There are a lot of places to begin when you’re sitting down to write an ode to NYC-based photographers Smitten Chickens. You can talk about how wife and husband duo Sarah and Chris are totally the kind of people you could hang with for actual days (and they are!), or how they create photos that stand the test of time, or how they are the kind of people who pay it forward with their business. However, there’s something else you can talk about, and that’s the simple fact that their clients love them so much they’re willing to write novellas about it. Think I’m joking? Just read this:
I’ve been putting off writing this review for months because I wanted to make sure I was able to properly express how much I love the photos that Sarah and Chris were able to take of our wedding. I know it’s a cliché to say words cannot express, but it really has been incredibly difficult to properly convey how much we love and appreciate what Sarah and Chris were able to give to us.
Hiring a photographer was the most important and nerve-wracking part of planning the wedding. I wanted to make sure we were able to find someone who could take amazing photos, and truthfully, not break our budget. It was incredibly important to us that we found someone who was not only a good photographer, but had a style that we thought would reflect our personality.
I really think finding the Smitten Chickens website was fate. Not only did they have an amazing portfolio and were in our budget, but they were geeks like us. They’d understand our subtly themed Doctor Who wedding and fit right in with our ragtag bridal party of awesomeness.
Working with them was a breeze. They were incredibly warm and easy going, and made the day even more enjoyable with their presence. What I enjoyed most about their portfolio was it looked like they were able to capture these amazing little moments between people, and they didn’t disappoint.
The moments that they were able to capture of our wedding day will be cherished forever. I cried the first time I looked through our photos. I could not believe the loving detail and attention that they were able to capture. The photos were us. From my sly smile to Bill’s goofiness, they were able to capture the real us. These weren’t posed photos of us smiling at each other, these were photos of us at our core. Without even knowing us, they were able to capture our love and our personalities, and for that, we will be forever grateful.
And it wasn’t just us, they were able to capture the personalities of our friends and family in so many photos. From tender quiet moments during the speeches to the crazy antics on the dance floor, they got it all.
I’m not an overly romantic person, but my wedding was one of the most amazing days of my life. To have hundreds of photos of that day that we are able to look back on is worth every penny. And it’s all because of Sarah and Chris. They were able create a visual diary of this amazing day and we will be forever grateful for them. They truly were spectacular.
And if you’re wondering what kind of photos might elicit a response like that? They look something like this:
Smittens Chickens is one of the most skilled wedding photography teams we know when it comes to make you feel like you in front of their cameras. They’re not as concerned with whatever trend is rolling around on Pinterest these days as they are with taking photos you’ll love because you see yourself in them. As they explained:
We are very concerned with the way your photos will look many years down the road. We aim for images with authentic gesture, strong emotional content, good composition, and editing that resembles the look of film, as opposed the ever-changing trends of the wedding photography industry.
Smitten Chickens also delivers on the options: US weddings are $4500 nationwide (including an New York City engagement session, two photographers for eight hours, and no extra travel fees), and international weddings are $5500. The pair also covers New York City elopements for $1000–$2800 (and from two hours to six), and offer albums, video, and extra hours a la carte.
Raved another client:
Sarah and Chris blew us away with their ability to capture the uncapturable. Is that a word? Throughout the wedding, I felt so at ease knowing that we could trust these two talents to make our beautiful day last forever. Sarah’s bright spirit shines through—our guests even commented frequently at how much they loved our photographers. We danced, we laughed, we cried, and every beautiful moment was artfully captured with humor and kindness. Before this time in my life, I would have never known the value of having excellent photographers with whom you connect, but now I do. We are so lucky.
Sarah and Chris are legitimately kind, awesome, and wholly nerdy people (I still look forward to the day we can meet and dish on Harry Potter), and they’re so good at taking wedding photos it’s almost upsetting. Smitten Chickens offer discount of $150 to civil servants (and always to APW readers—check the end of the post for details!), and they’re the type of people who are truly appreciative of all the great people they have in their own lives.
In fact, photos of the people they love and that love itself is what forms the foundation of their photography philosophy:
Mary Marantz once gave a group of photographers a thought experiment. Imagine your house is on fire, and all your photographs are inside. There are no backups or other physical copies anywhere. What images do you rescue? What does your choice say about why photography matters?
Immediately, I knew exactly which three photos I couldn’t sacrifice.
I know you want to know which ones.
APW readers always receive 10% off when booking with Smitten Chickens—head over and get your wedding inquiry rolling!
