The Wedding Experience
Welcome
Hello and welcome! We’re Shaina and Arturo, and we’re the husband and wife photography team that make up Shaina Lee Photography. We are so happy you found us because we believe that getting to know our couples is the #1 way to ensure a wonderful experience when it comes to your wedding photography.
Before we dive in, we’d love for you to learn a bit about us!
We met over 14 years ago while working at Trader Joe’s together. We were friends for almost a year before we had our first date.
Hawaii is our favorite place in the world. We honeymooned there, renewed our vows there, and took some other trips in between!
Arturo proposed to Shaina in Central Park with a flashmob. She didn’t see it coming, and it was spectacular!
Our Philosophy
We know your mind is probably racing with all that needs to be planned. It’s all very exciting, but can also be somewhat overwhelming. By the time you get the hang of it, the planning is over! Our goal as your wedding photographers is to make this one aspect of the planning process simple. Photography is more than just images, it’s a real part of your day. Not only do you deserve beautiful images, you also deserve an amazing photographic experience. When our couples feel comfortable and relaxed in front of the camera, that results in genuine, joyful images! When we think back to our wedding day, we have amazing memories... but most of the moments we remember really well are the instances that were captured in our pictures. They are priceless to us. Our photographer made us feel so incredibly comfortable and for the first time, we experienced what it really felt like to be in front of the camera as a bride and groom. Your wedding day is an experience from beginning to end and your photography is a huge part of that experience, so shouldn’t it be fun, enjoyable, and natural? We think so! Our goal is not only to capture memories for our couples, but also to create an experience that they will never forget.
The Process
One way we ensure that our clients enjoy the best photographic experience possible is by forming a relationship with them. We try our best to make sure that all of our couples are the perfect fit for us before officially booking. It’s that important that you connect with and trust your photographer, and be EXCITED about working with them!
After booking, we love getting to know our clients through an engagement session. This helps them warm up to the camera so that they are ready to rock and roll on the wedding day! By the time the wedding day arrives, our couples feel more like friends, and that creates a safe and relaxed environment for photography. Now that you know a little bit about our approach to the wedding day, you can continue reading to find more detailed information about the wedding experience we offer our couples!
What Our Couples Are Saying
Wedding Collections
All Wedding Collections Include:
2 Photographers
High-Resolution Digital Images of all Edited Photos
Private Online Viewing Gallery
Complimentary Engagement Session
60 Miles of Travel for Wedding Day
60 Miles of Travel for Engagement Session
(75¢ per additional mile)
The Elegance $6000
8 Hours of Wedding Day Coverage
The Keepsake $7000
10 Hours of Wedding Day Coverage
The Heirloom $8000
12 Hours of Wedding Day Coverage
Heirloom Wedding Albums
save when you add an album to any collection at booking
All albums are personally designed to tell the story of your day with photos printed directly onto the page.
30 pages are included with each album, with the option to add additional spreads.
Choose either linen or leather covers in a variety of colors.
8x8 .......... $1050 $850 (save $200)
10x10 .......... $1250 $950 (save $300)
12x12 .......... $1500 $1100 (save $400)
Click HERE to see recent albums we’ve designed for our couples!
Collection Enhancements
Additional Coverage per Hour
$500
Custom Heirloom Wedding Albums
All albums are personally designed to tell the story of your day with photos printed directly onto the page.
30 pages are included with each album, with the option to add additional spreads.
Choose either linen or leather covers in a variety of colors.
8x8 .......... $1050 ($850 when added to your collection at booking)
10x10 .......... $1250 ($950 when added to your collection at booking)
12x12 .......... $1500 ($1100 when added to your collection at booking)
Anniversary Sessions
$750
Additional Products & Services
Professional Printing
Show off the memories of your wedding day in your home with professional photographic prints and wall displays. Canvas gallery wraps are delivered to you ready to hang.
Save the Dates & Thank You Cards
Send your wedding guests a save the date using photos from your engagement session! Save the dates are available on card stock as well as magnets. After your wedding day, your guests will enjoy getting a thank you note in the mail with your favorite wedding day image and a sweet sentiment. Thank you cards are available as both lay-flat and folded greeting cards. I will work with you and your color choices to design custom stationery that you'll be sure to love.
Heirloom Albums
Heirloom wedding albums are a perfect way to tell the story of your entire wedding day, from the tiniest of details to the grandest of moments! Parent albums are smaller versions of the wedding album and make beautiful thank you gifts. Guestbooks are also available, designed with photos from your engagement session.
Anniversary Sessions
Anniversary Sessions are a great way to celebrate your 1st, 5th, 10th, or even 50th wedding anniversary!
Frequently Asked Questions
We don’t feel photogenic and don’t know how to pose. Can you make us look like the couples on your website?
If only we had a dollar for every time we heard this! We can guarantee you that all of the couples who you see on our website felt the same way you do and shared the same concerns with us. We know that the engagement session and wedding day is often the first couple of times a couple is being professionally photographed, which is why we guide you every step of the way! We don’t expect you to know how to pose or know what to do in front of our cameras. Just bring the love you have for each other and we’ll take care of the rest!
Can we opt out of the engagement session?
We include an engagement session in each of our collections because we feel it is important that we get to know our couples while they get to know us! A comfortable photography experience starts with the engagement session. However, we’d never force you to schedule a session if you truly didn't want one. The engagement session is complimentary, so opting not to have your engagement photos taken will not reduce the investment price of any collection, nor can it be substituted for additional wedding day coverage or another session type. We can promise you that our time together during engagement sessions is fun, laid back, and well worth it!
How long does it take to get our images?
You can expect to receive your engagement photo gallery no more than 6-8 weeks after your session date. Your wedding gallery will be sent to you 8-10 weeks after your wedding date. I'll always post a few of my favorites to Facebook and Instagram to give you a sneak peek until the full galleries are ready!
Do you travel?
We LOVE to travel, especially if our photography is bringing us to new places! We are available for destination weddings and engagement sessions worldwide. Your engagement session and our wedding collections include 60 miles of roundtrip travel from our home office in Shelton, Connecticut. If you’d like to have your photos taken at a location outside of this area, we're up for the adventure! The travel fee for destinations outside our regular area of coverage is $0.75 per mile for locations within a 1.5-hour driving distance. All weddings and engagement sessions taking place in New York City, Long Island, and New Jersey have a flat travel fee of $300. Boston weddings and engagement sessions have a $500 travel fee. We love traveling and are happy to make it work! If you would like us to meet you at a location outside of Connecticut for your engagement session or wedding where we don’t already have plans to visit, just let us know and we can give you a custom quote.
Do you offer professional prints and products?
We believe photos should be printed, instead of just hanging out on a hard drive for all of eternity. We work with the best in the industry to provide our clients with prints, albums, and wall art to showcase beautiful photos. Professional prints and products can be ordered online directly from your gallery and delivered directly to your doorstep! This is the most affordable and efficient way to print your photos professionally while also guaranteeing the perfect color in your images.
Our wedding venue requires liability insurance. Are you insured?
Yes, we are! We’re happy to provide a certificate of insurance if needed.
We're ready to book. What's next?
To reserve your date, we require a signed contract and a non-refundable retainer fee of $1000. Once I have received both from you, your date is officially booked!
For additional details and questions, refer to the FAQ section on our Details page, or email shaina@shainaleephotography.com. The blog posts below are also wonderful references!
The Engagement Session – What to expect, why they're important, and some planning tips!
Benefits of Hiring a Wedding Planner or Day-Of Coordinator – Enjoy being a guest at your own wedding.
How a First Look Positively Impacts Your Wedding Photography Timeline – Ensure a stress-free day with extra photos!
Thank You
Thank you so much for considering us to be a part of your wedding day. If you’re interested in working with us, the next step is to set up a time to chat! You can reach us directly at shaina@shainaleephotography.com.
There aren't enough complimentary things to say about Shaina Lee Photography. We consider photography one of the most important elements of a wedding so it was important to us to find someone who could capture our day in a timeless way. Shaina and Arturo not only met our expectations but far surpassed them. Their talent is undeniable but it's also their ability to connect with their clients. Taking the time to get to know their couples and their story not only personalizes your experience with Shaina and Arturo, but allows you to feel comfortable around them and that completely translates into your photos. There were so many great images that they captured and yet we don't remember "seeing" them for those special moments. I still swoon when I look at our photos. You cannot go wrong with Shaina and Arturo behind the lens!
Nika & Javier