When it comes to wedding vendors, nothing is as important as your photographer (and, maybe your wedding planner!). Everyone understands that you only get one chance to do your wedding, so you want a photographer who can capture your day and not miss any shots.
Beyond that though, they shoot your most intimate moments with your spouse-to-be and you interact with them the most out of all other vendors on the wedding day. That leads me to my first tip…
Make sure you like your photographer and are comfortable with them
If you have a 12-hour wedding day, guess who will be following you around for 12 hours? Your photographers! Meet with them in person and get a sense of their personality.
Do you love to joke around with each other? Someone who appreciates this and can joke with you will help you be at ease on your wedding day.
Are you really particular about details? It would be helpful if your photographer cared about details as well!
What style of photography do you love?
This goes without saying, but you should love their style of photos! Each photographer will capture a wedding through their perspective and style, so figure out what this style is that you like.
Some photographers love to capture emotion and energy, while others find artistic ways of capturing your day. Usually a couple will gravitate towards a certain style or approach for photography. If you aren’t sure which style you enjoy, get knee-deep into browsing wedding blogs and photographer sites.
Having a plan for your wedding day will help you determine the best package
Photographers generally have hourly packages (though some offer full day coverage for peace of mind). This is because it can be a very long day otherwise!
If you can create a tentative but realistic schedule for your wedding day, from the time you start your preparation as a bride to the end of the night when the dance starts, you will have a good idea of how many hours you may need from your photographer.
Yes, this can be a crazy thing to do 11 months before your wedding day, but it is a good exercise in envisioning your day.
This will be helpful when you do your search, as an 8 hour package might be within your budget for one photographer but out of your budget if you opt for their 12 hour package.
For some couples, it is a very calculated approach to finding a photographer. They need to be the right mixture of many variables – budget, style and personality. However, for others, they just know they want a certain photographer and it is a non-negotiable.
Taking these first few steps—figuring out how many hours you need, what style of photography you enjoy and meeting up to see if you connect with their personalities—will ensure that you have the tools you need to pick the right photographer.
Photo credit: Sweet Pair Photography