Wedding FAQS

Tandem is big on transparency. Have a question that’s not covered? Let us know and we’ll add it to the list!

General Wedding FAQs

  • We recommend 8 hours of coverage for most traditional weddings, and this typically covers final getting-ready details all the way through reception open dancing.

    6 hours of coverage is perfect for your ceremony through reception.

    10 hours is recommended for extended getting-ready and off-site time.

    Still uncertain? Check out our Wedding Coverage Guide for inspiration, and we can always adjust when we design the official timeline!

  • A 50% non-refundable retainer is due upon booking, and the remaining balance is due 14 days before our shoot date.

  • All of our prices are available online with a goal to be as transparent as possible; our package rates include up to 90 miles of travel and all taxes and fees (even sales tax). What you see is what you get.

  • In Door County, permits are required to shoot in State Parks, the Ridges Sanctuary, and several commercial properties.

  • Weather happens, and that’s ok! We aren’t new to rain, and between moving indoors or using our clear umbrellas, we promise your wedding will be beautiful no matter the weather.

  • Absolutely! Our policy carries 2M in general liability!

  • Oh gosh, yes The most important part of being a wedding professional is making sure you can sleep soundly at night. We have backups for everything.

  • We’ve never missed a wedding since opening in 2016. The closest was when Cody got a bad case of COVID in 2021, but Kayleigh was able to cover his weddings; that’s one of the many benefits of having a team!

    If there’s ever a reason we can’t cover a wedding, we’d find a suitable replacement photographer/videographer. We have a lot of friends in the industry, host a Door County professiopal photographers group to maintain connections, and have covered weddings for others in the past who’d return the favor. We won’t leave you hanging.

  • To us, there’s a big difference between dual and second shooters.

    For most wedding photographers and videgoraphers, a second shooter isn’t a trained, coordinated member of their team. Instead, they’re often a lesser experienced shooter trying to break into the industry. While there can be repeat second shooter collaborations that work well, there is neither a required ability level nor is it gauranteed they’ve even met before.

    In contrast, you know your team with Tandem’s dual shooters; it’s Cody and Kayleigh. Having in-house dual shooters allows us to have an identical style, process, and work off each other seemlessly. All in all, dual shooters are like having two primary shooters. We know each other, we trust each other, and we’re able to elevate our product because of it.

  • Our solo weddings (6 and 8 hour packages) are best for couples who want excellent photography or videography at a solid price, and it shouldn’t be seen as a downgrade. In fact, Tandem was built upon solo weddings, so we know how to get the best results from every moment; you’ll always find us in the right spot.

    Our dual shooter weddings (premium packages) are best for couples who prioritize variety and outside-the-box looks. We’ll always have one of us in the primary angle like a solo wedding, but the other is free to either grab a second/third perspective or take risks for something truly special. For example, one of us might be in the safe, center row position during your ceremony, and the other could use our drone for a breathtaking aerial view.

  • It’s good to choose the best package upfront, but we can always adjust if your needs change! Need more/less time? No problem!

    The only difficulty would be transitioning between standard and premium packages (dual shooters). Premium packages are locked upon booking because they require additional team members to reserve the date, but we can switch to a premium package if the team is available!

  • We like to think so, but check out our 100+ five star reviews and decide for yourself.

Photography FAQs

  • Our top priority is to make you happy. While that sounds simplistic, there there are a few complexities to expand on.

    For example, we can't stand stuffy posing, so our process is about cultivating a safe space where you can truly be yourself. Many couples we work with haven’t had professional photos since their senior portraits, so it’s not something they do every day and can be a little uncomfortable.

    Instead of focusing on the connection between you and the camera, we focus on the connection between you as a couple. You know how to make each other laugh. You know how to make each other smile, and you know how to have fun together. You are getting married after all!

    We love to keep things fun and relaxed, ask you silly questions, and make you forget about the camera altogether.

    For example, we might have you hold each other close, think of your partner’s favorite dessert, and then whisper it as sexily as you can into their ear. In that moment you might get a laugh, a blush, or maybe a side eye glance, but no matter what happens it’s a playful little moment you share together without the camera getting in the way.

    Our photography approach actually comes from Cody’s, Tandem’s owner, life. His wife, Becky, Tandem’s studio manager, always says he looks scared and frightened when he smiles for the camera, but she likes his authentic smile. The difference is in the eyes. If we can make you smile for real, your eyes sparkle and are much brighter; it makes a big difference!

    With that being said, we know our approach isn’t for everyone. We have photographer friends who do really great posed, structured, magazine style work, and if that’s what you’re looking for we can point you in their direction. For us, we believe every photographer can make beautiful images, but we feel ours stand out because you’ll look back and think, “wow, I had a really great time taking those.”

  • Tandem also offers the fastest ⚡️ turnaround time in Door County. We guarantee to deliver your finished gallery within 7 days of your wedding. From there you - as well as your family & friends - can download, share, and print your images as much as you’d like!

  • Absolutely! All our weddings include a full set of digital files and printing rights; share your photos with your friends and family too!

  • We edit and deliver every image we think you might enjoy. For reference, a typical 8 hour wedding receives 500-600 finalized photographs.

  • We apply our signature look to every image we deliver. If you like the images on our website, you’ll like the images we’ll create for you!

  • We edit every image in our signature style, but your Favorite 15 Edits take it up a level. We start by choosing your favorite 15 images; these are the photos you’ll plaster on social media, print and display in your home, and that tell the best stories from your day. In addition to clearing distractions like suit lint, stray hairs, telephone wires, and exit signs, we’ll also work with you directly to reach each image’s full potential. Favorite 15 Edits is about perfection.

  • Engagement sessions not only are a great way to build camera confidence, but they also create fantastic images for your invitations! Engagement sessions can be 30, 60, or 90 minutes just like our standard couple’s portraits. Is your wedding photography coverage 8+ hours? Then your engagement session is 50% off!

  • We love getting aerial perspectives for establishing shots and one-of-a-kind portraits. We can add drone photography to any wedding, but it comes standard in our Premium Packages!

Videography FAQs

  • We take a fly on the wall approach to shooting video. Our goal is to be in the right place, at the right time, and always on the lookout for movement and emotion. To avoid too many cooks in the kitchen, we USUALLY take a backseat to your photographer’s direction (of course having more collaboration with our in-house Tandem Photo+Video) while only asking for more video-specific moments if needed.

    While our shooting style might feel understated, the results are anything but. By being quiet observers, we’re able capture the true essence of your day and let the unique moments shine. Sometimes are films are classy and timeless like Nicolette and Steven’s, some are genuine and sentimental like Marissa and Brady's, and other times they're fun and upbeat like Kayla and Scott's. Each wedding is different, and we tailor our films to represent the energy and emotions of your big day.

  • Without a doubt, personal vows and/or letter reading are the most powerful tools we have when crafting your film. Although we can create compelling films without personal vows or letter reading, the stories we can tell hinge on the quality of your officiant and speeches. Here are examples of a films with and without (both being 6 hours of solo shooting).

  • Films: Films are highly edited, story-driven, big impact summaries of your wedding. We include films in all our packages because they’re what you’ll want to share with family and friends and watch over and over again. Here is an example of a film.

    Documentary Edit: Documentary edits are long-form versions of your wedding with events such as your ceremony and speeches shown in their entirety, and they can be added on to any wedding package. Here is an example of a documentary edit.

  • Documentary and extended documentary edits are available add-ons for wedding videography packages.

    A documentary edit features ceremony intros, ceremony, reception intros, first dance, toasts, parent dances, and cake cutting.

    An extended documentary edit features couple prep, first look, ceremony intros, ceremony, photo session, cocktail hour, reception intros, first dance, toasts, parent dances, cake, and 1-2 songs of open dancing.

  • For best results I recommend allowing our editors to choose music consistent with the unique story of your wedding, but we can use any music you’d like as long as we have legal rights to use it. For example, we have a music licensing subscription through Musicbed and can use any of their songs. We can not use unlicensed music.

    Do you want to use a popular song from the radio? We can use it if you secure legal copyright documentation, but know that rights to popular songs are often difficult to obtain and extremely expensive.

    If you’d like to choose your music, your selection must be made within a week of your wedding.

  • We reserve clip selection for our editors. It takes several days to sort the hours of the footage, and each clip is carefully chosen to advance the film’s main story. Confirmation of each clip would dramatically increase the edit time and cost.

  • I can mail your raw footage and finalized films on a fast SSD. Note that the footage is raw in its truest form so clips won’t be color graded (image will appear slightly dull/flat without further editing), but you will have all audio and video recorded from your big day.

  • Wedding films are guaranteed within six months of your wedding. Early season films (before August) are typically delivered in three months. Late season weddings (after August) are typically delivered in five months. Film editing is a lot of work, but it’s worth the wait!

  • You will receive a Dropbox link to download your film directly to your computer. Feel free to share your link with others to download, and we also provide YouTube and social media links for easy video sharing.

Photo+Video FAQs

  • Yes! Our Tandem Wedding couples save an extra $250 vs booking photo and video separately.

  • A production assistant helps set up equipment, finds ways to make the day run smoothly (for both our team and you and your guests), and operates stationary video tripods. They allow us to be more efficient!

  • Check out the individual sections above!