When you’re planning a wedding, there are lots of things to think about. The venue, the food, the flowers, and so much more — but it can be easy to forget that hiring the right photographer is one of the most important! When it comes time to choose a photographer, you need someone who’s going to capture your special day perfectly (and without getting in the way). But with so many options out there, how do you know which ones are right for you? Here are some tips on how to find your perfect wedding photographer:
Set your wedding photography budget.
Setting a budget for your wedding photography is important. It’s also the first step in the hiring process, since you’ll want to know how much you can afford before making any decisions. If you don’t set a budget and hire a photographer who costs more than what you’re willing or able to pay, then things might not work out as well as they could have if both of you had worked together from the beginning.
If possible, try to think about how much money goes into having your engagement session or wedding day itself—the venue fee or catering bill isn’t going away just because it’s not part of the official photography package. While there are some photographers who offer other services at lower prices (like including an engagement session with your package), most won’t discount them enough so that they’re actually cheaper than what another photographer would charge for just doing the wedding coverage alone.
Once again: setting an appropriate amount of spending is crucial because it gives each person involved greater clarity about expectations and goals for how things will go down during this exciting time!
Start your wedding photographer search early.
The best time to start searching for your wedding photographer is before you get engaged. It can take months or even years of research and planning, so it’s never too early to start putting the pieces in place! If you wait until after you’re engaged, you may find yourself in a rush and have fewer options available.
If a photographer is booked up for the date that works best for you, don’t freak out—there are always other photographers who can shoot on your preferred day. Just keep looking around until you find one that feels like a good fit for both of you!
It’s also important to consider how much time there will be between when we book our wedding photographer and when our big day rolls around. The closer we get to our wedding date without having finalized plans with anyone who could potentially help us on our special day (like florists or caterers), the more stress is added onto those involved parties’ shoulders—and they’ll probably want some kind of compensation from us because they’re basically doing us an enormous favor by agreeing
Get recommendations from married friends.
One of the best ways to start your search for a photographer is by asking around. You don’t have to stop at married friends—you can also talk with people who are currently in other, non-married relationships. Take a look at the photos they’ve taken and see if you like their style.
If you don’t know anyone who has recently gotten married, or even if you do but they aren’t close enough friends that they would share their wedding photos with you (which is understandable), then it may be time to broaden your search outside of your inner circle. It might seem like an intimidating task at first, but once you get into it, contacting photographers will feel natural!
Browse through photographer portfolios and check out their reviews.
A good wedding photographer’s portfolio will have a variety of images from various shoots, as well as pictures showing their style, expertise and level of experience. It should be easy to tell from the photos whether or not they shoot with natural light and in natural settings. The best wedding photographers will also have examples of how they use different lenses for different effects (wide angle for large groups; medium length for portraits) and what kind of compositions they tend to use (close-ups or full body shots). You can also judge a photographer’s eye for detail by looking at the macro shots in their portfolio. If there are no macros, then it means that they do not pay attention to small details such as hair or jewelry!
Have a phone or in-person consultation with at least three wedding photographers.
Once you’ve narrowed down your potential photographers, it’s time to talk. A consultation is a good way to get to know each other before making any commitments.
Here are some questions you can ask:
- How long have they been in business?
- What kind of experience do they have working weddings?
- Do they shoot in black-and-white or color? If so, what style of photography do they specialize in (e.g., candid, photojournalistic/documentary)?
- What is their philosophy on wedding photography? What makes them stand out from other photographers?
- How much should we expect to pay for our wedding day coverage (if applicable)?
In addition to asking about their prices and policies, be sure to ask about their turnaround time for getting edited images back after the wedding day; many studios offer online galleries where couples can view and share photos from their engagement sessions and weddings online as soon as three days after shooting has been completed—which means that if you want physical prints of those photos (which may be necessary for family members who couldn’t attend), then there will likely need at least four weeks between when these sessions were shot and when everything gets printed up nicely!
Make sure you like their online presence (blog and social media).
The best way to get a sense of what a photographer’s style is, how they think about their work, and how they communicate with clients is by looking at their blog. They should be regularly posting photos or writing about their latest shoots. If the blog is sparse or not updated often enough, it could be a sign that you should move on to another photographer. You want someone who’s passionate about sharing beautiful images with the world!
Social media can provide additional insight into a photographer’s personality and approach to client service. Be sure to check out whether they’re active on Instagram and Twitter—or other platforms that might suit them better—and see what kind of interaction they have with other wedding photographers in particular (this can give you some good intel on whether they’ll be able to collaborate well with your other vendors).
Decide whether you want an engagement session.
Engagement sessions are a great way to get to know your photographer and see if you’re comfortable with their style. They also give you an opportunity to practice in front of the camera, which can be a little nerve-wracking at first.
If you’re planning on having an engagement shoot, make sure it’s included in the price of your wedding package so that there aren’t any unexpected expenses later on.
See more photos, beyond their portfolio.
This is the part where you get to see more photos, beyond their portfolio. Look for photographers who post regularly on social media and don’t just show off their best work. You want to make sure they are the type of photographer you want, that they are a good fit for your wedding, and that they will be available on your wedding date.
Also check out their website or blog; it should have sample albums and collections so you can see how they present other weddings in different styles (i.e., documentary or photojournalism). It should also have info about pricing so you know if they’re affordable based on what works within your budget.
Discuss contracts, retainers, insurance and payment options.
- Discuss contracts, retainers, insurance and payment options. Make sure the photographer has a contract that spells out the terms and conditions of your engagement. Make sure there is a retainer that is non-refundable should you cancel after signing on the dotted line but before your wedding day arrives. Make sure there’s insurance in case anything happens to equipment used during your event; some photographers offer this as part of their package while others prefer it be purchased separately. And finally, make sure to agree upon an acceptable payment plan before hand—this will help prevent any surprises on either side when it comes time for payment!
Ask about digital files.
Digital files are the only way you’ll be able to preserve your memories. Once you have the file, it’s easy to print photos or share them online. You can also edit them on your own, which is a great way to get exactly what you want! Make sure that your photographer will give you all of the digital files in full resolution with no watermarks on them so that they’re ready for printing and sharing immediately after the wedding day.
Decide on a style of photography; contemporary, traditional, photojournalistic, fine art, etc.
When it comes to wedding photography, there are a number of different styles you’ll come across. Here is a quick run down on each:
- [contemporary] – this style of photography is characterized by clean lines and minimalism. The images have a clean feel to them and are often shot with very neutral backgrounds so they don’t compete with the subject matter. This style is perfect if you like things simple or need your photographer to be unobtrusive at your wedding (no loud cameras clicking away!)
- [traditional] – traditional means just that! This type of photography incorporates all the classic elements of getting married: rings, flowers, dresses…you get the picture! From candid shots throughout the day to posed portraits at dusk on your wedding day these photos will tell a story about how much fun you had on this big day in your life!
- [photojournalistic] – photojournalistic photographers capture every moment from beginning to end as though they were documenting an event rather than photographing one specifically for their clients; which means that no two photo shoots are ever exactly alike because they’re always changing based on who shows up where when…it’s truly exciting work!
Ask about turnaround time for your photos.
One of the most important things to figure out is how long it will take for you to get your photos after the wedding. Will they be ready in a week? A month? A year? You can’t go wrong asking about turnaround time, and many photographers will give you an estimate within 24 hours of getting married (which is great if you want to wait until after the honeymoon).
In addition to figuring out when you’ll receive your photos, there are also several other things worth knowing:
- How many images do I get? This depends on a lot of factors, but some photographers offer packages with anywhere from 100-400+ images per package. Always ask what’s included in each package so that you know exactly what kind of coverage and quantity will be delivered at the end of the day!
- Do I get digital files or prints? If your photographer says they’ll send prints right away (which is often true), this might not be as helpful as receiving digital files right away as well!
Ask if they can travel to your destination wedding site.
Do your research. The best way to make sure you’re getting the right photographer for your destination wedding is by asking them if they can travel with you to shoot at the site of your wedding. Traveling can be expensive, so find out how much they charge for travel and whether or not they have another photographer who could go in their place that would be willing to work with them.
Ask if they do destination weddings often. And if so, can you see photos from those weddings? If not, can you Skype or FaceTime together?
If you’re looking for a photographer who can travel to your destination wedding, ask if they do so frequently. If yes, ask to see some of their work from these weddings. If not, can they Skype or FaceTime with you? You want to see their style in action and make sure that it meshes with yours before booking them just because they’re the right price point or have an impressive portfolio.
You want to hire an experienced photographer who knows how to capture special moments without disrupting the flow of events
You want to hire an experienced photographer who knows how to capture special moments without disrupting the flow of events.
This leads us to answer another question: how do you know if they’re experienced? Well, there are many details you can take into account when looking for an experienced wedding photographer. It’s important that they have photographed at your location before and know its quirks (like where the best light will be). They should also have experience with your style and theme—this means they’ll know where to focus their attention and how best to document your special day.
Finally, it’s crucial that they can work with your vendors like caterers and musicians—your photographer needs a rapport established with these people so as not to disrupt their work flow during reception speeches or cake cutting rituals
We hope that you have found this article helpful in your search for the right wedding photographer. If you are still unsure about which wedding photographer to hire, we would be happy to work with you. We believe in the power of photography and how it can help create beautiful memories for both the bride and groom on their special day.