Give the Gift of Photography this Holiday Season

The holidays are here and I have a great solution for those hard to buy for people on your Christmas list!! Give the gift of photography, a family session is a wonderful gift that is sure to be cherished!  You can purchase gift certificates in any amounts and it can be used towards all services or products I provide. The gift card comes dressed in a lovely folder and is ready to be stuffed in Christmas stockings. Mary Buttolph Photography, CNY Christmas gifts, Fingerlakes Christmas gifts, Skaneateles Christmas gifts

Custom Save the Dates

Here is one of my latest custom creations, I just love to design goodies like albums and invitations from my images! It was a fun collaboration between me and my bride--she found so many awesome inspiration pieces on Pinterest. If you haven't discovered Pinterest you should check it out especially if you are planning a wedding, it is packed with countless great ideas and resources! I wish it were around when I was planing my wedding but in the meantime I have pinned tons of great ideas for all my brides...check them out here. It took several revisions but we finally got it just right...I can't wait to design their wedding album!

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FAQs

Couples interested in booking Mary Buttolph Photography always have more questions about me and my services, here are a few I get on a regular basis. For more information please feel free to contact me using the above contact form. Central New York Wedding Photography, Syracuse Wedding Photography, Skaneateles Wedding Photography, FIngerlakes Wedding Photography

Q: What sort of training do you have? A: I graduated from RIT with a degree in Photography and then I earned a Masters degree from Newhouse at Syracuse University. I also taught courses at Syracuse University and freelanced for several major publications before I started documenting weddings.

Q: Why weddings? A: I started my career in photojournalism by shooting stories for news outlets and I loved dropping everything to work on those projects until I had my darling daughter, Charlotte. Once she arrived in our lives I chose not to sacrifice meaningful and significant time with my daughter and husband for jobs that would keep me away from home for days and sometimes weeks on end. I have discovered that I find great joy in telling a love story and knowing that the images I create are going to be cherished throughout the lifetime of my couples.

Q: How many weddings do you shoot in a season? A: I strive to provide a boutique experience so I will only book a maximum of 15 weddings in a year to insure that all of my couples get my complete attention.

Q: What is the wedding day timeline? A: I work in conjunction with your other vendors to create a detailed timeline of your entire wedding day to make sure all parties are communicating. It helps to keep the vendors coordinated but it also a great item to circulate to your loved ones to organize them on the busy day!

Q: What does documentary style wedding photography or photojournalistic wedding photography mean? A: A photojournalist strives to make images that have not been altered or staged by the photographer, my goal during your wedding day is to quietly and unobtrusively capture real moments as as they happen.

Q: What products do you offer? A: I can provide you with a wide range of high quality photographic products. Please see my look book for a complete listing.

Q: What are "sweet light" portraits? A: The best time to shoot portraits on your wedding day is just before sunset when the light is the most flattering. I encourage all my couples to take at least 15 minutes at this time to create some stunning portraits.

Q: How far in advance are you booked? A: Most couples contact me about a year before their wedding but I have booked weddings in as little as 4-6 months in advance. Please contact me to check my availabilities.

Q: What are your favorite venues for receptions? A: I consider myself a Fingerlakes and Syracuse wedding photographer and I love shooting weddings in my hometown of Skaneateles, NY because it just so lovely. We are blessed with so many stunning locations for receptions, they include the Skaneateles Country Club, Sherwood Inn, Hobbit Hollow Bed and Breakfast, Mandana Barn, Mirbeau Inn and Spa, Frog Pond Bed and Breakfast, Lourdes Camp, Anyela's Vineyard and the Lodge at Welch Allyn. I also absoloutley adore shooting at the Aurora Inn and the E.B. Morgan House over in quaint Aurora, NY. I recently had a trip to Ithaca where I discovered some awesome locations that I hope to shoot soon, they include the John Joseph Inn & Elizabeth Restaurant, Cornell Plantations, Johnson Museum of Art, Taughannock Farms Inn, The Statler Hotel and the Benn Conger Inn. The Fontainebleau Inn in Alpine, NY is one more gem of a location that I am also looking forward to photograph in the spring!

Q: Do you travel for weddings or engagement sessions? A: I love destination weddings especially if I get to travel to weddings in South Carolina, Georgia, & Virginia (I have lots of family in those states) but my primary location to do weddings is in the Fingerlakes region of New York. Please contact me to discuss the details if you’re interested in booking me for a destination wedding or engagement session.

Q: How many images will we receive and how long will we have to wait to receive our images? A: I usually hand-over between 500 and 900 individually toned high-resolution color images on a USB drive about 4-6 weeks after your wedding. I also create a stunning black and white version of all of your wedding images at no additional fee and I include them on the USB drive as well.

Q: Can I have a copy of every image you take? A: It is not part of my policy to release all the images.  With my artistic integrity, I find the best images from the entire day to edit and deliver to you.  The rest are mostly duplicates of the ones you already have, but with the improper exposure/closed eyes/etc.  And, it would devalue and misrepresent my work to give you un-retouched images. I would be happy to dig through my take and try to find a photo of "so and so" or "this and that" if there something that you wish you had images of that I may have missed during the editing process.

Q : Do you offer multiple packages? A: I have a base price that includes a complimentary engagement session, 8 hours of wedding day coverage, a second photographer, digital negatives on USB drive complete with a copyright release and an easy to use online wedding gallery to share with family and friends. Additionally, you can add albums, collages, canvases, cards, professional prints and other items from the a la carte list at any time. NOTE: I offer a 15% discount on my Premium album if you place your order when booking your wedding.

Q : We don't want an engagement session, can we skip it for a price reduction? A: I insist on shooting an engagement session! This time allows you to get comfortable in front of the camera with me, figuring out how we work best together before the wedding. Second it gives me a chance to get to know you so I can better tell your wedding day story. Third, you can showcase your personalities in a more casual setting, while creating some fun images for wall portraits, your wedding sign-in book, sign-in board and for your Save the Date cards and invitations.

Q : Is your price negotiable?  A: Generally, the answer is no because I feel that my price is fair and reasonable. If you are planning a wedding in the off-peak wedding season my price may be negotiable.

Q: What happens if your gear breaks? A: I carry two complete Canon 5D Mark iii camera systems on me at all times with a third back-up incase those should fail. Additionally I shoot all of my weddings with an assistant and they carry multiple cameras as well.

Q : Do you shoot same sex weddings? A: Absolutely! I fully support the LBGT community and I look forward to documenting same sex weddings.

Q : Should we have a first look session? It’s a new age, so it’s no longer considered bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding. What’s more, there are actually some pretty big advantages to a first-look session prior to the wedding. Not only are the bride, groom, bridal party and family in top form, the bride and bridesmaids’ hair and makeup are fresh, and the groom and groomsmen are still OK with being in their tuxes. If you do decide to go with a pre-ceremony formal portrait approach, be sure to set aside 15 minutes of private time for just the two of you. These private moments, before you start taking more formal, posed portraits, are often the most special for the bride and groom. You are able to say a prayer together, or exchange meaningful gifts, relax and think about the moments to come. This quiet, contemplative time also serves as a break to calm your nerves. This healthy pre-ceremony atmosphere created a smooth, steady flow through the day’s events. Getting this step out of the way early in the day frees up the rest of your time to spend with your guests.

Q: How do I reserve my date? A: Your date is officially reserved once your completed contract with the 50% retainer fee is received. The remaining balance is due 30 days before your wedding date.

Q: What is special about your photobooth? A: Please watch this little video. My photobooth is unlike any you have ever seen before! I created a unique and interactive experience that you don’t really appreciate until you’ve had a chance to see it in action. I set up a studio at your reception and after your guests take their picture via remote control the image is projected life-sized on the background for all of your party to enjoy. Less than 24-hours after your event all the photobooth pics are uploaded to a web gallery where your guests are able to order high quality photographic prints. Additionally all the high resolution photobooth pics are included on the USB drive along with your wedding images.

Q: Do you have references or testimonials? A: Please check out my testimonials.  I am proud of the work I have done and how happy my couples are.

Modern Photobooth, not yo mama's booth...

My photobooth is an interactive experience that you don't really appreciate until you've had a chance to see it in action. I set up a studio at your event and after your guests take their picture via remote control the image is projected on the background for all of your party to enjoy. For those of you who have never had the pleasure of seeing it in person here is a little taste...

I offer the only interactive photobooth in Central New York & the Fingerlakes region, don't settle for a mediocre imitation! The photobooth is great for weddings, birthdays, mitzvahs, anniversaries, galas, proms and corporate events.

Ashleigh & Sebastian-Skaneateles Country Club

Shoes: borrowed from a friend (something borrowed)
Reception Venue: Skaneateles Country Club
Flowers: Joyce Barnett with Flora Bella in Skaneateles
Cakes: Dina Sakal with Savoire Faire Rentals: Auburn Party Rental Entertainment: Whirling Disk DJ's Coordinator: Ann Crowley
Favors:  Bosco's Liquors - mini wine bottles

Leah and Michael's Wedding

Dress: From Madeleine's Daughter (Portsmouth, NH)
Hair & Makeup:  St. Cyr Salon and Spa (Worcester, MA)
Flowers: Perros Flowers (Worcester, MA)
Ceremony Location: Our Lady of Angels (Worcester, MA) Reception Location: Mechanics Hall (Worcester, MA) Cakes: Crumbs Cookies and Cakes (Barre, MA) Catering: Boynton Restaurant (Worcester, MA) Rentals: BBJ Linen Entertainment: Night Rhythm (Chelmsford, MA) Coordinator: Danielle Fleckenstein (Skaneateles, NY)

Michelle & Joe-Mandana Barn

Makeup: Erica Abdo (Syracuse, NY) Hair: Bijou (Skaneateles, NY) Flowers: Foley Florist (Auburn, NY)
Ceremony Location: St. Mary’s of the Lake (Skaneateles, NY)
Reception Location: Mandana Barn (Skaneateles, NY)
Cakes: Patty Cakes
Catering: Daniel's Grill (Marcellus, NY)
Entertainment: Great Music Company (Syracuse, NY)
Coordinator: Danielle Fleckenstein (Skaneateles, NY)

Kim & Jason-Hobbit Hollow

Jason and Kim had a beautiful day to get hitched at Hobbit Hollow in Skaneateles. They are a very stylish couple that live in Brooklyn but decided to marry in Kim's hometown of Skaneateles, New York. It was a joy to work with them because they are so easygoing and very much in love! Wedding Dress & Shoes, Maid of Honor's Dress: J. Crew Wedding Collection Flowers: Fleur-DE-Lis, Sandra Schmidt (Skaneateles, NY) Cakes: Savoir Fare Specialty Baking by Dina Sakal (Skaneateles, NY) Catering: Sherwood Inn, Chef Chris Kuhns Rentals: Taylor Rental (Auburn, NY) & MS Unlimited (Syracuse, NY) Entertainment: DJ $mall ¢hange (New York, NY) Coordinator: Sherwood Inn, Nancy Ranieri (Skaneateles, NY) Favors: Mast Brothers Chocolate (Brooklyn, NY) Venue: Hobbit Hollow Farm (Skaneateles, NY) Menus & Place Cards: Hello!Lucky (San Francisco, NY) Vases & Cake Plates: Etsy and Thrift Stores