Ever Serene Photography
Each month Aisle to Altar will feature a different wedding vendor in the Northwest Arkansas area. These vendors are the crème dela crème; each one with unique skills, expertise, and services. From wedding photographers to food trucks, Northwest Arkansas has some of the best wedding vendors. Not only are these vendors amazing at what they do, but they are amazing people. Through this series you will meet the names and faces behind these local companies, and learn about their passions, their stories, their services, and their work. If you are a bride planning your wedding, this is the perfect way for you to get connected with our local vendors and hopefully find some of the vendors to work your wedding. Without further ado, the 2022 March Vendor of the Month is: Ever Serene Photography.
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The Woman Behind the Camera
Ever Serene Photography was started in 2020 by 25 year old Charlesia Cooke. Charlesia is a full time medical assistant, full time photographer, and full time mother of three. Yes, you read that right. This woman does it all! Originally from Fort Smith, Charlesia is an Arkansas native and is currently living in Fayetteville. Charlesia’s love for photography began while she was part of her school's yearbook club in high school, and through a series of events, has grown into a successful professional photography company. Ever Serene Photography specializes in weddings, couples, boudoir, maternity, and family photography sessions and serves Northwest Arkansas and beyond.
From Yearbook Club to Professional Photographer
Through her years as part of her high school's yearbook club, Charlesia learned the basics of photography. It wouldn’t be until after her first daughter was born, that these skills would begin to pay off. “When I had my first daughter at 16, I couldn’t afford a photographer for pictures of my sweet baby girl.” After taking photos of her own daughter, Charlesia decided that she wanted to become a budget photographer for people like her who couldn’t afford to hire a photographer for the important moments in their lives. Charlesia worked her first wedding for just $150 after overhearing a girl crying in her apartment complex because she couldn't afford a wedding photographer. “I felt everyone deserved pictures even if they couldn't "afford" it,” said Charlesia in our interview. After dipping her toe into the world of wedding photography, Charlesia moved on to college and studied to be a medical assistant. Luckily 4 years ago, after her second daughter was born, Charlesia picked her camera backup and Ever Serene Photography was born.
Photography Services & Packages
Ever Serene Photography has a wide range of packages with varying prices and can meet any of your photography needs. Ever Serene Photography offers family, couple, maternity, and even boudoir sessions ranging from $180-$300 a session. Charlesia is local to Northwest Arkansas, but provides photography services for the entire state of Arkansas and is more than happy to travel to any destination for your wedding. There are additional charges for travel depending on the wedding location. Ever Serene has several levels of wedding photography packages for brides to choose from. Charlesia’s Silver Wedding Package includes 6 hours of wedding day coverage. This covers the majority of a typical wedding day. After your wedding, if you choose the Silver Package, you will receive all of your edited photos in a digital gallery for you to download and use as you please. This Silver Package starts at $2,000. The next package, the Gold Package, includes 7 hours of wedding coverage, an engagement or bridal session prior to the wedding, a digital gallery, and a USB of all your wedding photos. The Gold wedding package starts at $2,475. Charlesia’s final wedding package, the Diamond Package includes up to 10 hours of wedding day coverage, a second shooter to help capture every moment, an engagement or bridal session, a digital gallery, and a custom engraved USB with all of your wedding photos. The Diamond wedding package starts at $3,000. In addition to these wedding photography packages, Charlesia also offers an elopement package for smaller weddings and destination weddings that are customizable to your location and wedding needs.
Advice from a Professional Wedding Photographer
We all know wedding planning can be stressful at times. There are so many different decisions you have to make. Luckily, Charlesia has some great advice for brides planning their weddings. “Getting a wedding planner can be one of the best decisions you can make when planning your weddings.” By hiring a wedding planner, you will have someone at hand who has lots of experience planning weddings and who can help you out along the way. Charlesia also highly recommends that you “ask for vendor recommendations” from your planner or photographer. Unfortunately, not all wedding vendors are made equal. Picking the wrong vendor can mean waiting 6 months to get your photos back from your wedding, or your florist delivering your flowers after the ceremony has begun. All planners and photographers have a list of reputable vendors that they trust and work well with so please ask for vendor recommendations!
If you are interested in booking Charlesia and Ever Serene Photography for your upcoming wedding or event, feel free to contact her through her WEBSITE HERE or on INSTAGRAM HERE.
Charlesia Cooke’s photography company Ever Serene Photography is just one of many amazing wedding vendors in the Northwest Arkansas area. If you are currently planning a wedding and are in need of vendors, this series is the perfect tool for you to learn about each vendor and decide which ones are the right fit for you and your wedding. Feel free to look back at previous vendor features and come back next month to learn about another amazing vendor. Up next, our April Vendor of the Month is Carmelita Catering. You don’t want to miss it or any of Aisle to Altar’s wedding content. Subscribe to our newsletter below to get notified of new content and never miss a post!
Cheers,
