A wedding, for some of you, will be the biggest event you will ever plan. So much thought goes into every little detail. Colors, flowers, décor, the cake and -- a very important part -- who is going to capture all these details and moments so that you can look back and remember them well? For those of you who have never hired a photographer before, we wanted to give you some advice to hopefully make it easier for you to choose the right photographer for your big day.
1. Research photographers' prices before setting your budget
If photography is very important to you, make sure you look into how much a good photographer will cost before setting your budget. Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, and after it is all said and done, you won't have a chance to redo the pictures. You don't want to be disappointed if the photographer of your dreams is out of reach because you didn't set the right budget to begin with.
2. Hire the photographer that can meet or exceed your expectations
Some people end up choosing a relative or acquaintance because they offer to photograph your wedding for free or really cheap. The problem with this is that most of the time, these people are amateurs that have a nice camera. If you hire a wedding photographer who actually makes a living photographing weddings, they understand and know where to be in order to capture all the best moments and make sure not to miss any special moments.
3. Do an engagement session with your photographer
An engagement session is great for both parties. It will give you a chance to hang out with your photographer and get to know one another and understand how they communicate. Getting together to do a "trial run" before your wedding usually puts everyone at ease on your big day.
4. Allow your photographer enough time on the day of
You are in love with the couple shots on your photographer's website and you want those same kind of images. Everyone does, but the only way to get those beautiful, creative images of you and your significant other on your wedding day is to allow enough time for your photographers to work with you. We always ask for at least 45 minutes to move around with the wedding couple because we like to try out a few different locations close by to ensure we have an array of beautiful shots. And sometimes it is the only quiet time you will get together the entire day. Please keep in mind that five to ten minutes on your wedding day for images is not enough time for your photographer to do their best work.
5. Provide a shot list for your photographer
During family portraits, it is very easy to forget a family member if they are not around. The only way to ensure that everyone you want will be captured in family pictures is to make a list of everyone that needs to be present and let them know they need to stick around after the ceremony or come early for family pictures.
6. Trust your photographer
You hired your photographer because you love their work. Our best advice is to trust them and let them do what it is that they do best. We always make sure to get to the location early for every wedding and check out all the areas so that when the time comes for those beautiful shots, we have a game plan in mind. Your photographer wants you to be happy and stress-free, so trust them when they suggest a location or make you stand in a certain light. Referring back to tip number two, if you hire someone whose work you love, it should be easy to trust them.
One last piece of advice for anyone hiring a photographer for your wedding: Make sure to communicate with your photographer what is important to you. Tell them what you like best about their style. Make sure they know the key players in your life. This will help them to know why you hired them and help them to be able to capture your wedding in a way that you are thrilled with the outcome.