Choosing the right wedding photographer is almost as important as choosing your life partner. After all, your photos will last as long as your marriage is supposed to…forever. So to ensure your eternal happiness together (you and your photos…and spouse of course – “happy wife, happy life”) ask yourself these 5 questions when shopping for the documenter of your monumental day.
1. Do they fit our budget? By this point in your wedding planning, you will have already established a budget and therefore how much you’re willing to spend on photography (not including video). To some, the fact that the photos are what lasts forever from your big day – that you have and will spend countless hours planning which will go by in the blink of an eye – is worth the dough. But be prepared to drop a lot of it. Photography packages can range anywhere from $3k to 12 Gs or more and they vary. Think about how many hours of coverage you’ll need and if you need a second assistant shooter (recommend for big bridal parties – having two + my friend/wedding coordinator as a third photographer was a God send for the 18 of us trekking across the National Mall on 11-11-11). Be prepared to say no if your dream photographer is out of your budget. In the end – they are photos and not worth it if you will end up in debt.
2. Do I like their style? Coco Chanel is famous for her quip: “fashion fades, only style remains” and it’s so true. Try not to be blinded by the hot photography trend of the moment but instead the root of the photographer in question’s true style in their portfolio – different use of angles, lighting, focus – then look at the creative/fun ideas they can offer. Think about the feel of your wedding, the vibe and look to see if it matches anything in their portfolio – if it doesn’t, talk it out with him/her. Example: if you want your wedding to be glamorous and elegant with a vintage, Parisian feel like we did – talk it over with them. Be as specific as possible and also mention any particular kinds of portraits you want. I wanted to make sure the look on my groom’s face was documented when he first got a glimpse of me walking down the aisle. It’s one of the most moving photos of the 1800+ we ended up with that day.
3. What does their experience look like? Plain and simple: how long have they been doing this, how many weddings, what kinds? If you have any special needs for your photographer, lay them out on the table.
4. Do I like their personality? Very important and underrated question – do you mesh well? It’s so important to meet with and talk to your photographer over the course of your engagement. You wanna make sure you actually like each other. It’s also a good idea to get a gauge of how flexible they are. A neurotic OCD photographer is not going to mesh well with a free spirited hippie bride. Just saying.
5. Could I have a positive working relationship with this person? Maybe a cheesy question, but you will be working together, discussing ideas while you’re planning a wedding – you want someone you can trust and also even confide in. This person is documenting one of the most important days of your life – they should be someone you could be friends with basically.
Best of luck in your searches!
photo credit: kevin dooley