We’ve all been there: You’re on a tight budget, you need to hire someone who can help capture the most important day of your life, and it’s hard to tell who’s good and who isn’t. If this sounds like you—and believe me, it does—you’re in luck! We’re going to talk about how to pick out your wedding photographer so that you don’t make any mistakes.
You don’t want to regret not spending the money on a photographer you love.
A good photographer will be able to capture your wedding in a way that you’ll love forever. But choosing the right photographer is a bit of an art, and it can take some time to find the right one for you.
So what should you consider when making your decision?
First, think about how much money you have to spend. Do you want to spend $3,000 on a photo package or $10,000? There are photographers at all price points, so do some research and choose something that fits within your budget. wedding photographer average cost.
Next thing is considering how much time they’re going to spend with you during the event itself: Are their times flexible so they can stick around until midnight if needed? Are there any hidden fees associated with travel expenses outside of the normal venue location?
You want someone who can capture the moments that are important to you
When you’re looking at photographers, make sure they understand what’s important to you. That might mean the style of photography they use, or it could be how they approach the day. It could also be how many hours they offer their services for – do they offer a full-day package or just a few hours?
A great wedding photographer will have strong communication skills so that he or she can get a feel for what it is exactly that you want on your big day!
You probably won’t be seeing your wedding photos for months after the wedding, so make sure your photographer is someone you like and trust!
Your wedding day is probably going to be one of the best days of your life. So make sure you’re comfortable with who is capturing those moments!
- You might not see your photos until months after the wedding, so it’s important that you like and trust your photographer. They have access to some of your most intimate moments, so it’s crucial that they’re someone you can communicate well with.
- If a photographer seems rushed or stressed out when communicating with them during their initial consultation, then they might not be able to focus on what matters most: making sure they capture all of the special moments from your day.
- Make sure you feel comfortable enough around them that you can truly relax on your big day and enjoy yourself without worrying about whether or not everything will turn out okay in terms of photography (and if there are any awkward silences between shots).
Know what kind of coverage you want.
The first thing you should do is figure out what kind of coverage you want. If your priority is having the photographer capture all of the important moments, then hiring a full-service photographer is going to be your best bet. This means that they will shoot both at the ceremony and reception, as well as take candid photographs throughout the day and evening.
The other option is to hire a second shooter for just the ceremony and reception. If this sounds more appealing to you, keep in mind that there are two types: one who will shoot alongside your primary photographer (meaning they’re there from start to finish) or someone who comes in later in order to fill any gaps during breaks between shots.
It’s all about relationships.
Choosing your wedding photographer is all about relationships. Obviously, you want someone who’s a good fit for your style and personality, but that’s not the only thing to consider when seeking out a new photographer. You also want to make sure that they’re reliable and flexible enough to accommodate all of the little quirks of each person involved in the shoot (and there will be quirks). It’s also important that they have a reputation for executing shoots on time and delivering beautiful images in the end.
We like our photographers because they have an easy-going nature, are good listeners and problem solvers (like when we had a crazy idea for setting up multiple cameras on our wedding day), and communicate well with us throughout every step of our relationship with them—from pre-planning meetings through post-production meetings after our wedding! wedding photographer tip.
Ask vendors like planners, venues, and event designers for recommendations.
- Ask your wedding planner. Your planner should be able to make recommendations for a variety of vendors, including photographers, videographers, and DJs.
- Ask your venue. The venue will have worked with many different vendors in the past and can help point you toward those who would be a good fit for their space and style.
- Ask your dress designer and cake designer (if applicable). These designers know what makes for beautiful photos—and they often have first-hand experience working with photographers themselves!
Check out the portfolios of photography companies, as well as individual photographers.
When you’re looking at a photography company’s portfolio, it’s important to look at their work as a whole. A lot of times, companies will have individual photographers who come in and do all the shooting. But they might not be the same ones doing all of your wedding. So you don’t want to just focus on one person’s work—you want to look at the company itself and what kind of style they have overall.
Also, when looking at portfolios, it’s good to see how long people have been with the company; this is usually reflected by seniority and experience level (so when someone has been there longer than two or three years, that means they probably know what they’re doing). It also helps if these people have experience working on both weddings and commercial gigs before so then you know that they’re going to be able to handle any situation that comes up during your big day!
Most photographers will offer a couple of packages with a range of prices — there should be something that fits your budget.
Most photographers will offer a couple of packages with a range of prices — there should be something that fits your budget.
- Know what you want. Do you want to do something fun and unique on your wedding day?
- Know what you need. Are you looking for formal pictures? Do you want the best quality for your money or are price and quality not at the top of your list?
- Know what you can afford. The photographer’s job is to capture memories, but they’re also in business to make money and pay their bills like everyone else! If they don’t earn enough from their photography work, then they’ll have to find another job that pays better so they can keep doing what they love—which means less time spent taking photos! So while it might seem like an important decision to choose which photographer is right for YOU (and it definitely IS!), choosing wisely also means making sure they’ll be able to continue capturing YOUR moments! tip for wedding photographer.
Finding the right photographer is essential to getting all of your memories captured, so do your homework!
Finding the right photographer is essential to getting all of your memories captured, so do your homework!
- Know what you want. This includes the style and look of photos, as well as how many hours of coverage you’ll need (the more hours, the higher the cost).
- Know what you can afford. Pick a number in mind and don’t go over it—you don’t want to regret having spent too much on photography when there are other things on which to spend that money instead!
- Check out portfolios. All photographers should have portfolios available online; take a look at them before making any decisions about whether or not they’re a good fit for your event (and if they are, make sure their rates are reasonable).
- Ask for references. Any professional photographer who has been in business long enough should be able to provide reference letters or emails from previous clients with whom they’ve worked in order to prove that they’re capable of doing such an important job well when entrusted with capturing one’s wedding day memories!
- Ask other vendors for recommendations: When choosing vendors like florists or cake makers etc., ask around among other professionals who may also know who makes good work—they’ll likely be able to give some insight into which photographers could get high quality results with minimal stress on behalf both parties involved during these stressful times leading up towards one’s big day!
If you’ve read this far, then congratulations! You now know how to choose a wedding photographer, and we wish you the best on your journey ahead. If you still have questions about anything we talked about here or want more help with this process, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help!