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Once Upon A Time Photography

13003 Jones Maltsberger San Antonio, TX 78247 210-495-3686 www.4uiclick.com

When you enter Once Upon a Time photography studio, the first thing you'll notice is the simple elegance. The sea-green walls are graceful and comfortable, while photos of brides smile from gilt frames, reminiscent of a large family with many beautiful daughters who've had lovely weddings.

In a way, it's true. Photographer Lee Coronado, owner of Once Upon a Time, sees weddings as more than just a brief event. "I am part of a special event in a family," said Coronado. "We treat them as if it was our own daughter's wedding."

Weddings come natural to Coronado. He's been photographing them for nearly 14 years and he's owned a successful studio since 1990. His success is apparent, not only from the stunning heirloom photographs on the walls, but by the numbers of brides who seek him out for their weddings, and recommend him to others. Along with his five other professional photographers, Coronado photographed about 300 weddings last year. For him, the practice has definitely paid off.

"I'm very emotional. I'm very into it," said Coronado. But despite his enjoyment of the events, he is also very much an asset during a wedding, helping direct the wedding party during photos; transitioning from first dance to toasts to cake cuttings. "We guide them, we help them," he said. While the family scrambles to savor every moment, Coronado acts as a gentle organizer, making sure that there's time for the father-daughter dance to be special, for the cake to be shared with unhurried ease.

This ease is apparent in the faces of the brides who smile from the walls of Once Upon a Time. Coronado believes that a beautiful bride is one who is confident: "If you can get the bride to be confident and radiate that confidence, you make her feel beautiful."

And while he helps everyone enjoy themselves on the day of the wedding, his most important gift is the collection of photos to be discovered after the honeymoon. With clear, focused and plentiful pictures, Coronado doesn't miss a moment. From candid photos of a stolen kiss to poses at the altar, the photographs are the type brides will be happy to place above their fireplace - memoirs of one of the happiest days in a couple's life.

Making sure that the photos are as pleasant as the memories is essential to Once Upon a Time. " Customer satisfaction is very important to us," said Coronado, who has arranged his studio around the concept of pleasing of his customer. Unlike smaller studios, Once Upon a Time has set up a separate department to process wedding preview photos in-house, which allows couples to view their wedding photos within 10-14 days after the wedding. They'll also have their order within four to five weeks, unlike other studios, which can take four to five months.

The studio, Coronado points out, is also very flexible. While they recommend booking about six months in advance, they've shot weddings with as little as two weeks notice. And each photographer has a large portfolio to show brides, so they know the type of quality to expect. To ensure trust, Once Upon a Time is also a member of national and local photography guilds and is fully insured.

For Coronado, of course, the most important element is the memories that brides take with them. And with Once Upon a Time, it's likely that there will continue to be more and more pleased brides smiling from gilt-framed photos on the studio walls.

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