FAQ

Justine has been photographing weddings since 2010, with Alan joining her in 2013.

Our senior associate photographers bring over four years of experience, while junior associates have at least one year of experience. Every associate has been personally trained by Justine to ensure they uphold the same high standards of quality and professionalism.

If I had to describe my style in a few words, it would be timeless, organic, and true to life. My goal is for you to love your photos when you receive them, two years later, and fifty years down the road. I want them to stand the test of time without feeling tied to the trends of the decade you got married in. Your photos should be an authentic, yet artfully crafted, reflection of your wedding day.

As fine art photographers, we capture the people, emotions, and moments of your day while also focusing on editorial-inspired details—like the gentle movement of your hair across your lips or the intimacy of a quiet embrace. Every image is created with the intention of being a standalone work of art. Beyond simply documenting your wedding, we strive to give you meaningful, timeless artwork that you'll be proud to display in your home for decades to come.

Justine works with both film and digital photography, embracing the unique strengths of each. She views them as tools in her creative toolkit, selecting the best medium for each moment to capture your day beautifully.

Our associate team exclusively uses digital photography to document your wedding with precision and consistency.

Justine and her team are equipped to handle all types of lighting situations. They use a variety of lighting tools to beautifully capture the events and ambiance of each wedding. For destination weddings, multiple lighting sources are always brought to ensure consistent quality.

The associate team is thoroughly trained in advanced lighting techniques, ensuring exceptional results in any setting.

Justine’s approach blends photojournalism with portraiture to capture your wedding day authentically and artfully. During the preparation phase, she carefully styles and arranges details to showcase them beautifully. However, when documenting moments like putting on your dress or final makeup touches, she allows events to unfold naturally, offering minimal direction—typically just choosing the best room based on lighting and background.

During the ceremony, Justine and her team remain as unobtrusive as possible. They avoid interrupting the flow of the celebration and follow a strict rule: never walk in front of the parents unless absolutely unavoidable. With her small, quick movements, Justine minimizes distractions, while second shooters and assistants stay discreetly at the back or sides.

Family portraits are hands-on and highly organized. Justine works from a pre-provided list of names to ensure no one is missed and keeps things moving efficiently. Wedding party and couple portraits follow a "directed" rather than "posed" style, using actions and prompts to create natural expressions and genuine movement.

When it’s time for the reception, Justine and her team take a documentary approach, quietly capturing events as they happen. The only exceptions are subtle guidance, like moving a wine bottle for a cleaner shot, suggesting the best angle for cutting the cake, or asking the couple for a quick kiss photo before dinner—ensuring a perfect moment is captured before plates of half-eaten food appear in the frame!

Justine and Alan dress appropriately for the formality of your wedding, blending in seamlessly with your guests. Justine always wears a dress or skirt, while Alan wears a suit or tuxedo. If your wedding has a specific dress code or theme, they’re happy to coordinate their attire—just let them know at least one month in advance.

The associate team adheres to a semi-formal or business formal dress code. They follow a strict policy of no jeans, cargo pants, or branded t-shirts, ensuring their appearance is polished and professional at all times.

The only list Justine requires is for family photos. Beyond that, she hopes you’ve chosen her for her signature style and artistic vision to capture your moments, memories, love, and friendships. If there’s a specific, out-of-the-ordinary shot you’d like, please share it in advance so it can be thoughtfully incorporated. Likewise, if there are meaningful details or items you want highlighted, let her know, and she’ll ensure they’re beautifully documented.

For weddings covered by the J Team, specific shot lists or vibes can be sent to Justine or her administrative assistant. They’ll review the details and pass them along to the right team member. Please refrain from sending instructions directly to your photographer to keep the process smooth and streamlined.

In the unlikely event that neither Justine nor Alan is available to photograph your wedding, you’ll have the option of a full refund or the opportunity to choose from a few trusted photographers we recommend. If you approve one of them, they’ll capture your wedding day, and Justine will handle all the editing to maintain her signature style. With strong connections in both the local photography and international film communities, finding a qualified replacement won’t be a problem.

For weddings covered by the associate team, one of the key advantages of working with a team is flexibility. If an associate becomes unavailable, Justine can quickly arrange for another skilled photographer to step in, ensuring seamless coverage without disruption.

We don’t require details about the ceremony or reception spaces ahead of time—we’re able to capture beautiful moments in any lighting or setting. However, if you’d like our input on ceremony direction or setup, we’re happy to discuss it with you! If you’re concerned we haven’t seen the space, feel free to email or text us any photos you take during your venue walkthrough.

Whenever a venue is mentioned, we make it a point to research it online to get an idea of the space. For weddings outside of Alberta, Justine and her team arrive a day or two early to scout locations for photos. If you have location suggestions, we’ll be sure to check those out as well!

We do not attend rehearsals or walkthroughs, but if you’d like us to photograph your rehearsal dinner, we’d be happy to provide pricing details. We’re inspired by our surroundings and love exploring new places, so even if we haven’t worked at your venue or in your city before, it’s never a problem!

Justine takes on as many weddings as there are days in a weekend, typically focusing on one full wedding weekend per event. Most of our couples book us for multiple events across the weekend, which allows us to dedicate ourselves fully to each one. This, of course, depends on availability.

For the J Team, having a team means each photographer generally takes on just one wedding per weekend. However, if an associate has the capacity and the necessary resources, they may photograph two weddings in a weekend. This is determined by each photographer’s individual needs to ensure they perform at their best.

According to Canadian Copyright Law, Justine retains the copyright to all images she captures. However, your contract outlines her "rules" and your rights regarding image use. Justine takes a relaxed approach—these are your photos, and you’re welcome to use them freely for personal purposes.

When posting online, since her images aren’t watermarked, she kindly asks that you credit or tag her whenever possible so others know who captured your beautiful moments. If you’re interested in having your photos featured in a blog or magazine, let Justine know! She has strong relationships with editors and can handle the submission process, as publications generally prefer the photographer to submit images directly.

On Justine’s website, you can explore a variety of weddings that showcase the entire day—from getting ready to the reception—allowing you to see how each story unfolds.

The same applies to the J Team. Simply follow the link in the website footer to learn more about them and view additional work. When you inquire, we’re happy to share full wedding galleries so you can experience a complete representation of our photography style and storytelling approach.

Because weddings are dynamic and unpredictable, we don’t guarantee a specific number of photos. Every event varies in terms of timing, details, and flow, making it challenging to provide an exact count.

For a full-day wedding (10+ hours), the J Team typically delivers between 400 and 650 images. Justine’s coverage for a 10+ hour wedding generally includes 800 to 1,000 images, as she often works with multiple photographers, resulting in a higher image count.

We never limit the number of photos we deliver. Instead, we provide all the images that turn out beautifully—removing only those where someone is blinking, sneezing, or where an unexpected bug flew into the shot!

Every image delivered by Justine Milton Photography is thoughtfully reviewed and carefully edited to look its very best. Our standard editing includes essential adjustments such as cropping and color correction. However, we do not offer extensive edits like adding artificial skies, inserting people, animals, or backgrounds, or altering features such as changing hair color.

Skin retouching is minimal—we’re happy to remove minor blemishes, but extensive retouching across multiple images is available for an additional fee.

Justine believes in capturing moments perfectly in-camera rather than relying heavily on post-production. Every image showcased on our website and social media represents the same high-quality editing standard delivered to our clients. If you have specific retouching needs, such as wrinkle removal or other detailed requests, we’re happy to discuss the options and associated fees with you.

Yes, we do carry liability insurance. If your venue requires a proof of insurance statement (typically a request from American venues, as this is rare in Canada), simply have your venue coordinator reach out to us, and we’ll be happy to provide a copy.

A 50% deposit and signed contract are required to secure your date. We cannot hold dates without a deposit but will inform you if someone else inquires about your date. The remaining balance is due 1 to 3 months before your wedding. Payment plans are available, provided the final payment is completed at least 1 month prior to the wedding day.

You’ll receive a preview of your photos within 1 to 2 weeks after your wedding day!

The contract states a turnaround time of four months, but it’s almost never that long. This timeframe was originally set while Justine was in school, allowing time to complete edits after each semester, and we’ve kept it in place as a precaution. The four-month window also accounts for unexpected delays, holidays, or travel commitments.

In reality, most galleries are delivered within 1.5 to 2 months, and during slower seasons, turnaround times are often even shorter. We always aim to complete your photos as quickly as possible while maintaining our high standards of quality.

here’s no fixed rule for how far in advance you should book, as trends change every year. However, a general guideline is that booking about a year ahead provides plenty of time. That said, we often book weddings as close as three months before the date—and occasionally even closer!

We photograph weddings year-round, all over the world, and can capture beautiful images in almost any condition or season. While we love shooting during the golden two-hour window before sunset, we know that ideal timing isn’t always possible on wedding days—and that’s okay!

When it comes to handling pressure and unexpected situations, we’re well-prepared. Alan is known for his calm demeanor, no matter what’s happening, while Justine is quick on her feet, ready to take action. From unpredictable weather to last-minute wardrobe malfunctions, we’ve seen it all—buttons have been sewn back on, and brides have even been sewn into their dresses!

While wedding planners certainly help manage major situations, our experience and composure ensure that we’re ready to handle any challenges or panicked moments that come our way.