Tips on Finding the Perfect Wedding Photographer for you
Picture this - you’re newly engaged, filled with so many emotions and anticipation for what’s to come. Your excitement gets the best of you, and you instantly open up Pinterest or Instagram to browse through wedding photographers because this was only a moment that you dreamed of before. As your scrolling through countless images, accounts, and photographers, you start to feel overwhelmed by all of the beautiful images you find. How do you choose the one who will capture your most cherished memories? The one who will truly capture the magic of what it’s going to feel like on your BIG DAY?
IT’S A LOT TO THINK ABOUT! So, I’m here to give you my top 5 biggest tips on helping you choose the right one for YOU because as you see when you scroll IG or Pinterest, we are not all the same! Finding the perfect wedding photographer is a crucial step in the wedding planning journey because believe it or not, we spend more time with you than ANYONE on your wedding day! CRAZY, RIGHT?
TIP 1: Define your style. First, it’s important to determine the style of photography you love and dream to have on your wedding day - whether it’s more traditional, photojournalistic, more fine art and high-end, or what I have found more and more lately is brides are wanting a blend of styles! Look at wedding photographers’ portfolios, wedding day blog posts, and social media pages to get a good feel of how they capture images! As your browsing ask yourself: Can I see myself in these images? By looking at these images can I feel the emotion they felt that day? Even though I wasn’t physically there, by looking at these photos do I feel like I was right there, experiencing the moment with them?
TIP 2: Set a budget. It’s vital to know how much you're willing to spend. Wedding photographers vary WIDELY in price, so it’s important to have a budget that aligns with your expectations and priorities! Don’t find a budget photographer and have expectations of them giving you a high-end style in your wedding photos and gallery, or vise-versa. To ensure you are fully happy with your final gallery and album design make sure you are taking these things into consideration when setting your photography budget.
TIP 3: Ask for recommendations. Referrals from people you trust are HUGE! Reach out to friends, family, or even wedding planners who have worked with photographers before and ask for recommendations based on the style you are looking for. Personal recommendations are often the best way to find someone trustworthy!
TIP 4: Consider the Photographers personality. I really should have made this #1! Like I said above, your photographer is going to be with you for the biggest part of your day. It’s essential to feel comfortable with them, and for you two to have personalities that mesh well together. A photographer who is sociable to your friends and family, professional, and is able to blend into the background when needed will make your day much more enjoyable!
TIP 5: Once you find the perfect wedding photographer, trust their recommendations. After all, that IS what you are paying them the big bucks for. Yes you are paying for beautiful images that show your love story, but to achieve getting those images it’s important to trust your photographers’ input on great locations, the best times to take photos, or even how to time and set up your first look! Even if you like to be in control of everything all the time, let loose a little…..because at the end of the day, it’s YOUR BIG DAY and you should trust your hired vendors to do the heavy lifting and thinking for you!
By following these tips, you’ll be able to not only find a photographer that aligns with your vision but also makes you feel comfortable and confident in their ability to capture your big day!
Thanks for reading,
XOXO, Sam