Photo and video

The photos remain

Flowers wilt, the cake gets eaten, but photos and film last for decades. That is why many couples put a significant part of the budget here.

A good photographer does not just take pretty shots but tells the story of the day - so that years later you remember everything.

Our role

We know the photographers and videographers, we look at their complete work, and we know who has which style and which language.

For your wishes we choose two or three candidates, set up a video call and check the contract details.

Style

A documentary style catches natural moments, almost unnoticed. A posed style creates beautiful, considered portraits.

Many photographers combine both: the ceremony and supra documentary, the photo session posed.

Colour is part of the style too: light and airy, warm and contrasting, film-like. We choose a photographer whose colour you like.

The full gallery

In a portfolio every photographer shows their best shots. We ask for the complete gallery of one wedding, from morning to night.

A full gallery shows how the photographer works in poor light, indoors, at night and at a crowded supra.

If the quality is even across the full gallery, that is a good sign.

Talking to the photographer

Before the contract we set up a video call with the photographer. Often within five minutes it is clear whether you feel comfortable.

On the wedding day the photographer will be closer to you than anyone, so chemistry matters.

Many photographers speak English or Russian. Otherwise we translate.

How many hours

A full day usually covers eight to ten hours: getting ready, the ceremony, the photo session, the start of the supra, the first dance.

A small wedding or an elopement needs four or five hours.

A Georgian supra goes on late, but the last hours of the night often look the same. So we keep the photographer until what really matters is done.

A second shooter

With more than fifty guests a second photographer is often worth it. They cover another angle at the same time.

At the ceremony one shoots the couple, the other the guests' faces. While getting ready one is with one partner, the other with the other.

At a small wedding one good photographer is enough.

Video formats

A short film set to music, often three to ten minutes, is what gets watched and shared with family most.

Full video keeps the ceremony, speeches and first dance unedited. For the family this is often the most precious.

A short vertical video for social media is also possible. We agree that in advance.

Sound in the video

Vows, speeches and toasts are the soul of the video. We record them with a separate microphone.

Outdoors, wind ruins sound. The videographer checks this in advance and chooses microphones accordingly.

Georgian toasts can be translated in the video with subtitles. For a foreign family that is a special gift.

The drone

Drone footage gives a vineyard, mountains or the sea a new scale. But flying is not allowed everywhere.

Near the airport and some public and state sites flying is restricted. In the city centre permission is often needed.

A drone does not fly in wind or rain. So it is always an extra, not the basis of the plan.

The golden hour

The best light is the hour before sunset - soft, warm, with long shadows. We plan the photo session for that time.

Midday sun is harsh, especially in summer. We do not recommend an open-air ceremony at that hour.

We calculate the exact sunset time for the date and place and write it into the running order.

The pre-wedding shoot

A pre-wedding shoot - the so-called love story - takes place on a separate day, more calmly, without guests.

You get to know the photographer, get used to the camera, and on the wedding day you already feel at ease.

It is a good chance to shoot at a distant location - in the mountains or by the sea - if the wedding is in the city.

Locations in Tbilisi

The streets of old Tbilisi, wooden balconies, Abanotubani, the view of Narikala, the banks of the Mtkvari - all within walking distance.

Tourist spots are crowded by day. Early in the morning or at sunset the streets are quiet.

Photographers know quiet courtyards where there are no crowds and the light is beautiful.

Locations out of town

Kakheti's vineyards, Kazbegi's peaks, lakes and forests - all within a few hours.

A photo session out of town needs a separate half-day, including the drive.

Some locations involve walking. Wedding shoes are no good for that - bring a change.

Filming in church

In a Georgian church the priest sets the rules for photographing a church wedding. In some it is allowed, in others restricted.

Flash is often forbidden, and the photographer does not move towards the altar. So experience of working in low light matters.

We clarify the conditions in advance and brief the photographer, so there are no surprises at the ceremony.

Public places

When shooting in the street, passers-by end up in the frame. A good photographer handles this with angles and timing.

In some places - a museum, a historic monument - professional shooting needs permission. We check this in advance.

Respect for people comes first: we do not photograph strangers close up without their permission.

Getting-ready photos

The morning preparations - hair, the dress, the buttonhole - are often the most emotional shots. They need light and a tidy room.

We recommend choosing a room with a window for getting ready and gathering the suitcases in one corner.

The photographer spends an hour on the preparations. If there are two rooms, a second shooter is most useful here.

Details

Rings, the invitation, shoes, perfume, flowers - detail shots complete the story of the wedding.

Gather all the details in one box the evening before, so the photographer finds them straight away in the morning.

If you have a family heirloom - a grandmother's ring, an old photo - tell the photographer in advance.

Photo and video together

The photographer and videographer shoot the same moment and must not end up in each other's frames.

So one team that works together is often better. If they are separate, we introduce them before the wedding.

Both receive the running order, and we agree in advance who stands where at the ceremony.

The group photo list

Family group photos most often descend into chaos: who is where, who has wandered off.

So we draw up a list in advance: who with whom, in what order. Our coordinator gathers the people.

Ten groups take fifteen minutes if the list exists. Without it - an hour.

Guests' phones

At the ceremony guests' phones often get in the professional photographer's way and spoil shots.

Some couples declare an "unplugged" ceremony. The host reminds everyone politely.

At the supra phones are fine, and guests' shots can be collected in a shared album.

Filming the supra

The Georgian supra is a source of emotion: toasts, laughter, singing, dancing. A good photographer catches those moments.

We tell the photographer when the main toasts and the dance performance will be, so they are in place.

No one wants photos while eating. The photographer uses those minutes to rest.

Night photos

After sunset the photographer needs extra light. An experienced one does this without bothering guests.

A photo against the city at night or the stars is a short separate session, ten to fifteen minutes.

Fireworks and special effects are agreed in advance with the venue and the photographer.

Weather

An overcast day is often better for photos than harsh sun - the light is soft and faces look beautiful.

In rain, clear umbrellas and indoor locations help. Some of the best shots are taken in the rain.

We plan a mountain photo session flexibly around the weather, with a spare hour or day.

Meals and breaks for the photographer

On a ten-hour day the photographer and videographer need to eat and take a short break. We keep a place for them near the supra.

This small thing is often forgotten, but a tired photographer shoots badly.

We agree meals with the venue in advance, so there is a separate menu for suppliers.

Travel and overnight stays

If the wedding is in Kakheti or the mountains, the photographer needs transport and often an overnight stay.

Driving back to Tbilisi at night after a late wedding is not safe. So we book a room nearby.

These costs are a separate line in the proposal, so there are no surprises.

The contract

The contract should state: hours, delivery time, the approximate number of photos, format and deposit.

We check what happens if the photographer falls ill - who replaces them and at what level.

The contract is in Georgian, and we translate the key points for you.

Delivery time

Many photographers send a few of the best photos within days, for a first impression. The full gallery takes weeks.

The film takes longer, often one to three months, depending on how busy the season is.

We write the deadline into the contract and keep track of it. If it slips, we get in touch.

The online gallery

Photos usually arrive in an online gallery, from which you can download them and share them with family.

A gallery often has an expiry - a few months or a year. Download the photos straight away.

If the families are in different countries, one link brings everyone together. In some galleries guests can upload photos too.

Unedited files

Most photographers hand over edited photos, not unedited RAW files. That is normal practice.

Editing is part of the photographer's style. An unedited file is not yet their work.

If you need RAW files, we agree it before the contract - some agree, some do not.

Album and prints

Photos often get lost on a screen. A printed album stays in the family and passes down the generations.

Tbilisi has good labs and album makers. The design is prepared by the photographer or a designer.

We send the finished album by international courier, in sturdy packaging.

Usage rights

Photographers often use wedding photos in their portfolio or on social media. This should be written into the contract.

If you want privacy - for example, faces not shown - we agree that in advance.

For personal use the photos are yours: printing, sharing, an album.

Backups

A professional photographer shoots onto two memory cards at once. If one fails, the other remains.

After the wedding the files are stored in several places. We check this with the photographer.

Once you receive the gallery, keep two copies yourselves - on a computer and in the cloud.

A family in two countries

When the families are in different countries, everyone is waiting for the photos and the film. One shared gallery makes this easier.

Bilingual subtitles in the film let both families understand everything.

If someone could not come, a live stream of the ceremony is possible. We check the internet on site in advance.

Your own photographer

Some couples bring their own photographer from home. That is possible, and we help them on site.

A foreign photographer has not seen the locations. We brief them on the route, the light and the restrictions.

If they are bringing expensive equipment, we check flight and customs rules in advance.

Common mistakes

Choosing a photographer from Instagram alone, without seeing a full gallery. A ceremony in the midday sun.

No group photo list. No time left for the photo session in the running order.

A drone as the basis of the plan, without checking permission and weather.

What we need from you

A few photos you like - style, colour, shots. That makes choosing a photographer easier.

What you need: photo, video, drone, album. How many hours and how many guests.

Which language you speak and whether you want a pre-wedding shoot.

Price

The cost of photo and video depends on the hours, the size of the team, travel and the album.

We add nothing to the photographer's price. Travel and overnight stays are separate lines.

We compare several candidates' offers in one spreadsheet, so the difference is clear.