Wedding Advice From Majestic Studios Photography & Videography
Jeff and I met Mark Greenstone and his lovely assistant Kat from Majestic Studios for lunch at the Beechtree in Poughkeepsie, NY. Actually, there's a good chance you've already met him. If you've been to a few Hudson Valley weddings, he's probably been at at least one of them; with over 20 years shooting photography and videography in the Hudson Valley, he's been around. He's the photographer who looks like Jon Stewart. Yes! That's Mark.
Mark arrived early, so his hands are folded over his menu when we join him and Kat at the table. He's as meticulous about his food as he is his photography, so I tease him about his, "picky food things."
"That's why I wanted to come here. Otherwise I would have had to call ahead to check out the menu," he jokes.
I dive right into the interview. "Mark," I ask, pen poised over my notebook, "if I'm looking for a wedding photographer, what questions should I ask?"
Mark looks thoughtful. "Couples are mostly asking the right questions," he says. "But there are some questions they should ask themselves before they interview a photographer."
1) What is most important to you on your wedding day?
"When you create a budget, what number do you base that on? Is it some recommended percentage found on the internet?" Mark asks. "Figure out what is most important to 
you and spend your money on that. I've known brides who only wanted to spend $1000 on photos that should last a lifetime, but they spend $1800 to rent a Hummer for two hours."
Mark explains that your photographer and videographer are the only vendors who provide a service that lasts beyond your wedding day. Most little girls grow up looking at their mother's wedding album. But for modern brides opting for inexpensive or do it yourself albums, chances are their albums won't be around to share with their kids. They'll be tattered, faded and falling apart.
"It's the experience you're hiring. Someone who answers the phone when you call, who cares enough to get back to you immediately," Mark says.
"When you love what you do, you're obsessed with it," Kat chimes in. "I like to work late and I'll send Mark an email at 4am. And he'll respond!"
2) What kind of experience do you want to have on your wedding day?
"Your photographer will be with you when you're getting ready at home, at the church, at the reception and afterward you'll be interacting with them to go through pictures and design your album," Mark says. "They are the vendor you need to invest the most time in."
Just about everyone knows someone who has been burned by a photographer. You've probably heard about the photographer who yelled at the wedding guests. When you interview photographers, imagine if you'll like working with them. You want to hire someone who will help you create the wedding day experience you want.
3) How do you want your photographer to interact with you?
"Understand the difference between styles," Mark says. "There's photojournalistic, candid, formal...We tend to be more traditional with your family photos and more 
contemporary and modern with you."
In Mark's experience, most couples don't know exactly what they want until they see it. That's pretty normal, considering that many have never planned a wedding before! Have potential photographers show you the difference in styles and you'll know what you want.
4) Are you hiring a photographer or a wedding photographer?
Kat stops munching her baby spinach salad. "A wedding photographer knows the flow of a wedding; they have experience and knowledge. Someone who's just starting out in weddings doesn't have that experience."
Mark describes a meeting he just had with one of his couples who had booked him for a short period of time. They wanted to have a receiving line after the ceremony and didn't realize that this particular church doesn't allow any photos at all during the ceremony. They were going to have to go back inside and restage them.
"I told them it's just not going to work for what you want to do." Mark smiles. "I'm going to tell you the reality of your day. I'll even share some things that you may not have considered..."
In this case, Mark offered to take photos separately before the ceremony, since he and Kat would both be there. If a couple is having their ceremony and reception at the same venue, he'll suggest the idea of taking photos before, so that they can enjoy more of their day, but he will always respect their choice. It's their day!
"A weekend warrior just taking photos on the side won't know to make those suggestions," Kat says. "Photos are only a portion of what we do."
"I've had a handful of brides and grooms come back and ask me to photograph their second weddings!" Mark smiles and shakes his head. "It's certainly an honor when I get those calls. They say, 'There was nothing wrong with what YOU did,' or 'That was just the rehearsal wedding.'"
"That's the kind of relationship you want to have with your photographer," Kat says.
So now it's time to get goofy. I didn't bring Jeff along for nothing.
"Tell me something no one knows about you, Mark." I smile at Jeff.
What You Don't Know (Yet) About Mark
Mark hesitates. "I was born and raised in Brooklyn?" 
"Mark doesn't just look like Jon Stewart, he's actually distantly related." Kat pokes Mark in the arm.
"She's kidding," he says. "Actually, he looks like me, because I'm older."
"What's your favorite movie?" I ask.
"Pope of Greenwich Village," Mark says quickly. "And no one would probably guess that my favorite band is AC/DC."
"Is there anything else you'd like to add?" I ask.
Mark looks off, thinking. "I wanna have fun at your wedding. We have as much fun as you do. It's that energy, that chai."
"You mean chi," Kat says. "Chai is tea. That is so Mark! He's always mixing up words like that."
"Yeah, I noticed he invited us to lunch at the Peachtree," I tease. We're all laughing now.
"But seriously," Mark says once he stops laughing. "Once that chemistry develops, it shows in the pictures. We develop that 'chai/chi' that works so well."
Majestic Studios offers both photography and videography for weddings, combining tradition, style and passion to create results that become keepsakes.
fountain. It's been almost 10 years since our first 
There are a lot of factors to consider with DIY and professional studio albums - so lets take a look at some of them in detail.
active member of the WPJA and WPPI.