Planning your wedding takes a lot of time, organization and it’s a lot of work. It’s also very exciting to see all your plans come together. You want everything to be perfect, from the dress, the band, and pictures.
Often, some of the duties get buried or passed off and this can lead to disappointments. If something doesn’t work out, are you covered? That’s why the planning is so important.
How to pick a wedding photographer is just as important and there are some details you need to keep in mind. Let’s take a closer look at what you need to know when looking for a photographer.
How To Pick a Wedding Photographer
Booking your wedding photographer well in advance is a smart idea especially as they get busy. Just like all the other wedding suppliers, you need to lock them down. Here are a few things to consider.
Ask Around
When you know the date of the wedding, ask your friends, family, and co-workers about photographers. This should start you off with a decent list to check out. People will be just as happy to recommend someone as to warn you of them.
Look at Pictures
Look at your friend’s wedding pictures, or if you remember some you like, ask about them. You can also look online and on social media, like Instagram for example.
When you are at the photographer’s studio or office, ask to see more of their work than they are promoting. They are going to show off their best pictures, but ask to see their other albums.
Check out Wedding Fairs
There will be plenty to choose from at the wedding fair, along with all the other vendors you need. Gather up their information and then check them out. There will be a lot of competition at these events, so look at their work and talk to them.
Ask Other Vendors
The florist, the caterer, the bridal shop, they are all part of the same community. Ask each of these vendors about who they have worked with before and get some information there.
These people have a great opportunity for inside information. Just because their photos look good, doesn’t always mean their behavior is. Ask about their work ethics and if there were any problems.
The beautiful pictures may not be worth the hassle of them getting drunk, hitting on your aunt or showing up late. There can be problems if they don’t see your vision, only their own.
Sorting the Information
Once you have decided on the photographers you want to know more about, make a list of things to ask such as:
Cost
The best photographer is not always the most expensive and the least expensive may not be the worst. Have a price in mind and try to stick to it. Ask about all the costs, so there is nothing hidden and no surprises.
You will want to want to work out whether you or they will own the rights to the pictures. That can be important if they choose to use them for their own promotion and charge you for the rights to them, as well as the photographs.
Venue Location
You may want pictures inside and outside, and make sure they are equipped for that. Perhaps they are great in the studio, but not with outdoors and candid shots. You need to set that all up beforehand.
The photographer needs to know about lighting available, any outlets they need to plug in equipment or lights and how much space they need for movement during the ceremony or the reception.
Booking the Time
You may want pictures of the entire day, or you may be happy with the ceremony and official shots only. You may decide that the side photos from friends and family will be enough.
You don’t want to be left short, without enough pictures and because things can always get delayed, you don’t want to lose your photographer to another job. Make sure you both agree on the time they will be needed.
Packages
When you call or meet, let them know what you need. There may be a package available that will work great for your photo needs. There may be the option of having more than one photographer, there may be still and video options or deals for going off-site.
This will include time and perhaps the number of photos. If you are not pleased with the pictures you get, you can’t go back and capture the big day again, so make sure you get what you want. You can find more info on that here.
Making Sure You’re Covered
Make sure you both have the same vision for your day. Once you feel you have reached that agreement, ask if they will do a test drive. Do a quick photoshoot in the venue or a similar place and see what the work actually looks like.
You want to know if they back their work. Make sure you get in writing what happens if you are not happy if something goes wrong if they cancel or don’t show up or any other mishap that can happen.
Coming to an agreement where both of you are happy will make sure that part of the wedding day will be covered and you can just get on with getting married.
Say Cheese
You want everything to be beautiful and you want all your guests to have a great time. Sharing your special day with loved ones is a big event. You want that captured for all time.
It’s important to do your research on how to pick a wedding photographer. There may be a lot of choices, so make a list of the things that matter most to you for your big day.
It can be overwhelming, the amount of information you need to sort through. Understanding exactly what you want will help you sort out the vendors you need. If you need more help on planning your wedding, we have information to make it easier for you.