From ordinary days to birthdays, Wild and Free Photography helps you capture your memories.
In June, we launched our brand new Party Sessions!
To celebrate, we held a giveaway in which one lucky winner would get to experience this kind of fun and laid back session for themselves. With her toddler's birthday just around the corner, Kim was so excited to receive this prize!
As our giveaway winner, she also gets to enjoy her session featured here on our blog! So today, we share Kim's thoughts about her experience, photos, and wise words of party planning wisdom. Her words are a great resource as to what our Party Sessions are like.
What were your expectations of having a documentary photographer present going in?
"My daughter hates having her picture taken, especially when they're posed. She has such a goofy personality, I wanted pictures that captured that. [I was expecting] someone discreet who wouldn't get in the way of the actual party, but still be able to take great candid shots. No 'look here!' or 'smile!' being yelled out like a traditional photographer."
What was the actual experience like during the party?
"[Things] started out as I expected with Olivia screaming "no camera!" But then she grew comfortable with it and we got such amazing moments captured. Caroline was so sweet and great around the kids. Everyone - including my very shy daughter - quickly grew comfortable with her going around taking photos. I hardly noticed her once the party got into full swing."
What were your thoughts when you saw your gallery?
"My heart was so full seeing the photos of my daughter, our guests, and ME! It captured all of the moments of toddler world - happy, mad, sad, wild.
I do feel like the GoPro pics weren't as good of quality* [when] compared to the [DSLR] camera."
*Kim is totally correct! GoPro's are made for outdoor, naturally lit situations. The indoor gymnasium led to the GoPro automatically lowering some settings to take in more light. See image above.
Did you enjoy that you could share your gallery with family and friends? Why or why not?
"Yes! And having a promo code for them was great too." [Kim gave out a coupon code to her guests to redeem their own favorite image.]
I also liked that the watermark wasn't too intrusive on viewing the photos."
Light watermarks make viewing a gallery easier.
Would you encourage a friend to invest in Wild and Free Photography for their next party? Why or why not?
"Yes! If you have the means to, 1000% do it. It's an investment for a reason, but so worth it in the end for the pictures we got.
It was so nice to relax and be present, and not have to worry about taking photos. I also got to be in them which is rare for moms!"
Your venue was great! What should parents consider when choosing a venue for their party?
"I prefer having private parties especially since my daughter gets overwhelmed with big crowds/strangers. [We] loved having the space to ourselves. We had 10 kids + parents/family members and the large open space was fantastic. Having staff to help set up/break down was a huge help too.
Look for places that allow you to bring your own food - cheaper and easier to accommodate different dietary preferences.
I used to be a huge DIY person, but having a party with minimal stress has changed me."
You've had a very successful party for your daughter! That's no small feat. Do you have 3-5 tips that you'd like to share with other families?
1) Let the small (and sometimes big) things go. Our pizza delivery didn't happen, but we had enough snacks and sweets for the kids that they didn't even notice or care.
2) Usually party places only give 1.5-2 hours max, so keep things minimal and delegate!
3) Costco/Sam's for drinks and snacks/food.
4) Also get decor that is returnable. My daughter changed her theme a few weeks before her party. I decided to give her the party she wanted and not guilt her into keeping it since I could return everything else.
As a parent, do you have any other thoughts you'd like to add?
"They're only this little for so long, put the phones down and just enjoy time together. They won't remember all the details that went into the party, but they'll remember how special you made them feel."
Thank you, Kim, for sharing your firsthand experience with us! We were so thrilled to celebrate with your sweet family.
Do you have any interest in a Party Session? Click the button below to learn more.
Already planning your next party? Reach out today to get on our calendar!
