“I cannot emphasize enough how much we loved working with Matthew. I'm going to break this review down into a few areas that I think were particularly meaningful to my experience working with Matthew:
Photo Style
I think Matthew's portfolio speaks for itself, but I just appreciate so much how his style blends dreamy romantic shots with a photojournalistic approach. My wedding photos really feel like they captured not only the memories of the day, but the feelings we had.
Pre and Post Wedding Communication
From our initial booking, Matthew was extremely easy to talk to, and made it easy to understand and talk through the details of our contract and what we could expect. I think for people who are planning a wedding for the first time don't realize how much having a vendor who is patient, detail-oriented, and willing to hold your hand and guide you through the process of booking, understanding your goals, and planning for your special day matters, and Matthew could teach a masterclass in this. The pre-work Matthew did of planning, researching the venue, coordinating, and communicating effectively and efficiently was next-level professionalism, and really sets the bar for what it means to book a wedding photographer. I also think it's important to note that all of the post wedding communication has been top-notch – I think it would be understandable to call the job done after the check is paid, but quality of our communication has been consistently amazing.
Day-Of Logistics / Shot Direction
Matthew and his second photographer followed the plan we had set pre-wedding to a T. They were actively leading the coordinating and making sure we had all of the necessary people ready to keep to our timeline. When it was time to do different set shots (family, bridal party, ceremony, sunset), Matthew had locations in mind and was able to give guidance that made us feel comfortable and natural while getting so so many amazing shots (in very constrained timeframes).
Personality
I think Matthew has a very high emotional intelligence, and he was so good at genuinely making everyone feel comfortable in subtle ways. My family and my husband are all very camera shy, and notoriously hate getting their photos taken. There were so many little interactions and things that Matthew did and said that made each person feel comfortable in their own way. A few examples that come to mind:
- At one point, my mom was leaning against a staircase, and Matthew took a portrait of her and told her she was a natural at posing – up until that point, she had been feeling and looking nervous, and after that she really opened up and looked so happy and comfortable.
- My dad is extremely camera shy, hates being on camera and typically looks terrified and self conscious in photos. Matthew said a few things while he was taking our photos that I think really made my dad focus on how excited he was for me and my wedding, and you can just see how happy and loving he is in the photos.”
