OK! here it is ladies. Answers to most of the questions we get on a daily basis
regarding our services from Flowers to Photography. If you have a question that
you don't see hear...PLEASE...PLEASE...send it to us and it will be answered within 24HOURS! Send any questions to WULTIMATEAFFAIR@AOL.COM OR
ARTOGRAPHER@AOL.COM It has been said that we are the fastest wedding
vendors to respond to a client in the mid-atlantic area.
Flowers
1. Do We Use Carnations? Normally we do not use carnations, but we will use them by request.
2. Do we stem dye? At The Ultimate Affair we never stem dye. The reason we don't stem dye is because it reduces the quality of the flowers and it bleeds everywhere. We also don't spray paint our flowers either. There are far too many growers who provide almost any color in the spectrum.
3. Do we come back to pick up containers?
Our containers are included in the prices of all of our arrangement. They are yours to do with whatever you wish.
We suggest you may like to give them away to your guests as gifts.
4. Am I responsible for setting up my own flowers and arrangements at my wedding?
Complete delivery and set up is included in the price of all of our flower packages.
5. Do you make your arrangements a week before your wedding?
No we do not make your arrangements a week before your wedding, your arrangements are made fresh for your event.
Your arrangements are also custom-made for your wedding, and custom ordered.
The Ultimate Affair never makes wedding arrangements from flowers we have had in our cooler or off-the-shelf.
6. Do you have a minimum floral wedding order?
We do not have minimum floral orders.
7. Do you require payment in full?
No we do not require payment in full. However we do require a deposit. You can even make payments up until
two weeks before your event. All monies are due in full two weeks prior to the event.
8. Can you get tulips in the winter?
Yes! We can get tulips in the winter.
9. If a certain flower is not available to use substitute a similar flower?
Absolutely not! If something is not available we will contact you in order to make other arrangements.
We do suggest that during some seasons, you may want to have a second choice.
10. Can you do a green wedding?
We most certainly can do a green wedding.
11. Can you do fresh fruits with your flower arrangements?
We love to do fresh fruits with your flower arrangements. As a matter of fact, we can do all kinds of cool stuff for your arrangements.
12. Can you make me a sample bouquet?
We would love to make you a sample of your bouquet. If you would like a sample made call for an appointment first and Pam can have a sample ready when you arrive.
13. Can you incorporate family heirlooms into a brides bouquet?
Absolutely!
14. Do you use real bouquet jewels and gems in your bouquets or stick on junk from the dollar store?
You only get the real stuff here, ladies.
15. Do you charge for he tossed bouquet?
Book with The Ultimate Affair and your tossed bouquet is free!
16. Can I use my own containers?
You sure can use your own containers, but make sure it won't leak.
17. Do you charge for rose petals?
Book with The Ultimate Affair and your rose petals are free!
18. Can you pin on boutonnieres and corsages?
Yes, that service is available.
19. Do you charge for the Blessed Mother flowers on a Catholic wedding?
Book with The Ultimate Affair and your Blessed mother flowers are free!
20. Do I have to have my wedding colors and bridesmaid dresses picked out before I meet with you?
You don't have to have anything picked out before you meet with us.
Questions about Wedding Photography
1. Do you shoot digital or film or both?
I have been shooting completely digital for the past two years. Film photography is pretty much obsolete in the wedding industry. Digital photography equaled or surpassed film last year. The film photography has been relegated to novelty status. There are photographers who would argue that film is still better for black and white, that digital imaging can't quite capture the tonalities of film, but with today's advanced and professional state-of-the-art digital cameras black-and-white photography is now equaled to film, state-of-the-art filters can even create the film grain.
2. Do I have to pay for my negatives?
Well, if you are referring to digital negatives which are now stored on electronic media such as a DVD you don't have to pay for the negatives. Unlike many other photographers who retain the original files and give you only proofs with the photographers mark on them, I don't believe in doing that. These are your pictures! I don't have the need or the desire to keep you coming back in giving me more of your hard-earned money. This practice does make my peers and colleagues a bit angry at me for doing this but this is my business, and I get to do what I want
without having to worry about what other photographers think. In my opinion, the practice of retaining negatives is only a method to milk more money out of a client. Other than that I do not know of any photographer who ever won a Pulitzer for wedding photography .
3. You charge extra for black and white?
I do not charge extra for black-and-white. Never heard of such a thing :-)
4. Do you charge for traveling?
When you book your photography with Ben Michalski.Com... I give you one price depending on the package you choose. That price also covers traveling to wherever I have to go to take your pictures.
5. Will I get actual pictures or a disk and an envelope?
You'll get actual pictures. Even my basic package includes actual pictures. On average I give every bride anywhere from 15 to 25 enlargements of some selected images which are usually the pictures with a lot of wow factor. The rest of your images are burned to a DVD. Not a CD. This year in 2007 all of my brides will get at least one goldplated DVD out of the three DVDs they will receive. This is the latest technology in image storing on a disk. Goldplated DVDs are archival. That means the images on them will last many years, however, the technology as good as it is is still new…. so I suggest to all my brides that when they get there DVD to download them onto their computer, save them to an external hard drive and re- burn the images to a new DVD every three years. Of course, you can get them all printed since I give free reprint rights but please when you get them printed make sure your prints are one Kodak Endura paper from a professional lab.
6. Am I paying you just to show up?
You know some brides ask me this question and I really don't understand it and the only thing I can figure is that some photographers must be charging a fee just to show up. While, I guess you are paying me just to show up but I'll also be bringing my camera along so while I'm there I'll probably be taking a lot of pictures.
7. Are you pushy or rude?
Nope!
8. Do you like children?
If you ask Pam that question she'd say I'm like a 12-year-old…. but of course that's only her opinion.
Actually, I love children very much and children love me. We relate quite a bit.
9. Do you have any problems with handicapped or elderly people?
Absolutely not!
10. When do you leave?
Once again depending on what you want me for, how long, how many hours, what specific package you choose.
I leave when there are no more pictures to take. Now you may be asking yourself, “what do you mean you leave when there are no more pictures to take?” Let me give you an example; say you hire me for a full wedding shoot. This can range anywhere from six to eight hours, depending on the schedule of events. Now during the course of this shoot. I usually start out by shooting some before pictures or pictures of you getting ready. Then I start to photograph your ceremony, guests arriving and being seated, the groom waiting in the room with the pastor his best man and the groomsmen. And of course you getting married. Then comes the formal shots… the posed pictures at the altar. Then we all get in our cars and head for the reception and I usually follow you in the limo. Next we arrive at the reception, and I start taking pictures of your guests eating appetizers and you exiting the limousine and pictures of your table setting and pictures of your cake and pictures of your favors and pictures of your gifts and whatever other pictures I see that may be memorable.
Then you and your new husband are announced on to the reception hall floor along with the entire bridal party and you usually start out with your first dance. Then usually the rest of the bridal party is invited on the dance floor or you all stand there and everybody takes pictures of everybody. Now it's time for the toast, and I take pictures of the best man toasting the groom and the maid of honor toasting the bride. Next comes the blessing of the food and everybody starts to chow down. And I take pictures of aunt Sally digging into the roast beef and uncle Harry joking with cousin Joe. By this time the reception is in full swing, and I'm catching all kinds of great candid shots. Then maybe it's time for the fathers to get up and say something special about their son or daughter. Then the dancing and the music start, and I'm taking pictures of everybody getting crazy on the dance floor. Now it's usually time for the bouquet toss and the removal of the garter. Next it's time for the groom to throw the garter to one of the guys. Now it's time for me to get you in your new husband outside or someplace private to get some cool romantic shots. After that it's almost time to cut the cake, and I'll be taking pictures of you two cutting the cake and feed each other your first piece of wedding cake. Then it's time for more dancing and frolicking out on the dance floor and by this time everybody is having a great time and everybody's loosened up and I'm really getting some fantastic shots. Then of course through the whole time, I will also be following you and your new husband around the room catching some special shots of you with your grandmother or your grandfather or aunt Sally from California or cousin John from Michigan, because since they came all the way from these states to your wedding we have to get those special once in every several years pictures…. then after I have taken about seven or eight hundred pictures…. I go home.
11. Do you dress professionally?
Yes I do dress professionally. Most of the time I dress like I just stepped out of Gentleman's Quarterly Magazine.
And I will wear a tuxedo upon request.
12. We you require a meal?
Yes, you will have to feed me. And I do eat what your guests eat. Don't expect great pictures, if your facility manager throws me a ham sandwich and a bag of chips.
13. Do you drink alcohol on the job?
I don't even drink alcohol off the job.
14. How long will it take before I get my pictures?
Package deliveries will range from six to ten weeks depending on the season, and how busy I may be.
we'll make your party pop!
