June 22, 2022
So maybe you’re reading this it’s because you just got engaged. First off, congratulations! This time in your life is so incredibly special and you should soak up every minute of it. It’s easy to feel this sort of pressure to immediately start planning your wedding, book your vendors, and secure a date ASAP. However, please take some time to enjoy that newly engaged life. It seriously can fly by so fast! Now I may be biased here but if you’re looking to book a wedding photographer, I typically would recommend booking them as soon as possible. A lot of wedding photographers book up months even YEARS in advance, so if there’s someone you’ve been wanting to work with reach out soon! When it comes to wedding photographers though, there are tons to choose from. The real question is how? Below are some of my top tips to find your dream wedding photographer!
Have Your Date & Venue Secured
Above all else, if you’re planning to hire a wedding photographer you want to make sure you have your date and venue secured. Wedding photographers will need to know the where and the when in order to make sure that they are available (especially if they need to travel a good distance). If you know of a wedding photographer that is in high demand, make sure to inquire with them as soon as you book your venue & date!
If you’re trying to figure out how to find your perfect wedding venue, I wrote a blog all about my top tips! Just click here to give it a read!
Determine Your Budget
Weddings can be expensive and the more and more vendors you book, that number keeps going up. Wedding photography is an investment, but for good reason. It is a way to document these special moments and look back years later and cherish them forever. Before you go speaking with a bunch of wedding photographers, it’s important to determine your budget. Knowing your budget for wedding photography ahead of time will save you AND your wedding photographer time.
Tip: Keep in mind that wedding photographers charge what they charge for a reason. Not only for equipment, gear, and labor but for the experience. Wedding photographers take years to grow and perfect their craft so what they charge is usually equivalent to the type of experience you will be receiving!
What Photography Style Do You Want
The type of style that you’re looking for in your wedding photos is so important! Are you looking for more dark and moody images or maybe you’re a fan of the light and airy? Whichever is your preference, make sure that you choose a wedding photographer who edits similarly to how you want your wedding photos edited. Wedding photographers take years of perfecting their craft and editing styles to make them unique and individualized to them. 99.9% of the time, your wedding photographer will not change their editing style upon request. So choosing one that matches how you want your wedding photos to be is your best bet.
Tip: When looking at a prospective wedding photographer’s work, do you envision your wedding photos looking like that? If the answer is yes, that means you may have hit the jackpot winner! If the answer is no, keep looking until you find someone’s work who you feel inspired by!
Scope Their Socials & Website
Once you stumble across a wedding photographer whose work intrigues you, scope out their socials and website! Their social media and website will give you a better idea of their overall style, how they like to shoot, which venues they’ve photographed at before, etc. A lot of photographers utilize their social media as a portfolio, so think of it that way.
You can also head over to their website where they may have a portfolio page or even a blog! Blogs are a great way for wedding photographers to push out some of their favorite work. It also showcases different venues they’ve shot at! This not only can tell you how they shoot in different lighting scenarios but also the quality of their work, how they choose to work with their couples, etc. P.s. If you haven’t seen my blog page yet, just click here!
Correspondance
Okay, so you’ve found a wedding photographer whose work you LOVE. Now is the time to fill out their inquiry form and see if they are your dream wedding photographer. Take note as to how your potential wedding photographer corresponds with their clients. Some things to keep in mind are:
- How fast are they responding to your messages?
- Do they seem personable and want to get to know you and your partner?
- How invested do they seem in capturing your special day?
These are just some of the mental notes that you should make when speaking with a wedding photographer. You want a wedding photographer who’s not only going to give you the photos of your dreams but is honest and committed to capturing your wedding day to the fullest.
Request To See Full Galleries
Now if it really comes down to it, you can always request to see full wedding galleries. This is pretty common in the wedding photography world and most wedding photographers will not have a problem sharing some examples of wedding days. However, please keep in mind that each wedding is different. The expectations and wants differ from couple to couple so what you see in that gallery may not be entirely what you will get. Instead what you should do is look at the gallery as a whole. Focus on the editing style, how many candid vs posed photos they captured and see if it fits what you’re looking for.
Find Out What Their Process Looks Like
Every wedding photographer has a “process”. This process is essentially how the wedding photographer likes to run their business. Important details like when you will receive your wedding photos and how you receive them are important things to discuss before booking your dream wedding photographer. Make sure that you and your wedding photographer are on the same page about when things will be delivered and how.
Tip: You can also ask your potential wedding photographer how long you will have access to your photos for download. Some wedding photographers will vary with these answers.
Find A Wedding Photographer Who You Trust
When choosing your dream wedding photographer, it’s important to find someone that you trust. Your wedding day is one of the most special days of your life and should be treated as such. Your wedding photographer is not just there to take photos and forget about you. Instead, they should be there as your friend, photographer, and resource. Finding a wedding photographer who you trust will make the WORLDS of a difference. Especially when it comes to the time leading up to your wedding day, during your wedding day, and after.
Tip: In moments like this, listen to your gut! If someone is making you feel over the moon happy and you can’t imagine your wedding without them, then this may be the sign to book ASAP!
When In Doubt, Schedule An Engagement Session
When in doubt, schedule an engagement session with the wedding photographer that you feel the most drawn to. An engagement session is a perfect opportunity for you to gauge how your wedding photographer will prompt you on your wedding day. An engagement session also gives you the opportunity to communicate with that wedding photographer what type of vision you’re looking for and to see if you both are a good match!
All in all, I hope you enjoyed these tips to find your dream wedding photographer. Finding a wedding photographer can be quite a task. A rather difficult one if you ask me, and I AM a wedding photographer – LOL. The most important thing, however, aside from everything I’ve mentioned is that your wedding day is filled with love, laughter, and joy. You’re getting married and above all, that’s the most important thing.
If you’ve made it all the way down here, congratulation! If you loved reading about these tips to find your dream wedding photographer, then you should check out this blog here!
