If you’re reading this, I’m guessing you’re getting married soon. CONGRATS!!! Being married is seriously so amazing. And what’s a better start to a marriage than a dreamy, romantic celebration of your union? I can’t think of anything. The key to a great wedding really isn’t the food, the dress, or the flowers. The key is the photographer. The right photographer can capture those priceless memories and can make your wedding a breeze. The wrong photographer can really put a damper on things. Picking the wrong one can ruin the experience for you, your guests, and you may be disappointed with how they captured your wedding.
I hope that didn’t scare you! But don’t worry. I’m here to help. Here are three things to check before booking your wedding photographer.
First, what’s photography worth to you?
Okay, okay, I know. This isn’t something you ask your photographer but I think this is such an important part about finding the right person to shoot your wedding. Soooo many brides simply bargain shop their photographer, which I can understand. I was a bride with a budget once too. But that doesn’t mean you should go with the cheapest photographer you can find.
So I want you to do something for me right now. Imagine three years from now. You and your spouse are happily married and your wedding day was absolutely beautiful. You’re lounging on the couch, just on your phone, and you see your spouse grab your wedding book and start flipping through it. He or she smiles as they flip through the pages, sometimes giving a light chuckle to a few of them. You decide to scoot closer to them and look at the images to. When you see them, you smile and you’re filled with the wonderful feelings you felt when you got married.
What did those photos look like? Find a photographer that can shoot what you were just imagining.
Hopefully, that brought some clarity on what wedding photography is really worth. This is something you, your children, and your grandchildren will look back on. I tell my clients that you should spend at least 15% of your wedding budget on your photographer. Think about how important those photos will be to you. A cheap photographer isn’t going to capture those.
1. Can we meet?
Hear me out. I get that you may be introverted and dread meeting new people but meeting a photographer is, I’d say, the most important thing you could do before booking. In fact, it’s so crucial, I won’t book any clients without meeting them first. This is a wonderful way to really see if we’re a good match, talk about what I provide, what you’re specifically looking for in a photographer, and answer any questions you may have. It’s so much easier and clearer than going back and forth via text or email. Not only that, it’s the perfect way to see if you like the photographer as a person. As silly as that sounds, you want to make sure that you get along with them; they’ll play a huge role in one of the most important days in you life. The last thing you want to do is book someone you don’t like.
And don’t worry, you don’t always have to meet face to face. In fact, most photographers -including me- do most of their meeting via Zoom. So you don’t have to get out of your comfy pajamas or leave the comfort of your own home.
2. What’s your priority when shooting weddings?
Every photographer is different and every photographer has different priorities. Nothing is wrong with that, just make sure that both you and your photographer’s priorities align.
When you ask your photographer what their priorities are, you’re going to get a better idea of what type of photos you’re going to get. If they say they focus on capturing vogue-like photos, you’re going to get a lot of posed images. Other photographers may say they love capturing the little things, you can expect lots of detail shots and candid photos.
This question is one of my favorites. You can really understand your photographer’s style and you can start imaging what your photos look like.
3. How many photos should I expect to receive?
Some photographers only give a certain amount of photos which is okay. Hearing that a photographer will only give out 30, 100, or whatever, often makes brides and grooms back out. Trust me, quantity isn’t quality. Some photographers will let you choose which ones you want to keep (which is a great follow-up question). If you see any others you want, you can purchase them individually. For many there’s a select number of photos they really love and really want and those are the ones they get.
Photographers who give out all of their photos is okay too. I’m one of those photographers. I don’t have a cap on photos I deliver but there are some images that I don’t send. Those are ones that check any of these boxes: blurry, blinking, duplicate, awkward facial expressions. Personally, I love editing so I really don’t mind editing hundreds of photos.
Remember, not one type of photographer is better than the other. They’re simply two different styles that suit certain people. Think about it this way: do I just want a few great photos to hang up or do I want the entirety of my wedding memorialized through photo?
Annnnd that’s it! If you’re looking for more questions to ask, I recommend reading Lin and Jirsa’s article. I hope this helps you find the right photographer. And if that right photographer is me, feel free to contact me! I’d love to chat!
