I worked with Candid Memories for the first time on the 10th of the month for Tabatha and Marlon’s wedding. After the wedding, I asked them to do a little interview with me to educate the general public about their service. They jumped at the opportunity, and here is the result!
Q : You rent digital cameras (among other things) to weddings replacing disposable cameras. I can say from experience I NEVER recommend disposable cameras at weddings.So why would I recommend Digital camera rentals instead?
A: Most wedding consultants cringe when I say this, but disposable cameras were a great idea, they were just limited by technology. With digital cameras you get better quality pictures, more pictures (up to 195 per camera) and your pictures are hosted online so all your guests can see them.
Q: Ok, so the pictures are better, but what do you do with a bunch of Candid Pictures, especially considering a bride will have a professional photographer onsite too?
A: Professional pictures tend to feature a lot of posed pictures of the Bride and Groom and their immediate family. That’s what they are supposed to do, but what about the other 200 guests you invited? An album full of Candid Pictures can be assembled easily and affordably (even onsite!) and can sit on a coffee table to enjoy every day.
Q: Digital cameras are much nicer then disposable cameras, but are they too nice? What do you do to prevent cameras from disappearing?
A:There are two reasons people steal disposable cameras. They take a great picture and they want to be able to keep it, or they take an embarrassing picture and they don’t want you to see it. With digital cameras you can delete embarrassing pictures, and you can view, download and purchase all the great pictures online. There is no reason to take the cameras!
Q: Lets talk about price point. I can buy a digital camera for $5.00, and you rent digitals for $20.00 Why the price difference?
A: First better cameras cost more money, the $5.00 disposables don’t take the same pictures that a $10.00 camera does.Also, you still have to pay to develop pictures sight unseen, and you need to pay even more for a CD.
Q: I have seen a lot of disposable cameras sit on tables unused. Do guests actually use these cameras?
A: Heck yeah! Guests have no incentive to use disposable cameras. What do they get out of it? Digitals are fun. Each camera holds 195 pictures. Some cameras get 20 or 30 shots, but some guests go crazy and fill the cameras up.
Q: You can do onsite Wedding album as well right?
A: Yes! These albums need to be seen to be believed! The bride and groom leave with a wedding album the day of the wedding! Its incredible. Basically you can do two albums
1. Guest Created Wedding Album- We provide a 100 page 4X6 album that sits next to the printer. Guests are instructed by a Candid Memories Rep, the DJ or the wedding planner, that it is their job to fill this wedding album. It’s a living document that evolves throughout the day.
2. Guest Book- This is best done with Candid Memories representatives on hand. We take pictures of all the guests at the wedding and have each couple or group fill out “best wishes” cards that give the guests the opportunity to leave the bride and groom a short message. This usually fills half the album, with the remainder of the album filled with pictures from the wedding and Ceremony.
Q: I would consider this to be an add on service. How do I squeeze this service into a budget among all the other necessities?
A: I understand that no bride is going to chose our service over a DJ or a photographer, but we have several different price points and several different levels of service. We can fit into most budgets!Pictures are one of the only tangible items to survive the day.
Q: I would put Digital Camera Rentals in the same category as photo booths. How do you think your service stacks up to them? They are incredibly popular.
A: We are simply a more complete service. And on top of that we enter the market at a much more attractive price point! With Candid memories we get guest shots, as well as pictures on the dance floor, grandma doing the shuffle, cutting the cake, and all those great family group shots. Guests can leave with a full sized 4X6 image in a custom photo folder. They can view and download those pictures for free as well as purchase enlargements on our website. They get more for less!