balance paid before the wedding.  We also have a bridal registry that allows your friends and family to give you the gift of photography.  No one needs three toasters and five blenders and twenty laundry baskets!

“Do you have liability insurance?”
Yes, we carry liability insurance that allows us to shoot in many locations that others can’t.  We also carry full equipment coverage and always have an array of backup camera bodies, lenses, and flashes on hand to ensure that we are never without!

 

“Do you take more than one wedding per day?”
No, we only book one wedding per day.  This allows us to focus entirely on your day and provide you with the best service and the most awesome images possible!

“This sounds like everything we are looking for.  What do we do next?”
Great!  Give us a call at 319.753.3061 or shoot us an email, and we will schedule your complimentary consultation.  I can’t wait to hear more about your day and to get to know you!  You can flip through a variety of sample albums and check out our awesome products, and we’ll talk in more detail about our process and services.

If you aren’t able to make it to our gallery in Burlington, we can set up a phone consultation, or a Skype call so that we can chat about your wedding!

“May we contact your former clients to see what it is like to work with you?”
Of course!  Our brides and grooms love talking about their experience with Wendi Riggens Photography.  You can also read our testimonials page.

“We have a couple more questions before getting started, can we call you?”
Yes! In fact, we prefer it.  Call us at 319.753.3061 or email your questions, and we can also schedule your complimentary consultation!

Thank you for checking us out, and I can’t wait to meet you!  Congrats on your engagement!

Wendi