Seven tips for choosing the perfect wedding photographer
Choosing the right photographer to capture your wedding can feel like a daunting task. Next to picking a venue, picking a photographer is one of the most important decisions you have to make while planning. I have been photographing love stories for 15 years. In that time I have learned some tips to helping couples make sure they choose the perfect photographer that fits them and their vision for their wedding day. I hope these tips help relive some stress and help guide you while wedding planning!
Enjoy!
1.
Personality: You will be spending a lot of time with your photographer on your wedding day. I mean a lot of time. So make sure you look at not only their style, but if you like the person that you choose. Do you like your photographer as a person? Do they smile, engage and ask questions about your wedding details. Do they seem genuinely interested in telling your story the way you envision. I believe that this is the most important aspect when choosing the right photographer for your wedding. Which is why it has earned its place at number one!
2.
Style: Light and airy, dark and moody, traditional, candid. Every photographer has their own style and none of it is wrong. Make sure that the style you are looking for matches the style of the photographer you choose. If you like the light and airy look then choose a photographer that specializing in that style. I personally consider my style more dark and rich in detail and contrast.
I love the candid moments and make that priority when capturing my couples love story. I do also take some posed shots such as formals with family and bridal party but the majority of images I deliver to a couple are candid with formals sprinkled in. So just make sure you review your photographer's gallery and even ask for a full wedding viewing to make sure you both are a perfect fit for each other!
3.
Uncle Bob: Don't Uncle Bob one of the most important days of your life. Unless Uncle Bob or that family friend is a professional photographer with wedding experience under their belt just don't. Weddings are an adventure to capture it takes experience to be able to deal with any issue that might come up on a wedding day (and they do). Lighting, weather, schedule changes, etc... It's not for those who have a weak stomach or little experience. We love you Uncle Bob but leave the camera home and enjoy the day. We got this!
4.
Be in the know: Know what you are getting with your photography package. Do you get an engagement session? Do you get print rights to the images? Are you required to buy prints from the photographer? How long does it take to receive your images after the wedding? Make sure you discuss what you want in a package and what the photographer offers with their services. This will save you from any confusion in the end and make your photography experience exactly how you pictured!
5.
Got your back: I have had this recurring nightmare for as long as I have been a wedding photographer. This nightmare changes slightly from time to time but it still terrifying. I'm at a wedding and I find out my batteries aren't charged or I push the shutter button on the camera and nothing happens. For this reason I always make sure I have back up of my back ups.
You want to make sure that the photographer you hire is more than prepared to capture your wedding day. That means asking if they have back ups with their gear, do they have insurance as some venues do require vendors to be covered and do they have a back up plan should they be sick enough to not be able to make it to the wedding. It's okay to ask these questions and will give you piece of mind that you are covered.
6.
Full Wedding: Ask your potential photographer if you can see a full wedding. Us photographers like to put the best of the best on on websites, blog and Instagram. There is nothing wrong with this we all do it, we want to present our most favorite eye catching images. But your photographer should also allow you to see a full wedding so you can see all the moments of a wedding day. It's a great way to make sure the photographer you choose is perfect to capture every detail of your love story. In fact here is a one of my recent weddings in full. Enjoy! Make sure you come back for tip number 7!
7.
Feel: How do you feel when you are looking at a potential photographer's images? Do you smile? Do you get the warm fuzzies? Do you just feel good when looking through their galleries? If you do feel all that then go with your heart. You want the emotion of the day to shine through in your wedding images. With the right photographer they will make you feel confident and relaxed so that you can look back in 50 years and get all those warm fuzzies again.
Thank you for taking the time to read through my 7 tips for choosing a wedding photographer. I hope it helps in your wedding planning process.
If you are ready to start the process of choosing your photographer I would love to chat with you. Click the Let's Chat button below and fill out the info form. I'll be in touch within 24 hours and we can set up a video meeting.
If you want to check out some of my recent love stories check out the blog section.