Frequently asked questions

Use the contact form or send an email. Mauricio replies within 24 hours with availability and next steps.

Most couples book 9 to 18 months ahead, especially for May to October. Closer dates do open up, so ask even if your wedding is soon.

Yes. Mauricio photographs one wedding per day, so your wedding gets his full attention.

After a short call about your wedding, Mauricio recommends the collection that fits. A signed agreement and a 30% retainer hold your date, and the balance is due two weeks before the wedding.

The 30% retainer that holds your date is non-refundable, because booking your wedding means Mauricio turns away every other couple for that day. If you need to reschedule, he will do his best to move your booking to a new available date at no penalty, and the retainer carries over. Any payments beyond the retainer are refundable if you cancel before the balance is due. The full terms are in your agreement before you sign.

Collections start at $2,400 with The Short Story. The Sweet Spot is $3,600 and is the most common fit for a full wedding day: 8 hours, a second photographer, a full 60-minute engagement session, a live guest photo slideshow (Picsui) and a ceremony broadcast. The Whole Story is $4,800 and adds an album, broadcast replay, a permanent gallery and priority editing.

A signed agreement and a 30% retainer hold your date. The balance is due two weeks before the wedding. Payment plans can be arranged on request.

Every collection includes Mauricio as your photographer, timeline planning, professional editing, high-resolution images, an online gallery, a print release and sneak peeks. The larger collections add a second photographer, a full engagement session, Picsui live guest features, a ceremony broadcast, an album, permanent gallery access and priority editing.

Yes. Add hours, a second photographer, an album or rehearsal coverage to any collection. Every add-on is priced on the pricing page. See the collections and add-ons

It depends on the collection: 400+ edited high-resolution images with The Short Story, 600+ with The Sweet Spot and 800+ with The Whole Story.

Sneak peeks come first: 5 images within 48 hours with The Short Story, 15 images within 24 hours with The Sweet Spot, and 25 images within 24 hours with The Whole Story. The full gallery arrives in 4 to 6 weeks. The Whole Story includes priority 2 weeks delivery, and rush editing is a $350 add-on for the other collections.

The Short Story includes 6 months of gallery access, The Sweet Spot includes 1 year, and The Whole Story includes permanent access.

Yes. Every collection includes a full print release, so you can print and share your images however you like.

No. The editing is part of the finished work, so RAW files are not delivered. You receive at least 400+ edited high-resolution images.

Yes. Travel within New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania is included. Destination weddings are quoted up front.

Yes. Backup cameras, lenses, lighting and memory cards come to every wedding.

Yes. Mauricio carries professional liability insurance and sends your venue its certificate of insurance at no charge. Many venues require one before the wedding day, so send him your venue's requirements. See the policy and insurance details

Mauricio plans a weather backup with you during timeline planning: covered spots, indoor locations at your venue, umbrellas and window light. Overcast and rainy days often make soft, flattering portraits.

Mauricio has trusted professional photographers he can call if an emergency happens. It has not happened in 14 years of weddings, but the backup plan is always there.

Yes, and it helps. Coffee, a video call or your engagement session all work. Knowing you beforehand makes the wedding day easier for everyone.

Yes. Mauricio reviews your timeline and recommends the best times for portraits, family photos and key moments, based on 750+ weddings.

Documentary first: real moments as they happen, plus a short set of guided portraits.

Documentary photography records unposed moments as they unfold. Guided photography adds gentle direction so you look your best while staying natural. Editorial photography uses more deliberate, styled compositions. Mauricio works mostly documentary, with gentle direction for portraits.

Yes, gently. He gives simple prompts rather than stiff poses, so you look like yourselves.

Yes. The Short Story includes a 30-minute Sparta-area mini-session. The Sweet Spot includes a full 60-minute session in Sussex County, and The Whole Story includes a full 60-minute session anywhere in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. On its own, a session is $500.

Yes. Must-have shots are welcome, especially for family formals. Mauricio covers those, plus the moments nobody planned.

Hariel Xavier Photography is the wedding photography studio of Mauricio Fernandez, based in Sparta, NJ. Mauricio has 14 years of experience and 750+ weddings behind him, photographs every wedding himself, and serves couples across New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

Based in Sparta, NJ, Hariel Xavier Photography serves all of New Jersey, including Sussex, Morris, Bergen, Essex, Passaic and Warren counties, along with New York and Pennsylvania. Destination weddings are available on request.

Yes. Hariel Xavier Photography is a preferred photographer at the Club at Picatinny, on the Picatinny Arsenal in Morris County, NJ. Mauricio knows the venue's light and locations in every season.

Yes, on request. Travel within New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania is included. Destination weddings are quoted up front. Send your destination and date for a quote.

Yes. Through Picsui, remote guests get a private link and can watch the ceremony live from any device, with no app to install. Live streaming is a $250 add-on and is included in The Sweet Spot and The Whole Story.

Before the wedding, Mauricio builds a detailed timeline with you: getting ready, the first look, family photos, the ceremony and the key reception moments. He coordinates with your DJ, venue coordinator and other vendors so the day runs smoothly.

Three things. He has photographed 750+ weddings, so he knows when and where the moments happen. Live ceremony streaming and a guest photo gallery are built into two of the collections. And he works calmly and quietly, so you can stay present with your guests.