We know how stressful wedding planning can be, especially when you want everything to be perfect. One of the most important parts of that is finding a photographer who will capture all of your special moments and help them live on forever in beautiful photos. We asked our readers how much they paid for their wedding photographers, and what they were looking for out of their experience. Here are some suggestions on how to find an affordable photographer in Seattle:
A few months of lead time will ensure that the photographer is ready for your wedding.
You should also have a few months of lead time with your photographer, so that they have enough time to familiarize themselves with the location, lighting conditions and any other details that might affect their work. If you’re hiring someone solely based on their portfolio or Instagram feed, it won’t hurt to spend some time getting to know them personally. It’s better for everyone if there are no unpleasant surprises at the last minute of the wedding day!
Think about how long it’s going to take you get to know the photographer.
When it comes to finding an affordable wedding photographer, you want someone who will be on your side and there for you when it matters most. This can happen with a long-standing relationship or a short one. You may need a photographer more than they need you, but they’re still willing to work with you on pricing because they know that’s what makes their business run smoothly.
This means that choosing someone local is going to be easier than choosing someone far away—but only by so much! The distance between Seattle and other major cities isn’t as great as many people think (especially when compared with smaller towns), so not all photographers are going to be prohibitively expensive due to travel expenses alone. Consider this before narrowing down your options too much!- wedding photographer seattle.
Ask them what they can do to make your experience as positive as possible.
When you’re talking to potential wedding photographers, ask them the following questions:
- What is your experience photographing weddings?
- How would you describe your style?
- What do you think is most important about a great wedding day? Is it getting amazing photos or having fun with friends and family?
- How do you plan to spend time on the wedding day so that I don’t miss my own reception and have no idea what happened there? Are there any tricks of the trade that can help me keep track of where I was supposed to be at any given moment without being disruptive or rude? Will there be someone from your team who will be helping me out (and who)?
- What do our contracts look like, and how does payment work for those services if we decide not to use them anymore after meeting each other once or twice in person? Does my money get refunded if we don’t proceed through with the contract after all—or does it go toward another project like maybe an engagement shoot instead since those are more popular nowadays anyway…
For an engagement session, search for an area outside or near the venue where you can have a casual but beautiful photo session.
Choosing an outdoor location for your engagement session is a great way to get comfortable with your photographer before the wedding day. For an engagement session, search for an area outside or near the venue where you can have a casual but beautiful photo session. Think about the season, and time of day—you don’t want photos that look dark and gloomy! Also consider what you are wearing and how it will look in photos. For example, if there’s snow on the ground, it might not be ideal to wear sandals (unless they’re boots).
Be clear about what you want to capture and what not to capture.
Be clear about what you want to capture and what not to capture.
This is an important point that most couples miss, especially when they’re in love with their wedding photographer. They submit a list of shots — but the list includes things like “candid moments,” or “anything that feels natural” — which are just impossible for them to deliver on if they don’t know what you want. So, first off, let them know exactly what kind of photography is important to you: family portraits? candid moments? portraits at dusk? Is there anything in particular that would make your day special? If so, let them know how much time they should take during this part of the day (and also how much it means to you).
Then think about what isn’t important: whether or not every single person who came gets photographed; whether or not all flowers are visible in every single shot; whether or not all bridesmaids get into one photo. The photographer may ask if these things matter—but don’t let yourself get sidetracked! Be specific about what matters most and less detailed about everything else (like “I want to see our guests having fun”).
Offer a small budget so the photographer can think carefully about your request.
You should also be forthright about your budget. While there’s no shame in working within a tight budget, it can be difficult for photographers to give you a price if they don’t know how much money you have to spend on their services. Let them know how much money is in your budget, so that they don’t waste time or energy trying to come up with an estimate that’s beyond what you’re able to pay.
Make sure that any photographer who is considering working with you knows exactly what type of wedding photography style you’re looking for. For example, if you want candid photos of guests mingling at the reception rather than posed group shots, tell them this up front (and maybe even suggest some other ideas). Your photographer should be able to accommodate whatever request or suggestion comes from you—but only if they know what it is!- wedding photographer seattle.
For top-notch professional photography, ask other friends who have already had professional photos done.
If you’ve already had professional photos taken, ask them about their experience and how it felt to work with a good photographer. They can tell you whether they felt like the photographer listened to their ideas or if they felt like their style was ignored.
They can also tell you what their wedding photos cost and how much time went into editing each image. These details will help you determine whether it’s worth hiring an affordable photographer or going with a more affordable one who specializes in doing weddings on the cheap.
Wedding photography prices vary widely and are often a lot more expensive than they look like on paper
Now that you have a general idea of how much wedding photography should cost, let’s take a closer look at the factors that can influence pricing.
- Experience and reputation: The more established and well-known your photographer is, the higher their prices are likely to be. This is because they’ve built up a brand around themselves, and are known for producing exceptional work. It’s also often the case that photographers with lots of experience charge more than those who are newer or less established in the industry.
- City size: As we said above, this isn’t always true – but generally speaking, it seems like bigger cities tend to have higher average prices for wedding photographers than smaller ones do (or at least do so on average). Why? Because demand is higher in large cities than small ones (at least sometimes), which means that vendors need to charge more if they want customers who aren’t willing to travel far away just because there’s no competition nearby! So if you’re getting married in Seattle but don’t mind traveling an hour or two outside town beforehand…then maybe consider checking out some local photographers instead of sticking with all those big names over by Lake Washington 🙂
Remember to keep these in mind when you’re shopping around for a wedding photographer. If you want to know what’s considered a reasonable price, don’t be afraid to ask!