Z MEDIA Blog

1.17.2010

This has been an amazing year for Z MEDIA.  We've not only had fantastic weddings and clients, but we've experienced exceptional growth in one of the worst economies ever.  We are up nearly 60% over 2008.  On top of that, we're already ahead of this year for next year.  November alone was one of our best months ever as a company.  All we can say is a heartfelt "Thank You".  These are exciting times.

That brings us to 2010.  This next year will see our most exciting announcements ever as a company.  We're saving everything for the Today's Bride Show on 1.17.10 at the IX Center, but it will be worth the wait.  We can't tell you what we're doing yet, but you won't be disappointed.  We hope to see you there!

---Chris and Julie

Choosing Your Photographer Day 6

Here's an area to investigate when you are looking at booking a photographer.  Any package you purchase should have a full resolution image DVD of your photographs.  There should be no copyright restrictions, no watermarks (an overlay of the photographer's name or copyright symbol) and no funny business about lower resolution files that only print up to a certain size.  Another area to avoid are DVD slideshows of your images.  These may be nice for viewing the images on your TV (albeit at a much lower resolution than your computer screen), but these files can not be printed.   Make sure you are getting actual image files from your photographer on a data DVD or set of data CDs.  This is the only way to go.

Verify whether or not your images are actually going to be edited.  Z MEDIA goes to great lengths to edit all of the images we provide to our couples.  We've seen photographers that simply take the files out of the camera and give them to the couples without putting any effort into them.  This may save money, but the images are not going to look their best.  We've seen others use automated processing routines to process their images.  We've looked at different packages for this and they just don't produce usable images in our opinion.  Our Z MEDIA photographers edit each and every image you receive.  Nothing beats the human eye looking at each image individually.  This takes a ton of additional time, but it is worth it.

Next, verify approximately how many images you will receive.  This is very much dependent on the day and how many photographers you have.  We say that a single photographer wedding for full day coverage will submit somewhere between 600 and 1000 images to you.  A two photographer wedding will be between 1000 and 2000 images depending on the length of coverage and the complexity of the event. 

More to come!

---Chris and Julie

Choosing Your Photographer Day 5

This may seem like a no-brainer - but not only do you want to get to know your photographer, but you also want to view their work.  Make sure that you are meeting with your lead photographer and actually seeing photographs that they have taken.   When you hire a Z MEDIA associate photographer, you view actual examples of their photographs.

---Chris and Julie

Choosing Your Photographer Day 4

This week, we'll talk just a bit about reading a photographer's price list.  There are now so many options available along with so many different photography terms that price lists can be a bit daunting.  Each day we'll go over some basics and some things to look for.

Package price -

Is the package price actually the total cost of working with the photographer?  Other than sales tax, what you see is what you should get.  You shouldn't have to pay any more after the wedding unless you choose to do so or you request additional services not included in your contract.

In other words - make sure the price is the price.  Some areas to watch out for are album credits (ask the photographer to at least commit to a certain album price and put it in the contract - if they won't, run away).   If you decide to add more pages, images, options or increase the size of the book, you can expect to pay more, but you need to know what the cost is up front for a book that you want.  If you leave this to later, its going to cost you.  Also make sure you are getting a full resolution DVD of your images - not a stripped down version or one with copyright marks on it.  Best to find out up front.

More to come on Wednesday.

Choosing Your Photographer Day 3

Ok - so you have an idea of what your budget is going to be.  Now, narrow your search down to those photographers that fit within your budget.  Is it possible that you'll spend more than you budget?  That depends on how important photography/videography are to you.  Many of our personal clients have photography as their #1 priority.  You may have to spend a bit more, but we never suggest completely blowing your budget out of the water.  We have pricing that covers the vast majority of brides and grooms so feel free to contact us for information.  

As you review pricing, make sure you know what your total cost will be.  Packages can skyrocket out of control when there are loose ends.  Things like book credits instead of books that are actually included in the package, extra charges for additional time and/or travel, image DVDs that are low-res or have copyright restrictions - these can cost you money big time.  What may look like a reasonable price may not be.  Do your research and ask questions.

Narrow your search down to around 3 photographers you really like that fit your budget.  Spend time with them on the phone.  If you don't like them on the phone, don't spend time meeting with them.  Pick someone else to meet with.  If you do hit it off, get together with them personally to view more images, books and other accessories.  This will then put you into a good position to make a final decision.

We're actually going to pick this discussion up on Monday.  We have several projects that must be done this week that are going to take a bit of time.  See you on Monday!

---Chris and Julie 

Choosing Your Photographer Day 2

Up next - finding a photographer within your budget.  Photography prices seem to be all over the map.  How do you decide what you need and how much you should spend?  I'm going to revisit a post we've done before and add some additional details. 

First, you need to set a budget.  Brides magazine in their 75th Anniversary Issue published the latest suggested wedding budget percentages.   They give a good overview of the wedding in general and where couples should look at spending the funds they have available.  These are not set in stone as each couple has priorities where they may spend more and areas that are less important that may receive a smaller portion of the budget.  That having been said, these numbers are a good starting point.  Here we go -

Reception - 43.7%
Photography/Videography - 15.2%
Wedding Rings - 9%
Wedding Dress, Veil, and other Accessories - 6.3%
Music - 6.3%
Flowers - 5.1%
Invitations and other Printed Material - 3%
Transportation - 2.4%
Attendants' Gifts - 2.7%
Hair and Makeup (including Attendants) - 2%
Officiant - 2%
Favors - 1.4%
Groom's Formal Wear (rental) - .9%

For example - if your wedding budget is $30,000, that gives you $4560 to spend on photography, videography or both.  Some couples choose to spend their entire amount on photography and some choose to split up their budgets between the two.  It is a matter of personal taste.  Z MEDIA provides both services in a wide range of prices to fit your needs. 

Keep in mind that photobooths have also been really hot lately.  We've been providing more and more photobooth services to couples this last year with even more are booked for 2010.  You may consider this part of your photography budget or you can consider it part of your reception spending.

At Z MEDIA, we have photography, videography and photobooth services to meet almost any budget.   Our highline packages feature great value mixed with high-end services.  Our value packages have less features and time, but you still get the same great photographers, videographers and photobooth services.

More to come tomorrow!

---Chris and Julie

Choosing Your Photographer Day 1

Today, we're starting a new series that will run for the next several days on choosing your photographer.  We have a large number of new clients contacting us right now and, even though we've done separate posts on this subject before, we felt it would be useful to consolidate this information into a handful of easily accessible posts.

Julie and I work with a large number of couples every year.  We talk with many of you.  We meet with many of you.  Our first word of advice as you look for your photographer is to find someone you really like and get along with.  There are other factors that come into play, but to us, this is the single biggest hurdle.  You are going to spend a lot of time with your photographer, so make sure you click.  I don't care how spectacular their work is - you still have to deal with them on your wedding day as well as before and after.  If you don't like them when you meet them, it isn't going to get any better.  Our business is built on a personal connection with our couples.  The majority of our bookings come from referrals.  This wouldn't happen unless we became a part of our client's lives for the period of time that we are together with them. 

Just the other day, Julie and I were talking about what a wonderful group of brides we've had to work with and how they've continued to be friends well beyond their weddings.  We have open invitation to stay in London, New York City, Chicago - the list goes on and on.  Why?  Because we truly care about our couples.  This comes across not only in our photography, but in the way we treat each of you.  We insist that everyone that works with us also has the same desire to get to know their clients.  Its what we do as a company.

As you search for your photographer, find someone you like as a person.  Yes - you have to like their work and they have to fit your budget, but if you don't like them, you are in trouble.  Simply put - if you don't like the person you meet with - run away!  Also, never book a company that isn't able to put you in contact with your actual photographer.  We work with many out of state clients and may never meet them personally before their wedding, but we still get to know them.  Email, phone, Facebook - we still interact.  Don't accept the idea that you don't need to know who your photographer is.  We hear horror stories of companies that end up sending someone you haven't met with on your wedding day.  Don't fall for this.  Personal relationships are too important.

See you tomorrow!

---Chris and Julie

Stay tuned...

A new series of daily posts starts Monday.  We'll see you then!

Enjoy!

There comes a magical moment after each event where Julie and I sit down and look through the images from the previous week's wedding.  This time, beyond everything else we do, drives us to be the absolute best we can be.  There is a sense of exhilaration as we relive the moments of our couple's weddings.  The joy, the laughter, the tears, the little looks the couple gives each other throughout the day - each moment frozen in time forever.  There's nothing quite like it. 

As you approach your wedding, remember that it is uniquely yours.  Don't get caught up with what you see in a magazine or what your friends have done.  There's nothing wrong with incorporating elements from other weddings, but work on making this event about the two of you.  Then, after the wedding, sit back and enjoy the images as much as we do. 

When you look back at your wedding images 50 years from now, you'll remember every moment as if it were yesterday.  Next year, Julie and I will be married for 20 years (no - we're not ancient - we just turned 40...).  Photography was much different then.  We have a few nice images that I'll treasure forever and can't help smiling every time I see them.  Couples today have such a wonderful advantage with the type of wall to wall coverage that we can provide.  Make your day as special as it can be.  Focus on the two of you and then enjoy each and every moment. 

We can't wait to work with you!

---Chris and Julie

Will you help us?

This year has been an amazing ride for Z MEDIA.  We've gotten to know so many different people from so many areas around the country.  We've made friends in other countries.  Its been such a blessing for Julie and me, and we'd like to say a heartfelt "Thank You" to all of our couples, their families and friends.  You are what makes Z MEDIA great! 

That having been said, we have the opportunity to venture into the Cleveland area on a regular basis.  As we look around us, we see a city in decay.  We see homeless people in the streets.  We see boarded up businesses, people walking around aimlessly in the middle of the day and children without care and a sense of purpose.  

Julie and I have been involved in a number of ministries over the year.  When we started Z MEDIA, we took a number of years off to concentrate on building our company and our brand.  In this, we've been blessed and successful.  Now, its time to dig in and work together to make a difference in a city that truly needs it.

In the past, Julie and I have been involved in the Cleveland City Mission (www.thecitymission.org) in a number of different ways.  We knew they were a truly special organization.  A couple of weeks ago, we had the opportunity to get a feel for just how special they really are.  We spent part of a day touring their facilities downtown and meeting with their staff.  All we can say is "WOW".  The work they do is so vital to the city that nobody else is equiped to fill their shoes.  Next year, they will celebrate their 100th anniversary of tirelessly serving Cleveland.  Amazing!

Here's an idea of what they do - Between now and the end of November, the City Mission will provide over 21,000 meals to hungry men, women and children (21,000!!!).  They will provide more than 12,000 nights of safe shelter for people who have nowhere else to turn.  These are impressive number, and yet, that was not the most impressive part of the mission.  They not only help people at their moment of need, but they provide long-term programs that help re-educate adults to help them return as vital members of society.  This isn't just providing a hot meal - this is getting people back on their feet. 

There are a number of areas that the City Mission serves.  Laura's Home is a women's crisis center that serves women and children who are homeless or facing other crises.  They also have after-school programs for area children and youth.  They also provide outreach to prisions and inmates.  The list just goes on and on.

Take it from us, the staff and leadership of the Cleveland City Mission as completely dedicated to what they do and the people they help.  We've seen it first hand.  We intend to be more involved personally over the next year as they approach their 100th anniversary celebration.

So - through the end of 2009, Z MEDIA wants to make a difference in Cleveland.  We're asking you to help as well.  For every wedding we book, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the City Mission.  We also want to encourage each of our couples to consider helping the mission.  Especially during the Thanksgiving/Christmas season, the Mission can use all the help it can get.  It's simple - just viti them online at http://www.thecitymission.org/givingoptions.htm.  Together, we can help change the direction of Cleveland!

---Chris and Julie