Introduction
Your wedding day is one of the most important moments in your life, and capturing it right sets the tone for your memories in the future. If you're on the fence about how to find the right wedding photographer for your big day, someone who understands your style, these six quick tips can help you descern your dream photographer for your dream day:
Determine Your Budget
Before you go on a dream wedding photographer shopping spress, it's important to determine how much you're wiling to spend on your big day. Sit with your partner, look at the budget for your wedding, and allocate a fixed amount of money to your wedding photography. According to WeddingWire, most couples in the USA spend anywhere between $2000-$4000 on their wedding photography. You may need to adjust your budget or expectations based on your budget.
A wedding photography cost covers more than what meets the eye. Since the photographer will be spending a lot of time and effort on traveling, hiring assistants, editing and retouching images, printing, creating a wedding album, and covering additional shoots like that of an engagement ceremony, they need to be compensated fairly.
Create A Vision
Before you hire a wedding photographer, take some time to define how you want your wedding photographs to look. Is your wedding theme and aesthetic more rustic and gives country vibes? Do you want a classic, formal banquet wedding? Or maybe you’ve always wanted a fairytale wedding, and need a photographer who can match that. It’s important to research beforehand, pick a few photographers whose style you like, and get everything in order.
It makes no sense to pick someone who specializes in country wedding photography and expect them to make your city wedding look gorgeous. Even though most of the wedding photographers are adaptable, it’s important to adjust your expectations. Understanding and respecting that every photographer’s style is different and may not match your aesthetics is one of the most important steps to find the perfect wedding photographer.
For instance, if your wedding day vision is quirky and you want your tattoo-inspired shirt, or sneakers to be highlighted and become a part of your wedding day story, then you must find a wedding photographer who can make these things look aesthetic and cohesive, instead of judging your vision.
Check Out Potential Wedding Photographers
Just like any other vendors at your wedding, be it catering or decoration, wedding photographers also need to be selected with utmost caution. After all, you wouldn’t choose a caterer that doesn’t serve your favorite seafood delicacies like a fancy lobster bisque, or bouillabaisse, when the theme of your wedding is aquatic and you specifically asked for certain seafood delicacies like these which evoke a sense of nostalgia for you and your partner .
Nor would you ever accept a rustic decoration, when you specifically asked for a formal decoration style. You would first see their work and then select them for the most important day of your life. Follow the same principle when it comes to your potential wedding photographers.
Once you’ve shortlisted a few wedding photographers, either through research, or by asking your friends and family, visit their website. Look at their work, but also keep an eye out for the comments, their rating online, and what their previous clients have to say about them. More often than not, doing this will help you figure out if a potential wedding photographer will be a good fit for your wedding photography style or not. If a photographer has enough experience and testimonials to their name, they’ll be happy to show it on their website, and their social media pages will also tell you all you need to know about being their customer.
Once you find one or a few photographers that match your expectations, and have an impressive portfolio of their work, similar to what you want, you can schedule a meeting with them, virtual or in person. Remember, a website can showcase a few photographs, but doesn’t cover everything. For a complete overview of what to expect, ask your photographer for a wedding album that they’ve created. Look for how they connect the pictures, their style of narration, the quality of images, and any other factors that are important to you in order to make an informed decision.
Discuss Your Concerns
Upon meeting with the photographer, it’s important to ask tough questions and share your concerns regarding the wedding day photography. If you have hesitation about being in front of the camera, or you want to play around with a certain style of photography, a meeting is the best time for these questions.
You should also keep around a list of general questions that tell you more about them. You could ask about their approach and style, their delivery time, any expectations on their end, among other things to gauge how comfortable you’re in their presence, and how much they know about their work. The more you’re at ease with the photographer, the better your wedding pictures will be.
Sometimes your questions can be specific and having enough information about how your photographer approaches those questions can help you feel more confident on the most important day of your life. For instance, if you’re a bride with surface piercings like these, or you have tattoos on your body which will be visible, you may want to know how your photographer plans to accommodate them. You should also share any suggestions that you have about capturing these unique elements with them, so that you both are on the same page.
Do A Trial Run
Doing a trial run with your wedding photographer serves two purposes. One, you’ll be more confident and in sync with your wedding photographer on your wedding day, as you’ll have already worked together. Two, it’ll help you and your partner figure out your personal style and preferences beforehand, making it easier to pose on the wedding day. You could hire your wedding photographer to shoot an engagement photo session for you, or you could do a mini pre-wedding shoot to understand each other’s style better.
Moreover, you’ll be able to see your wedding photographer’s social skills in a public setting. Are they able to do their work quietly and without disturbing others? Do they talk to you politely and are patient with you? Are you comfortable and feel natural as they direct your poses? As you spend a day with your wedding photographer, it’ll help you answer all your questions, and prepare for your wedding day.
Final Thoughts
Your wedding is one of the best days of your life, and wanting it to be photographed how you want is a fair ask. By using the tips given above, you’ll be able to find a wedding photographer for your wedding that is experienced, kind, understands your vision, and most importantly, is trustworthy. As you get ready to capture your nuptials, make sure you enjoy your day to the fullest, because there’s no better picture than one where you are happy!
*This is a collaborative blog post.
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