It can be such a minefield planning a wedding: where to start and where to go from there. One of the big things to consider is choosing your wedding photographer and where do you start with that? So that's exactly why I've put together this guide of 7 things to consider before you book your wedding photographer. If you work through these steps, you'll be able to hire the right photographer for you and your big day and absolutely adore your wedding photos for many years to come.
1. Let's get on!
You may not realise at first just how much time you're going to be spending with your photographer. From the initial meetings and consultations right through to your pre-wedding photoshoot and being with you throughout your big day: it's super important that you like the person behind the camera. If you have a great bond with your photographer, the chances are you'll both be able to communicate with each other even better and ultimately make sure you get the dream photos you were expecting. Take the time to invest in getting to know the person you'll be spending so much time with, and I promise it will pay off.
2. Decide your budget
A bigger budget isn't the sign of a better photographer, but it can be the sign of a bigger package. Right from the start of looking for photographers decide what will be your max budget and have an idea of what you would like for that price. This information will really help you in qualifying different photographers before getting into the nitty gritty.
3. Do you need an album?
Some photographers now offer albums as a non-negotiable in their packages and as much as I LOVE seeing photographs in print, you need to decide whether this is something you require at this point or whether it can be something that you add on further down the line.
4. Do you love their style?
Don't just choose your photographer because they fit in with your budget or just because you get on with the person, it is so incredibly important that you love their style of photography. The difference between choosing a photographer with a 'light and airy' vibe versus a photographer with a 'dark and sultry' vibe is very different. The way to think about which style you love is to research what kind of wedding photographs stand out to you that give you that warm fuzzy feeling when you look at them and imagine yourself in them. Once you've identified that, find yourself a photographer that fits in with your vision.
5. Be careful of capped images
Be careful to make sure you understand the ins and outs of the package you choose and watch out for capped albums. Try to avoid, or at least be careful about, those packages that state '200 images included' because the chances are there is a hefty hidden fee that comes along when you want more than the initial ones you've been promised. For a full day of wedding photos, you should be looking in the circa of 700-1500 photos as a very vague guideline: make sure they're all included in your package.
6. Get booked ASAP
Photographers can get booked up YEARS in advance so I would strongly advise that as soon as you have your venue and date booked, get your photographer next on the list so that you can avoid disappointment that the photographer you've finally chosen is already booked.
7. Do you need two?
1 photographer or 2? Lots of photographers give you the option to hire two photographers for the day. Now this doesn't necessarily mean you get double the number of photos; it mostly means that you get to have photos taken from different perspectives throughout the day. So, for example, one photographer could be photographing the bridal preparations while the other photographs the groom preparations or one photographer at the front of the aisle whilst the other is at the back of the room. As amazing as this is, ask your prospective photographer whether it's really necessary or whether they can cover all bases on their own- this is a great tip for saving some money when choosing packages too.
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There you have it- 7 tips to follow before you book your photographer for your big day. I have every faith that if you follow these steps, you will have a great bond with your photographer, love their style, have very clear expectations from what you'll get from your photos and ultimately fall completely in love with your photos that you can treasure forever.
If you want to know more about how we can help you to put these steps into practice, hear about our packages or check our availability, fill in our contact form below- we can't wait to hear from you!
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