February 18, 2025 • 31 mins
Join us as we welcome the talented Ryan Hamilton from Ryan Hamilton Photography, who reveals the secrets behind creating memorable wedding and event photography. Have you ever wondered how photographers balance creativity with authenticity, especially when their work is sometimes misrepresented or stolen? Ryan shares his journey from his humble beginnings in 2004 to his full-time photography career in 2011, along with the humorous and sometimes chaotic behind-the-scenes anecdotes that only insiders get to witness. This episode is filled with lively discussions about the importance of maintaining professional boundaries and the vital role of clear communication between photographers, couples, and planners to ensure smooth and successful events.
Get ready to chuckle as we tackle the age-old debate over vendor meals at weddings. Should vendors be served the same meals as guests, or is there room for flexibility? Ryan offers a delightful perspective on this topic, emphasizing the necessity of clear communication and mutual respect. We explore the etiquette of feeding vendors simultaneously with guests, ensuring they have the energy for the demanding schedule of a wedding day. By sharing real-life experiences and amusing anecdotes, this episode underscores the importance of preparation, integrity, and thoughtful planning, making the case for a well-orchestrated wedding day that keeps everyone happy and well-fed.
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Want us to chat with your favorite vendor? We’d love to! Shoot us an email at marco@tipsyguest.com and let us know who you want to hear from! Your top picks could be the stars of our next episode!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the Tipsy Guest Podcast.
I am your host, marcoBuenrostro, and every week I'm
here with the top industryexperts, amazing clients and all
my vendor BFFs to bring you thebest tips, advice and juicy
behind-the-scenes stories tomake wedding and event planning
a breeze.
So grab your favorite drink andlet's get this party started.
(00:25):
Hey guys, this is Marco withthe Tipsy Guest, and today we
have Ryan Hamilton from RyanHamilton Photography.
What's going on?
Good morning, how you doing?
You sound very Broadway, ryanHamilton.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I would like to be.
I know there's a comedian withmy name.
He's doing much better.
Obviously he's got a Netflixspecial.
You can check him out whileyou're Googling me.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Oh well, good for your SEO.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
I know, not in the right way, but.
Well, whenever you search him,I pop up, and then that's how I
met him in Austin.
I said, hey, I know your face,and he's like, oh, you're the
photographer.
That's so funny.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
So he.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Googles himself and I pop up, and vice versa.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
So Ryan Hamilton.
Now I'm going to Google him,but anyway.
So, ryan, so you're aphotographer, that's right.
Let our listeners know how longhave you been in business, what
type of photography you do.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
We want to know everything about you, man.
Um started shooting uh weddingsand events in 2004 and uh
worked your way through a couplegigs here and there and uh
finally went full-time in 2011.
Um and uh.
Since then, you live and die bythe season.
So it's uh.
Yeah, so it's been fifth.
What is it?
What is math on the 15 years?
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Okay, I was going to say I'm really bad with numbers,
but okay.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Yeah, 11D.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Okay, okay.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
So 15 years full time yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
And are you just wedding photography or do you do
corporate events, birthdays?
What's your specialty?
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Yeah, primarily weddings and portraits and I'll
do some corporate events hereand there.
I've done the birthdays forfriends and family and things
like that, but generallyspeaking, adults mostly yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Do you normally have those friends that are like, oh
yeah, we have a photographer,hey, can you just come and do
something like you know on theside, or yeah, I will politely
decline.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
If I'm invited to a party, I'll show up.
If I have, if, um, if, if I'minvited to a party, I'll show up
.
Uh, if I have my camera, I askto be a vendor.
Um, I I generally don't likethe hey, come to my party and
bring your camera likespecifically, like you don't
want to be the either I'mworking or I'm not okay, yeah,
that that makes sense.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Yeah, I have all these people that are always
messaging me and they're likehey, so we're gonna have a party
this weekend.
And uh, and I already knowwhere it's going, we're going to
have a party this weekend and Ialready know where it's going.
They're like do you happen tohave a photo booth available
that you can just bring alongand set it up and you don't even
have to be attached to it.
We can just set it up and leaveit there and people can just
take photos.
I'm like well, how much are wetalking about?
(02:58):
I'm like no, if I'm going to goto your party as a guest, I
want to be a guest.
I don't have to.
I don't want to worry aboutgetting there early to make sure
that I set up and then stayingup late just to make sure that I
take downs.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Like no, no, no right , if I'm building the haunted
house with u-haul boxes, I'mgonna be able to play in it.
There's no way I'm gonna buildyou a haunted house out of
u-haul boxes and then just walkaway.
I'm working or I'm not.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Yep, that's the way to go.
So photography, and you saidthat you've been doing it for
quite a while- Sure.
What are some of?
So today we're going to betalking about what we do as
vendors at weddings, for example, one of the topics or one of
the things that pop up everysingle time as we as vendors,
(03:45):
whenever we're talking to theplanners or we're talking to the
couples.
You know there's a lot of uhstuff that goes on behind the
scenes that, of course, theguests are never gonna know.
That you know, like nobodyknows about this stuff, only
vendors.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
As we're preparing, for the big day.
Some dirty secrets for sureyeah.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
So today's episode is gonna be fun because we're
gonna be spilling all the tea onthe laundry on what goes on
behind the scenes as vendors aregetting ready for an event all
the dirty skivvies yep, yep, yep.
And so have you ever dealt witha planner that is like all over
the place and you're like, hey,like I need to know details,
(04:24):
like what's going on, like doyou know?
Or let me ask you do younormally deal with the planner
or do you normally deal with thecouple?
Speaker 2 (04:29):
directly?
Oh, it depends.
If they have a planner, I willinstruct the couple.
You know how they want me toapproach it.
Um, if they prefer um me tocontinue asking questions,
emails, texts, all that kind ofstuff but usually if they have a
planner or coordinator, I knowthat Emails, texts, all that
kind of stuff, but usually ifthey have a planner or
coordinator, I know that theyare my contact and I kind of
Prefer that because I don't wantthe bride to be overwhelmed.
(04:50):
I want the bride to enjoy theday, even if we have A pretty
strict timeline.
I'd like them not to beOverwhelmed because you're going
to have not only my camera, myassistant's camera, a video team
, but every cell phone In theworld is going to pop up in your
face for like eight hoursstraight.
(05:12):
So if I know when dinner is, Iusually instruct them when
building a timeline with ourdiscussions.
Start with sunset and then workyour way back.
Sunset is the golden hour,after that you've got dark and
then work your way back.
Uh, sunset is the golden hour.
Uh, after that you've got darkand we're using strobes, so
we're getting two differenttypes of photos.
Um, so if I have to keep askingyou that question during dinner
(05:34):
hey, are we going out?
Hey, are we going out?
Hey, are we going out?
Hopefully it's already in thetimeline and I can just talk to
the planner.
Hey, what time are we headingout?
Is it before or after dinner?
Sunset is 7.30.
Are we going out at 7.30 or arewe going out at 7?
So we're not pestering thecouple all night, and I think
(05:55):
that's the best way that Ifigure out to do it.
Just ask them ahead of time,keep communication open and if
they want my input outside ofthe planner, or if they prefer,
I just go towards the plannerand get get directed by them.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
It's finally have you ever had a conflict where
because I know, uh, you know,I've, you know we talk as
vendors, we talk to each otherall the time.
Uh, I've had several vendorsthat you know that have
mentioned like, oh, yeah, youknow, like you know, there's an
agreement between us and thecouple.
You know we go over thetimeline and also, of course,
the planner as well.
But then where the planner iswanting to change things last
(06:31):
minute, like at the wedding, andyou're like, well, I need to
clear this with the couple, andyou know, like a conflict,
almost, like you know, theplanner is saying something and
you had agreed on somethingdifferent with the couple, how,
how have you ever had asituation like that?
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Yeah, I understand that.
I mean it's a live event, it'sa fluid situation.
So, even if we've discussedsomething previously, let's say
I meet the couple at a weddingshow or something, one of the
expos, or we meet online and wemeet at a coffee shop and we
discuss things and I know theyhave their heart set on a
certain photo or a certain youknow uh pose, uh before, after
(07:08):
the dance, for example.
Um, and the day of you know,there's hair and makeup, there's
the dress, there's catering,there's all kinds of uh events
that can take longer.
You can adjust the timeline, sousually I'll defer to the
planner.
Again, if the planner sayssomething, they're the director,
they're in charge.
Um, I might give a little'lldefer to the planner again.
If the planner says something,they're the director, they're in
charge.
I might give a little side eyeto the bride, like, are we good?
(07:29):
Are we still doing this?
But generally speaking, I hateto assume.
But during a live event I liketo say that the planner's in
charge and they're the boss.
That's why they're hired andgenerally speaking, it makes the
evening go smoother if I justlisten to what the planner says.
(07:50):
I hope that the bride has herinput already with the planner.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Yeah, and speaking of you know, like you working
directly with the planner and,of course, the other vendors as
well, I feel like thephotographer and the planner are
probably the ones that spendthe most time there the day of
the wedding.
I mean because you have tocapture like early on in the day
and then, of course, stay upuntil you know the very end.
(08:17):
What does a I guess, just anormal day at a wedding look
like for you?
What time do you get there?
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Oh yeah, depends on the venue and depends on the
timeline.
I would say, like a generalevent, say you're starting in
the morning hair and makeup,getting ready, and during that
time we will do details jewelry,dress shoes, all that fun stuff
.
So let's say they're gettingmarried in a chapel.
(08:46):
Let's say San Fernando yeah,that swine flu, you know,
downtown San Antonio, sanFernando is a beautiful
cathedral but they definitelysqueeze in several weddings,
several events.
There's probably two weddingsand then a quince or something
(09:07):
like that.
If we have an early wedding,then definitely the earlier
getting ready is going to be themain thing.
So like 8 am start time,because the ceremony is at noon,
that kind of a thing.
So hair and makeup will getthere first and then photo and
then maybe a video team andwe'll start doing details.
We'll start doing the hair andmakeup will get there first and
then photo and then maybe avideo team and we'll start doing
details.
We'll start doing the hair andmakeup we like to document.
(09:35):
But I also love doing a littlemore of an editorial approach,
kind of letting hair and makeupdo their thing, versus being in
their grill the whole time.
I think it kind of slows themdown if I'm jockeying for the
same spot while they're doingtouch-ups.
Yeah, not um.
So I will kind of let hair andmakeup mostly finish and then
I'll say, hey, I'm gonna stage afew photos.
Can you just put your you knowyour your brush for the rouge?
(09:58):
Just kind of leave it rightthere.
Can you pretend to put lipstickon for the photo and we will do
a couple stage photos like that.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
I always wondered how those photos always look so
perfect.
It makes sense now.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Yeah, a lot of them are not live.
Live in the sense of yeah, it'sa real event, for sure, but
it's a hey, just give me a quickfive minutes before you finish.
And then others.
You've got editorial shootsspecifically for the hair and
makeup artist or the brand ofmakeup and you do like a styled
(10:30):
shoot or something.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
I like I mean all the stuff that you have.
You know, I see you all thetime at open houses and the
wedding, the wedding shows andthings like that, and you're
always.
I mean the stuff you showcase,I mean it pretty much sells
itself.
Your work is so good, you somuch, yeah no it's, it's
incredible, I mean it come.
I mean, you've been doing thisfor such a long time that do you
(10:53):
?
Do you still find yourself liketrying to find a new ways on,
on how to approach, I guess,photography in general, or or do
you?
You're like you know what?
I'm pretty set on, my style,and this is this is what I do.
People like me because of thisuh, half and half.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Yeah, I'm always looking for something new.
I think, as a creative, you'realways looking to change.
Uh, either change it up or trysomething different, whether
it's new gear or a new technique.
Um, but uh, overall I would sayI I shoot my receptions pretty
similarly the past 20 years,whatever it is, um, working for
(11:32):
other studios and I'm workingfor myself.
Um, yeah, receptions aregenerally the same, but maybe
I'll add a little morecreativity to it and um, but uh,
when it comes down time for all, always, always changing and
always trying to improve.
Every venue is different, everycouple is different, so
different decor.
A colleague 100 years ago saidwhat if we just had stock
(11:57):
footage of every venue so thatif we forget something, we can
refer to a folder and just say,oh, this is the shot of the
chapel, the shot of the hall, orthis is the table set up.
But you can't do that becauseevery day is different.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
It's different.
Yeah, I mean everybody's sounique.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
Everyone's bouquets are different.
The tablescapes, whether theyhave just a nice centerpiece and
flowers or they've got somereally intricate detail.
Centerpiece and flowers, orthey've got some really
intricate detail, a lot of, um,uh, fun little tchotchkes, a
star wars themed wedding withall the little figures and
whatnot.
I mean you can't, you can'trecreate that and hold it in the
(12:35):
folder for the next somebodyelse?
Speaker 1 (12:36):
yeah, exactly, which comes to getting back to the
drama here do.
Have you ever had anotherphotographer steal your work?
Have you ever had anotherphotographer steal your work or
use your work posing as theirs?
Speaker 2 (12:49):
Oh, I have not.
That I know of.
Thankfully, I've heard somehorror stories for sure, and if
you're on social media as longas I've, I guess 07 was when it
kind of kicked off.
Sorry, I'm trying to get rid ofsome bad breath.
It's how they get you.
Um, before I start, choose sometrident kids.
(13:11):
Um, this is, uh, it's, it's asensitive topic for sure,
because it does happen.
Yeah, and you do have those badactors.
Um, I like to say everybodygets a slap on the wrist once.
But this isn't the 60ies wherethings are just floating around.
This isn't the advent of Google.
I mean, you know what's goingon now.
(13:31):
If you play stupid, you reallyhave been under a rock for a
while To Jack someone else'simages usually as your own
Horrible.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
I hate hearing that.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Yeah, and I don't care what level you're at, if
you are, you know, speaking inconferences, if you're making a
couple million a year or ifyou're just a weekend warrior,
soccer mom nobody wants theirwork stolen.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Yeah, no, especially, I feel like with photography,
it's so easy to just grabsomebody's image and be like,
well, I'm going to be shootingsimilar to this, so let me just
use this image and show it to acouple and be like, yeah, look,
shooting similar to this.
So let me just use this imageand show it to a couple and be
like, yeah, look, this is mywork.
I, I mean, I see it every dayand, like you know facebook
groups where vendors talk aboutthings, or you know when, when
couples are looking for vendorsand stuff like that, like people
(14:14):
promoting their, their business, and it's like you're like
that's not your work like.
I've seen your website and whatyou're showing me right now.
This, this is not I mean.
If this is your best work, whyis this not on your website
Exactly?
Speaker 2 (14:26):
Yeah, funny story.
I went to a national conferenceand this is a big-name national
conference.
All the big vendors are there,all the print labs, the albums.
They're trying to get theirproducts sold to the
photographers so that they cansell and in turn resell them to
(14:46):
the brides right, and I saw somefamiliar prints and some
familiar images and I thoughtthis print lab just jacked one
of my friends.
uh work because it's a veryspecific style, very beautiful,
and uh.
So I'm staring right at thesephotos and I thought these
photos are amazing.
There's no way they duplicatedthese shots, there's no way they
(15:07):
did them themselves, like rightafterwards, right.
So I called up my friend and Isaid I'm staring at your photos
right now at this booth in theconference and she's like, oh
yeah, I know I'm sponsored, yeah, it's OK.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
Oh OK, oh, OK, well, at that point, yeah, yeah, it's
okay.
Oh okay, oh, okay, well, atthat point, yeah, I'll just shut
up and go try in the corner,but look at you watching out for
your friend.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
I was trying to stir up some drama, I guess, and it
just didn't happen.
You know.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
I love that.
The thing is like I'm veryprotective of my stuff.
You know, like as a photo booth, you know we take photos.
They're a lot more casual thanyou know like an actual
photographer, but I'm veryprotective, you know.
(15:51):
So when I see you know newerphoto booth companies out there,
you know promoting their, theirnew business, and they're not
even using their images, yeah,to me it's like okay, so did you
borrow those photos from, fromthe, the, the owner, or did you
just grab them thinking thatnobody's gonna find out?
I mean, I know just like you.
You know like you go toconferences.
I go to photo booth conferencesall the time so I know p photo
booth owners in so manydifferent parts of the united
(16:15):
states, mexico, in othercountries.
So I, you know, we create thoseconnections, you become friends
with them so you know theirwork.
There was one photo of mycompany where it was a picture
of me.
I was in the shot and it wasone of my 360 photo booths and
we have a lot of confetti.
It's a really, really coolphoto.
(16:36):
So, as part of the Facebookgroup of photo booth owners, it
was so funny Because almostevery week I would get a message
from somebody in another partof the country and they're like
marco, this company is usingyour photo, this company is
using you and they would send me, like the, the screenshots of
of their websites or theirinstagram and stuff, and it it
(16:57):
just happens.
You know, people just google oh, let me google a 360 photo
booth and that photo popped upand they used it as their own.
So it was.
It was fun at one point, like hemessaging them, and be like,
hey, you know, like that's myphoto, but now I'm just like
whatever like you know, like ifyou're using that photo and then
you don't deliver the same typeof service like people are
gonna know, you know that you're, you're faking your, your
(17:19):
social media, you know materialor content and you're not really
delivering the services.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
I think it can get old after a while.
You know, especially if you'rejust a top-tier shooter and
everybody knows your work, andthen you continue to see it out
there and maybe you send a ceaseand desist, right?
Or you send an email, you get alawyer, all that fun stuff, but
after a while it kind of dragsyou down and it makes your work
(17:49):
time, and not your couch time, alot harder, a lot longer than
it needs to be.
Like we mentioned off-camerabefore, if I'm not on my couch
in my underwear, I'm working.
So if I'm answering your emails.
Or if we're talking aboutweddings, if I'm responding to
emails, if someone stole my workand I'm responding to that,
(18:11):
that's work.
So if I'm not watching Archeror something, if I'm not
chilling, doing absolutelynothing, vegging out, getting
brain dead, I want to be leftalone.
For give me 45 minutes.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
Yeah, let me recharge um those salsa verde doritos,
man, they'll get you oh mygoodness, speaking of doritos,
you got some speaking of foodright here so here we go for our
couples that are listening outthere.
You know we always try to.
You know we have, of course,you know we always talk to you
guys throughout the process of,you know, the, the booking and
(18:48):
and come.
You know, leading up to the bigday.
One of the topics that's always, you know, controversial
amongst vendors is food man, thefamous vendor meal man.
What a topic.
So the vendor meal.
You know I always hear somevendors complaining like, hey,
we didn't even get fed, wedidn't get food, blah, blah
(19:09):
always here and then I hear someother vendors like oh my god,
we love working weddings becausethose vendor meals are amazing,
and blah blah blah.
So what's your opinion onvendor meals?
Should the couples provide avendor meal for every vendor at
a wedding?
Are there only certain vendorsthat should get it?
What are your thoughts on that?
Speaker 2 (19:28):
This is a topic, a tale as old as time man.
This topic starts battles.
Borders have been built I meanfamilies, marry to avoid this.
This is man.
This will start some drama, forsure, but man, in my humble
(19:49):
little opinion, yes, I thinkit's customary and, again, all
of this can be hashed out,discussed beforehand.
So if you're just not talkingto your couple, um, but also the
couple they just don't know, toask uh, generally speaking,
(20:10):
this is a once in a lifetimeevent.
Um, you're not replacing yourdeck every 10 years.
You know, you're not gettingyour oil changed every couple
thousand miles.
Uh, you get married, you getyour album and you're done.
You go off and have babies andbuy a ranch in the middle of
nowhere and that's it.
But yeah, for a live event,especially photo video, dj,
(20:33):
there we go, maybe even theplanner.
It's generally customary to feedthem along with your guests.
I think when I talk to couples,I don't demand food.
I don't need food.
I don't request a certain styleor a certain dish, whatever.
(20:58):
I don't have allergies.
That kind of thing I'm allergicto.
An honest day's work is whatI'm allergic to.
I think a lot of folks, in theircontracts, for example, will
demand to eat what the guestseat, and I love that.
I would love some prime rib too, like I want to eat what what
(21:22):
grammy and grandpa are chowingdown over there for sure, um, I
don't love, but I accept itbecause I'm very.
I know I'm a vendor.
You know I've been a bar backbefore.
Bar back I'm not even.
You know I'm uh high on thescale, you know I, I know where
I am in life.
Uh, to quote the great eminem,of course you gotta stop living
(21:42):
up here, start living down here.
You enjoy life so much betterif you just chill.
Yeah, where you are, man, um,and uh, I picture like eminem in
some robe, like on ghostbustersoh my gosh.
Um, I don't want to picturethat, though it's a whole
different topic.
Um, but yeah, so, generallyspeaking, again, um to uh, to
(22:07):
have your, your vendors, fed, um, and to feed them while the
bride and groomer are eating aswell.
Uh, a lot of folks, or evenplanners, for example, will say
we don't feed vendors until theend and, in my humble experience
, once the bride and groom aredone eating, they will start
walking around and saying helloto everybody, start doing a
(22:30):
little hellos and how are yous?
And high fives and whatnot andthe vendors are eating.
So in my experience, I want toget my food knocked out, fill my
belly, whether I'm being fedthe catering meal or if they've
told me hey, the catering isjust way too expensive.
(22:50):
We can't give you a platebecause it's 80 bucks, 100 bucks
whatever it is 200 bucks perperson.
So if I know ahead of time, man,I will pull over and grab some
chicken nuggies, um, on the wayover, just so I know I've got
something.
Um, I'll grab a subway on theway over.
I'll do something.
A little little hoagie sandwich, right, I will make sure that
(23:13):
I'm fed, that I'm going to go acliff bar and a drink or
something, yeah, but I will tellbrides that when you are off
again, respectfully as possible,all the hugs invited.
A quote, unquote vendor meal.
When a planner or a catereruses that term, that generally
(23:39):
means a sandwich and an appleand a cookie.
Yeah, and it might cost just asmuch as what you're feeding
your guests.
So prime rib costs $80.
And then a sandwich, where Ican get it at the gas station
for $250.
Isn't it costing another $80?
Or whatever the price is.
Don't quote me on that.
Um, so, respectfully, I wouldrather just pick my own soggy
(24:04):
sandwich, uh, at the gas stationor or wherever.
Um, I'll jack some homelessdudes lunch for sure.
Give me that.
I need some nutrition, um, so,yeah, I, I will politely inform
the couple.
I appreciate you feeding us, buta vendor meal, a vendor meal,
is not what we're asking for.
(24:25):
We're asking for just generallyit's just time to eat time,
time to recharge, time to beleft alone for like five or ten
minutes.
Um, because it is a creativegig and you got to keep your
head in the game.
You're always thinking aboutlighting and shadows and do I
have enough battery left?
Ceremony to family photos iskind of a longer part of the
(24:50):
event and then all of a suddenyou get to the reception and the
reception is one thing afterthe other.
It's entrance, dinner, dancing,bouquet and garter cake, maybe
a dollar dance, all these thingskind of happen every half hour
and you may not have that timeto run back to your bag, change
batteries, change lenses.
So, like that, dinner time iskind of a key component to the
(25:13):
timeline of give me a minute towoosah.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
Okay, all right, I like that.
Yeah, so, and the reason whywe're talking about this is
because you know our couples.
like you said, you know this isa once in a lifetime event, so
sometimes they don't know whatthey don't know you know, and
sometimes you know this is wherewhere planners come into place,
you know, where they kind ofexplain to, to to the couples.
You know what, what needs to bedone, which, which you know.
(25:38):
Another topic it's like do wetip the vendors?
You know, like couples don'tknow, well, how much should we
tip and who should we tip.
You know, do we have to tipevery single vendor?
Do we have to feed every singlevendor?
So I feel like this is somethingyou know, where, of course,
yeah, you can do your ownresearch, but I feel like maybe,
like the planner can kind ofhelp with that.
You know where they can educatethe the their couples on oh,
(26:01):
yeah, yeah, you know you'resupposed to, or you know it's
nice to tip.
You know every vendor, or youknow the main vendors that are
there like almost the entire dayor whatever.
So so, yeah, just, you knowthings that you don't know as
couples out there, make sure youask, you know, ask your, ask
your, your planner.
You know there's a lot offacebook groups out there.
There's, uh, there's a, there'sbooks, there's, you know, like
(26:24):
podcasts, like this, where whereyou know, we, we try to to give
you guys an idea of some of thestuff that you don't
necessarily know, uh, but yes,vendor meals was definitely one
of my.
That's always a topic at everywedding that we do.
Like you know, you always talkto the vendors and the food is
always one of them.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
Absolutely.
You talk to the vendors and itcan get heated.
And you go on Facebook after along, long October November.
There's no vacation time inOctober November.
You're working Never.
If you're not working foryourself, you're working for
somebody else, and you know.
This goes on and on and thattopic can get heated.
Um, like I've said, uh, uh, uh,fist can be thrown.
(27:10):
Um, and of course, you've gotthese folks at midnight and
they're hangry and they'vedriven home and they've dropped
their bags off.
And again, they've been doingthis, however long, and the one
part of their gig was nobody fedme.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
I had to stop at McDonald's at four in the
morning I love my food, and thenafter hours.
I guess there's only a fewthings you can get McDonald's
Whataburger Taco.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
Palenque.
I think that Cane's is openlate.
Really, we got a Cane's downhere.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
Oh, wow so there's another option.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
Taco Cabana is no longer 24 hours.
It's like 9 o'clock.
What Are we like, 85 years old?
Speaker 1 (27:47):
That is insane To me.
I mean, I'm a Taco Palenqueperson and Taco Palenque is 24
hours.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
Oh good.
So yeah, so that's my go-toevery time after an event I will
say I live in the hood and theHole in the Wall.
Restaurants are amazing.
But yeah, they're family-owned.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
They close early, so they close at?
Speaker 2 (28:04):
you know.
Hopefully they close at 11, ifnot 10, 9, 8, 30, you know.
But if they're open until 11,and I have a gig that lets out
early, I will call ahead and Iwill say you know who I am.
I'm coming.
I want the white boy special.
I'll be there in 15.
I like that, oh, and I'm onthere and I get the brown paper
(28:25):
bag and they know it's me.
It's ready to go.
I get handshakes and hugs.
I'm like I know, I know I'mhere.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
That's so funny.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
I'm going to keep you all in business one more day.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
Oh my God.
All right, ryan, we're runningout of time, but I want you to
let our listeners know where canthey find you on social media
or your website, or a phonenumber, something that they can
get in touch with you in casethat they need a fabulous
photographer for their big day.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
Photographer is a way to put it.
For sure, you can put me downon your Instagram Ryan Hamilton
Photography.
The same thing on Facebook, Ithink it's like r hamilton photo
.
There's some dude somewhereelse that stole it before me, I
guess.
Uh, my website is uh,ryanhamiltonphotocom and you've
(29:10):
got my weddings, my portraits.
I do some maternity.
Um, I do a little booty as well.
That's Boudoir.
I was just going to ask.
I know I'm a dude in theindustry, I get it, but a link
to my work is on there.
But yeah, ryanhamiltonphotocomPackages, prices, albums, all
(29:33):
that fun stuff, everyone's happyand excited, puppy dogs and ice
cream, you know all right, sowe'll make sure you.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
We put your information down as well in the
blog.
Um, for the episode and theshow notes.
So make sure you follow ryanand ryan.
This is your open invitation.
Uh, to come back whenever.
Sounds good we would love tohave you again.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
I would love to do a deep dive.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
Yeah, for sure, yeah I think there's some, some other
good topics that we candefinitely discuss, and I think
I have one in mind um, yeah, soso we'll definitely have you
back to our listeners.
Thank you so much.
Make sure you tell all yourengaged bffs to check out the
podcast.
We're on every single week withvendors trying to give you the
best information so that yourwedding planning is a breeze.
(30:16):
Make sure you follow us onsocial media.
Send us a DM, send us yourquestions and I'll be happy to
reach out to some of yourfavorite vendors.
If you want us to have them onthe podcast, just let us know
who.
Speaker 2 (30:27):
Slide into them DMs.
Speaker 1 (30:28):
All right guys, next time Cheers.
Thanks for listening to theTipsy Guest Podcast.
If you know someone who couldbenefit from these tips, spread
the love and share it with them.
Don't forget to subscribe andleave a review.
Next round's on us, same time,same place, cheers.
This podcast is brought to youby MVP Photobooth, the number
(30:55):
one photobooth rental company inSan Antonio, austin and Central
Texas.
Welcome to the Tipsy Guest Podcast.
I am your host, marcoBuenrostro, and every week I'm
here with the top industryexperts, amazing clients and all
my vendor BFFs to bring you thebest tips, advice and juicy
behind-the-scenes stories tomake wedding and event planning
a breeze.
So grab your favorite drink andlet's get this party started.
(00:25):
Hey guys, this is Marco withthe Tipsy Guest, and today we
have Ryan Hamilton from RyanHamilton Photography.
What's going on?
Good morning, how you doing?
You sound very Broadway, ryanHamilton.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I would like to be.
I know there's a comedian withmy name.
He's doing much better.
Obviously he's got a Netflixspecial.
You can check him out whileyou're Googling me.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Oh well, good for your SEO.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
I know, not in the right way, but.
Well, whenever you search him,I pop up, and then that's how I
met him in Austin.
I said, hey, I know your face,and he's like, oh, you're the
photographer.
That's so funny.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
So he.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Googles himself and I pop up, and vice versa.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
So Ryan Hamilton.
Now I'm going to Google him,but anyway.
So, ryan, so you're aphotographer, that's right.
Let our listeners know how longhave you been in business, what
type of photography you do.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
We want to know everything about you, man.
Um started shooting uh weddingsand events in 2004 and uh
worked your way through a couplegigs here and there and uh
finally went full-time in 2011.
Um and uh.
Since then, you live and die bythe season.
So it's uh.
Yeah, so it's been fifth.
What is it?
What is math on the 15 years?
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Okay, I was going to say I'm really bad with numbers,
but okay.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Yeah, 11D.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Okay, okay.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
So 15 years full time yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
And are you just wedding photography or do you do
corporate events, birthdays?
What's your specialty?
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Yeah, primarily weddings and portraits and I'll
do some corporate events hereand there.
I've done the birthdays forfriends and family and things
like that, but generallyspeaking, adults mostly yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Do you normally have those friends that are like, oh
yeah, we have a photographer,hey, can you just come and do
something like you know on theside, or yeah, I will politely
decline.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
If I'm invited to a party, I'll show up.
If I have, if, um, if, if I'minvited to a party, I'll show up
.
Uh, if I have my camera, I askto be a vendor.
Um, I I generally don't likethe hey, come to my party and
bring your camera likespecifically, like you don't
want to be the either I'mworking or I'm not okay, yeah,
that that makes sense.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Yeah, I have all these people that are always
messaging me and they're likehey, so we're gonna have a party
this weekend.
And uh, and I already knowwhere it's going, we're going to
have a party this weekend and Ialready know where it's going.
They're like do you happen tohave a photo booth available
that you can just bring alongand set it up and you don't even
have to be attached to it.
We can just set it up and leaveit there and people can just
take photos.
I'm like well, how much are wetalking about?
(02:58):
I'm like no, if I'm going to goto your party as a guest, I
want to be a guest.
I don't have to.
I don't want to worry aboutgetting there early to make sure
that I set up and then stayingup late just to make sure that I
take downs.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Like no, no, no right , if I'm building the haunted
house with u-haul boxes, I'mgonna be able to play in it.
There's no way I'm gonna buildyou a haunted house out of
u-haul boxes and then just walkaway.
I'm working or I'm not.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Yep, that's the way to go.
So photography, and you saidthat you've been doing it for
quite a while- Sure.
What are some of?
So today we're going to betalking about what we do as
vendors at weddings, for example, one of the topics or one of
the things that pop up everysingle time as we as vendors,
(03:45):
whenever we're talking to theplanners or we're talking to the
couples.
You know there's a lot of uhstuff that goes on behind the
scenes that, of course, theguests are never gonna know.
That you know, like nobodyknows about this stuff, only
vendors.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
As we're preparing, for the big day.
Some dirty secrets for sureyeah.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
So today's episode is gonna be fun because we're
gonna be spilling all the tea onthe laundry on what goes on
behind the scenes as vendors aregetting ready for an event all
the dirty skivvies yep, yep, yep.
And so have you ever dealt witha planner that is like all over
the place and you're like, hey,like I need to know details,
(04:24):
like what's going on, like doyou know?
Or let me ask you do younormally deal with the planner
or do you normally deal with thecouple?
Speaker 2 (04:29):
directly?
Oh, it depends.
If they have a planner, I willinstruct the couple.
You know how they want me toapproach it.
Um, if they prefer um me tocontinue asking questions,
emails, texts, all that kind ofstuff but usually if they have a
planner or coordinator, I knowthat Emails, texts, all that
kind of stuff, but usually ifthey have a planner or
coordinator, I know that theyare my contact and I kind of
Prefer that because I don't wantthe bride to be overwhelmed.
(04:50):
I want the bride to enjoy theday, even if we have A pretty
strict timeline.
I'd like them not to beOverwhelmed because you're going
to have not only my camera, myassistant's camera, a video team
, but every cell phone In theworld is going to pop up in your
face for like eight hoursstraight.
(05:12):
So if I know when dinner is, Iusually instruct them when
building a timeline with ourdiscussions.
Start with sunset and then workyour way back.
Sunset is the golden hour,after that you've got dark and
then work your way back.
Uh, sunset is the golden hour.
Uh, after that you've got darkand we're using strobes, so
we're getting two differenttypes of photos.
Um, so if I have to keep askingyou that question during dinner
(05:34):
hey, are we going out?
Hey, are we going out?
Hey, are we going out?
Hopefully it's already in thetimeline and I can just talk to
the planner.
Hey, what time are we headingout?
Is it before or after dinner?
Sunset is 7.30.
Are we going out at 7.30 or arewe going out at 7?
So we're not pestering thecouple all night, and I think
(05:55):
that's the best way that Ifigure out to do it.
Just ask them ahead of time,keep communication open and if
they want my input outside ofthe planner, or if they prefer,
I just go towards the plannerand get get directed by them.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
It's finally have you ever had a conflict where
because I know, uh, you know,I've, you know we talk as
vendors, we talk to each otherall the time.
Uh, I've had several vendorsthat you know that have
mentioned like, oh, yeah, youknow, like you know, there's an
agreement between us and thecouple.
You know we go over thetimeline and also, of course,
the planner as well.
But then where the planner iswanting to change things last
(06:31):
minute, like at the wedding, andyou're like, well, I need to
clear this with the couple, andyou know, like a conflict,
almost, like you know, theplanner is saying something and
you had agreed on somethingdifferent with the couple, how,
how have you ever had asituation like that?
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Yeah, I understand that.
I mean it's a live event, it'sa fluid situation.
So, even if we've discussedsomething previously, let's say
I meet the couple at a weddingshow or something, one of the
expos, or we meet online and wemeet at a coffee shop and we
discuss things and I know theyhave their heart set on a
certain photo or a certain youknow uh pose, uh before, after
(07:08):
the dance, for example.
Um, and the day of you know,there's hair and makeup, there's
the dress, there's catering,there's all kinds of uh events
that can take longer.
You can adjust the timeline, sousually I'll defer to the
planner.
Again, if the planner sayssomething, they're the director,
they're in charge.
Um, I might give a little'lldefer to the planner again.
If the planner says something,they're the director, they're in
charge.
I might give a little side eyeto the bride, like, are we good?
(07:29):
Are we still doing this?
But generally speaking, I hateto assume.
But during a live event I liketo say that the planner's in
charge and they're the boss.
That's why they're hired andgenerally speaking, it makes the
evening go smoother if I justlisten to what the planner says.
(07:50):
I hope that the bride has herinput already with the planner.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Yeah, and speaking of you know, like you working
directly with the planner and,of course, the other vendors as
well, I feel like thephotographer and the planner are
probably the ones that spendthe most time there the day of
the wedding.
I mean because you have tocapture like early on in the day
and then, of course, stay upuntil you know the very end.
(08:17):
What does a I guess, just anormal day at a wedding look
like for you?
What time do you get there?
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Oh yeah, depends on the venue and depends on the
timeline.
I would say, like a generalevent, say you're starting in
the morning hair and makeup,getting ready, and during that
time we will do details jewelry,dress shoes, all that fun stuff
.
So let's say they're gettingmarried in a chapel.
(08:46):
Let's say San Fernando yeah,that swine flu, you know,
downtown San Antonio, sanFernando is a beautiful
cathedral but they definitelysqueeze in several weddings,
several events.
There's probably two weddingsand then a quince or something
(09:07):
like that.
If we have an early wedding,then definitely the earlier
getting ready is going to be themain thing.
So like 8 am start time,because the ceremony is at noon,
that kind of a thing.
So hair and makeup will getthere first and then photo and
then maybe a video team andwe'll start doing details.
We'll start doing the hair andmakeup will get there first and
then photo and then maybe avideo team and we'll start doing
details.
We'll start doing the hair andmakeup we like to document.
(09:35):
But I also love doing a littlemore of an editorial approach,
kind of letting hair and makeupdo their thing, versus being in
their grill the whole time.
I think it kind of slows themdown if I'm jockeying for the
same spot while they're doingtouch-ups.
Yeah, not um.
So I will kind of let hair andmakeup mostly finish and then
I'll say, hey, I'm gonna stage afew photos.
Can you just put your you knowyour your brush for the rouge?
(09:58):
Just kind of leave it rightthere.
Can you pretend to put lipstickon for the photo and we will do
a couple stage photos like that.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
I always wondered how those photos always look so
perfect.
It makes sense now.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Yeah, a lot of them are not live.
Live in the sense of yeah, it'sa real event, for sure, but
it's a hey, just give me a quickfive minutes before you finish.
And then others.
You've got editorial shootsspecifically for the hair and
makeup artist or the brand ofmakeup and you do like a styled
(10:30):
shoot or something.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
I like I mean all the stuff that you have.
You know, I see you all thetime at open houses and the
wedding, the wedding shows andthings like that, and you're
always.
I mean the stuff you showcase,I mean it pretty much sells
itself.
Your work is so good, you somuch, yeah no it's, it's
incredible, I mean it come.
I mean, you've been doing thisfor such a long time that do you
(10:53):
?
Do you still find yourself liketrying to find a new ways on,
on how to approach, I guess,photography in general, or or do
you?
You're like you know what?
I'm pretty set on, my style,and this is this is what I do.
People like me because of thisuh, half and half.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Yeah, I'm always looking for something new.
I think, as a creative, you'realways looking to change.
Uh, either change it up or trysomething different, whether
it's new gear or a new technique.
Um, but uh, overall I would sayI I shoot my receptions pretty
similarly the past 20 years,whatever it is, um, working for
(11:32):
other studios and I'm workingfor myself.
Um, yeah, receptions aregenerally the same, but maybe
I'll add a little morecreativity to it and um, but uh,
when it comes down time for all, always, always changing and
always trying to improve.
Every venue is different, everycouple is different, so
different decor.
A colleague 100 years ago saidwhat if we just had stock
(11:57):
footage of every venue so thatif we forget something, we can
refer to a folder and just say,oh, this is the shot of the
chapel, the shot of the hall, orthis is the table set up.
But you can't do that becauseevery day is different.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
It's different.
Yeah, I mean everybody's sounique.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
Everyone's bouquets are different.
The tablescapes, whether theyhave just a nice centerpiece and
flowers or they've got somereally intricate detail.
Centerpiece and flowers, orthey've got some really
intricate detail, a lot of, um,uh, fun little tchotchkes, a
star wars themed wedding withall the little figures and
whatnot.
I mean you can't, you can'trecreate that and hold it in the
(12:35):
folder for the next somebodyelse?
Speaker 1 (12:36):
yeah, exactly, which comes to getting back to the
drama here do.
Have you ever had anotherphotographer steal your work?
Have you ever had anotherphotographer steal your work or
use your work posing as theirs?
Speaker 2 (12:49):
Oh, I have not.
That I know of.
Thankfully, I've heard somehorror stories for sure, and if
you're on social media as longas I've, I guess 07 was when it
kind of kicked off.
Sorry, I'm trying to get rid ofsome bad breath.
It's how they get you.
Um, before I start, choose sometrident kids.
(13:11):
Um, this is, uh, it's, it's asensitive topic for sure,
because it does happen.
Yeah, and you do have those badactors.
Um, I like to say everybodygets a slap on the wrist once.
But this isn't the 60ies wherethings are just floating around.
This isn't the advent of Google.
I mean, you know what's goingon now.
(13:31):
If you play stupid, you reallyhave been under a rock for a
while To Jack someone else'simages usually as your own
Horrible.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
I hate hearing that.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Yeah, and I don't care what level you're at, if
you are, you know, speaking inconferences, if you're making a
couple million a year or ifyou're just a weekend warrior,
soccer mom nobody wants theirwork stolen.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Yeah, no, especially, I feel like with photography,
it's so easy to just grabsomebody's image and be like,
well, I'm going to be shootingsimilar to this, so let me just
use this image and show it to acouple and be like, yeah, look,
shooting similar to this.
So let me just use this imageand show it to a couple and be
like, yeah, look, this is mywork.
I, I mean, I see it every dayand, like you know facebook
groups where vendors talk aboutthings, or you know when, when
couples are looking for vendorsand stuff like that, like people
(14:14):
promoting their, their business, and it's like you're like
that's not your work like.
I've seen your website and whatyou're showing me right now.
This, this is not I mean.
If this is your best work, whyis this not on your website
Exactly?
Speaker 2 (14:26):
Yeah, funny story.
I went to a national conferenceand this is a big-name national
conference.
All the big vendors are there,all the print labs, the albums.
They're trying to get theirproducts sold to the
photographers so that they cansell and in turn resell them to
(14:46):
the brides right, and I saw somefamiliar prints and some
familiar images and I thoughtthis print lab just jacked one
of my friends.
uh work because it's a veryspecific style, very beautiful,
and uh.
So I'm staring right at thesephotos and I thought these
photos are amazing.
There's no way they duplicatedthese shots, there's no way they
(15:07):
did them themselves, like rightafterwards, right.
So I called up my friend and Isaid I'm staring at your photos
right now at this booth in theconference and she's like, oh
yeah, I know I'm sponsored, yeah, it's OK.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
Oh OK, oh, OK, well, at that point, yeah, yeah, it's
okay.
Oh okay, oh, okay, well, atthat point, yeah, I'll just shut
up and go try in the corner,but look at you watching out for
your friend.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
I was trying to stir up some drama, I guess, and it
just didn't happen.
You know.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
I love that.
The thing is like I'm veryprotective of my stuff.
You know, like as a photo booth, you know we take photos.
They're a lot more casual thanyou know like an actual
photographer, but I'm veryprotective, you know.
(15:51):
So when I see you know newerphoto booth companies out there,
you know promoting their, theirnew business, and they're not
even using their images, yeah,to me it's like okay, so did you
borrow those photos from, fromthe, the, the owner, or did you
just grab them thinking thatnobody's gonna find out?
I mean, I know just like you.
You know like you go toconferences.
I go to photo booth conferencesall the time so I know p photo
booth owners in so manydifferent parts of the united
(16:15):
states, mexico, in othercountries.
So I, you know, we create thoseconnections, you become friends
with them so you know theirwork.
There was one photo of mycompany where it was a picture
of me.
I was in the shot and it wasone of my 360 photo booths and
we have a lot of confetti.
It's a really, really coolphoto.
(16:36):
So, as part of the Facebookgroup of photo booth owners, it
was so funny Because almostevery week I would get a message
from somebody in another partof the country and they're like
marco, this company is usingyour photo, this company is
using you and they would send me, like the, the screenshots of
of their websites or theirinstagram and stuff, and it it
(16:57):
just happens.
You know, people just google oh, let me google a 360 photo
booth and that photo popped upand they used it as their own.
So it was.
It was fun at one point, like hemessaging them, and be like,
hey, you know, like that's myphoto, but now I'm just like
whatever like you know, like ifyou're using that photo and then
you don't deliver the same typeof service like people are
gonna know, you know that you're, you're faking your, your
(17:19):
social media, you know materialor content and you're not really
delivering the services.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
I think it can get old after a while.
You know, especially if you'rejust a top-tier shooter and
everybody knows your work, andthen you continue to see it out
there and maybe you send a ceaseand desist, right?
Or you send an email, you get alawyer, all that fun stuff, but
after a while it kind of dragsyou down and it makes your work
(17:49):
time, and not your couch time, alot harder, a lot longer than
it needs to be.
Like we mentioned off-camerabefore, if I'm not on my couch
in my underwear, I'm working.
So if I'm answering your emails.
Or if we're talking aboutweddings, if I'm responding to
emails, if someone stole my workand I'm responding to that,
(18:11):
that's work.
So if I'm not watching Archeror something, if I'm not
chilling, doing absolutelynothing, vegging out, getting
brain dead, I want to be leftalone.
For give me 45 minutes.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
Yeah, let me recharge um those salsa verde doritos,
man, they'll get you oh mygoodness, speaking of doritos,
you got some speaking of foodright here so here we go for our
couples that are listening outthere.
You know we always try to.
You know we have, of course,you know we always talk to you
guys throughout the process of,you know, the, the booking and
(18:48):
and come.
You know, leading up to the bigday.
One of the topics that's always, you know, controversial
amongst vendors is food man, thefamous vendor meal man.
What a topic.
So the vendor meal.
You know I always hear somevendors complaining like, hey,
we didn't even get fed, wedidn't get food, blah, blah
(19:09):
always here and then I hear someother vendors like oh my god,
we love working weddings becausethose vendor meals are amazing,
and blah blah blah.
So what's your opinion onvendor meals?
Should the couples provide avendor meal for every vendor at
a wedding?
Are there only certain vendorsthat should get it?
What are your thoughts on that?
Speaker 2 (19:28):
This is a topic, a tale as old as time man.
This topic starts battles.
Borders have been built I meanfamilies, marry to avoid this.
This is man.
This will start some drama, forsure, but man, in my humble
(19:49):
little opinion, yes, I thinkit's customary and, again, all
of this can be hashed out,discussed beforehand.
So if you're just not talkingto your couple, um, but also the
couple they just don't know, toask uh, generally speaking,
(20:10):
this is a once in a lifetimeevent.
Um, you're not replacing yourdeck every 10 years.
You know, you're not gettingyour oil changed every couple
thousand miles.
Uh, you get married, you getyour album and you're done.
You go off and have babies andbuy a ranch in the middle of
nowhere and that's it.
But yeah, for a live event,especially photo video, dj,
(20:33):
there we go, maybe even theplanner.
It's generally customary to feedthem along with your guests.
I think when I talk to couples,I don't demand food.
I don't need food.
I don't request a certain styleor a certain dish, whatever.
(20:58):
I don't have allergies.
That kind of thing I'm allergicto.
An honest day's work is whatI'm allergic to.
I think a lot of folks, in theircontracts, for example, will
demand to eat what the guestseat, and I love that.
I would love some prime rib too, like I want to eat what what
(21:22):
grammy and grandpa are chowingdown over there for sure, um, I
don't love, but I accept itbecause I'm very.
I know I'm a vendor.
You know I've been a bar backbefore.
Bar back I'm not even.
You know I'm uh high on thescale, you know I, I know where
I am in life.
Uh, to quote the great eminem,of course you gotta stop living
(21:42):
up here, start living down here.
You enjoy life so much betterif you just chill.
Yeah, where you are, man, um,and uh, I picture like eminem in
some robe, like on ghostbustersoh my gosh.
Um, I don't want to picturethat, though it's a whole
different topic.
Um, but yeah, so, generallyspeaking, again, um to uh, to
(22:07):
have your, your vendors, fed, um, and to feed them while the
bride and groomer are eating aswell.
Uh, a lot of folks, or evenplanners, for example, will say
we don't feed vendors until theend and, in my humble experience
, once the bride and groom aredone eating, they will start
walking around and saying helloto everybody, start doing a
(22:30):
little hellos and how are yous?
And high fives and whatnot andthe vendors are eating.
So in my experience, I want toget my food knocked out, fill my
belly, whether I'm being fedthe catering meal or if they've
told me hey, the catering isjust way too expensive.
(22:50):
We can't give you a platebecause it's 80 bucks, 100 bucks
whatever it is 200 bucks perperson.
So if I know ahead of time, man,I will pull over and grab some
chicken nuggies, um, on the wayover, just so I know I've got
something.
Um, I'll grab a subway on theway over.
I'll do something.
A little little hoagie sandwich, right, I will make sure that
(23:13):
I'm fed, that I'm going to go acliff bar and a drink or
something, yeah, but I will tellbrides that when you are off
again, respectfully as possible,all the hugs invited.
A quote, unquote vendor meal.
When a planner or a catereruses that term, that generally
(23:39):
means a sandwich and an appleand a cookie.
Yeah, and it might cost just asmuch as what you're feeding
your guests.
So prime rib costs $80.
And then a sandwich, where Ican get it at the gas station
for $250.
Isn't it costing another $80?
Or whatever the price is.
Don't quote me on that.
Um, so, respectfully, I wouldrather just pick my own soggy
(24:04):
sandwich, uh, at the gas stationor or wherever.
Um, I'll jack some homelessdudes lunch for sure.
Give me that.
I need some nutrition, um, so,yeah, I, I will politely inform
the couple.
I appreciate you feeding us, buta vendor meal, a vendor meal,
is not what we're asking for.
(24:25):
We're asking for just generallyit's just time to eat time,
time to recharge, time to beleft alone for like five or ten
minutes.
Um, because it is a creativegig and you got to keep your
head in the game.
You're always thinking aboutlighting and shadows and do I
have enough battery left?
Ceremony to family photos iskind of a longer part of the
(24:50):
event and then all of a suddenyou get to the reception and the
reception is one thing afterthe other.
It's entrance, dinner, dancing,bouquet and garter cake, maybe
a dollar dance, all these thingskind of happen every half hour
and you may not have that timeto run back to your bag, change
batteries, change lenses.
So, like that, dinner time iskind of a key component to the
(25:13):
timeline of give me a minute towoosah.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
Okay, all right, I like that.
Yeah, so, and the reason whywe're talking about this is
because you know our couples.
like you said, you know this isa once in a lifetime event, so
sometimes they don't know whatthey don't know you know, and
sometimes you know this is wherewhere planners come into place,
you know, where they kind ofexplain to, to to the couples.
You know what, what needs to bedone, which, which you know.
(25:38):
Another topic it's like do wetip the vendors?
You know, like couples don'tknow, well, how much should we
tip and who should we tip.
You know, do we have to tipevery single vendor?
Do we have to feed every singlevendor?
So I feel like this is somethingyou know, where, of course,
yeah, you can do your ownresearch, but I feel like maybe,
like the planner can kind ofhelp with that.
You know where they can educatethe the their couples on oh,
(26:01):
yeah, yeah, you know you'resupposed to, or you know it's
nice to tip.
You know every vendor, or youknow the main vendors that are
there like almost the entire dayor whatever.
So so, yeah, just, you knowthings that you don't know as
couples out there, make sure youask, you know, ask your, ask
your, your planner.
You know there's a lot offacebook groups out there.
There's, uh, there's a, there'sbooks, there's, you know, like
(26:24):
podcasts, like this, where whereyou know, we, we try to to give
you guys an idea of some of thestuff that you don't
necessarily know, uh, but yes,vendor meals was definitely one
of my.
That's always a topic at everywedding that we do.
Like you know, you always talkto the vendors and the food is
always one of them.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
Absolutely.
You talk to the vendors and itcan get heated.
And you go on Facebook after along, long October November.
There's no vacation time inOctober November.
You're working Never.
If you're not working foryourself, you're working for
somebody else, and you know.
This goes on and on and thattopic can get heated.
Um, like I've said, uh, uh, uh,fist can be thrown.
(27:10):
Um, and of course, you've gotthese folks at midnight and
they're hangry and they'vedriven home and they've dropped
their bags off.
And again, they've been doingthis, however long, and the one
part of their gig was nobody fedme.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
I had to stop at McDonald's at four in the
morning I love my food, and thenafter hours.
I guess there's only a fewthings you can get McDonald's
Whataburger Taco.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
Palenque.
I think that Cane's is openlate.
Really, we got a Cane's downhere.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
Oh, wow so there's another option.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
Taco Cabana is no longer 24 hours.
It's like 9 o'clock.
What Are we like, 85 years old?
Speaker 1 (27:47):
That is insane To me.
I mean, I'm a Taco Palenqueperson and Taco Palenque is 24
hours.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
Oh good.
So yeah, so that's my go-toevery time after an event I will
say I live in the hood and theHole in the Wall.
Restaurants are amazing.
But yeah, they're family-owned.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
They close early, so they close at?
Speaker 2 (28:04):
you know.
Hopefully they close at 11, ifnot 10, 9, 8, 30, you know.
But if they're open until 11,and I have a gig that lets out
early, I will call ahead and Iwill say you know who I am.
I'm coming.
I want the white boy special.
I'll be there in 15.
I like that, oh, and I'm onthere and I get the brown paper
(28:25):
bag and they know it's me.
It's ready to go.
I get handshakes and hugs.
I'm like I know, I know I'mhere.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
That's so funny.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
I'm going to keep you all in business one more day.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
Oh my God.
All right, ryan, we're runningout of time, but I want you to
let our listeners know where canthey find you on social media
or your website, or a phonenumber, something that they can
get in touch with you in casethat they need a fabulous
photographer for their big day.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
Photographer is a way to put it.
For sure, you can put me downon your Instagram Ryan Hamilton
Photography.
The same thing on Facebook, Ithink it's like r hamilton photo
.
There's some dude somewhereelse that stole it before me, I
guess.
Uh, my website is uh,ryanhamiltonphotocom and you've
(29:10):
got my weddings, my portraits.
I do some maternity.
Um, I do a little booty as well.
That's Boudoir.
I was just going to ask.
I know I'm a dude in theindustry, I get it, but a link
to my work is on there.
But yeah, ryanhamiltonphotocomPackages, prices, albums, all
(29:33):
that fun stuff, everyone's happyand excited, puppy dogs and ice
cream, you know all right, sowe'll make sure you.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
We put your information down as well in the
blog.
Um, for the episode and theshow notes.
So make sure you follow ryanand ryan.
This is your open invitation.
Uh, to come back whenever.
Sounds good we would love tohave you again.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
I would love to do a deep dive.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
Yeah, for sure, yeah I think there's some, some other
good topics that we candefinitely discuss, and I think
I have one in mind um, yeah, soso we'll definitely have you
back to our listeners.
Thank you so much.
Make sure you tell all yourengaged bffs to check out the
podcast.
We're on every single week withvendors trying to give you the
best information so that yourwedding planning is a breeze.
(30:16):
Make sure you follow us onsocial media.
Send us a DM, send us yourquestions and I'll be happy to
reach out to some of yourfavorite vendors.
If you want us to have them onthe podcast, just let us know
who.
Speaker 2 (30:27):
Slide into them DMs.
Speaker 1 (30:28):
All right guys, next time Cheers.
Thanks for listening to theTipsy Guest Podcast.
If you know someone who couldbenefit from these tips, spread
the love and share it with them.
Don't forget to subscribe andleave a review.
Next round's on us, same time,same place, cheers.
This podcast is brought to youby MVP Photobooth, the number
(30:55):
one photobooth rental company inSan Antonio, austin and Central
Texas.
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