8 tips to help you find the best wedding photographer

 

Your wedding is an incredible and magical experience and I am honored that you are considering me to document it. I have created this short guide to help you find the best wedding photographer and explain a bit of how I work.

Keep in mind that even if you hire the best wedding photographer in the world, if you don’t feel relaxed and at ease with their presence, it will reflect in your photos. So take the time to meet your photographer prior to booking and see if you ‘click’. No pun intended. Share your plans with your photographer and your excitement and see if he/she is excited as well. The most important for any artist is to be excited about a project.

1. Make photography a priority

I know this sounds biased, but let’s think for a moment of all your wedding details what is the ONE that its value increases over time. Flowers die, the dress will end up in some closet, the food is eaten within an hour. Beautiful images of you and your loved ones are the only things you will cherish for a lifetime. Sharing some personal experience here. When I got married, I was lucky to have my godfather at my wedding. He was really old and next year he passed away. The picture of me next to him at the church all dressed up is the best memory I can have.

 

 

2. Define the style of wedding photography you like

You might like dark and moody or light and airy. Shallow depth of field, film and other technicalities I would need to spend a couple of hours explaining. If the images from the photographer, speak to your heart, then that’s it. Like any other art, you don’t necessarily have to understand it in depth. Just keep a note if it warms your heart, if you can understand and feel what happened on that wedding day from a couple you haven’t seen before. For one, I can tell you for sure I’m the romantic type. And I love backlit, light and airy images.

 

 

3. Be future-minded about your wedding photos

What looks trendy now, might not be so in the near future. As, a wedding photographer, I try to document your special day in a timeless way creating images that you will cherish now, tomorrow and forever.

 

 

4. Look at the websites

Yes, Instagram is so much faster BUT if the only images you see on someone’s feed are from styled shoots or workshops, you will be in great disappointment! Take the time to go through a photographer’s website and have a look through a few weddings from the getting ready to the party. Ask your photographer to show you a couple of full galleries if necessary. The fewer images a photographer shows, the more they try to hide usually. Review the galleries with a critical eye. Do you see the moments you would wish from your special day captured beautifully? Do you feel the light and color are of your taste or are any washed out pictures? Do you detect sensitivity being captured? Do people look relaxed?

 

 

5. Take the time to have an interview

When we set up a time to talk and meet, please understand that photographers interview the couples as much as you are interviewing them. It’s not like when you are buying a car and trying to look unimpressed to see what the best deal the seller will offer you. Photography is an art and for an artist to create, he needs to have motivation. For me as a wedding photographer, I want to feel a connection with my couples. I want to meet you both. Know things about you. I always prefer to work with someone who is excited to work with me as well! My ideal couple is modern, romantic and well-traveled. A couple who is in love, speaks straight to my heart.

 

 

6. You usually get what you paid for

Not saying you need to get a loan for your wedding photography, rather try to make an informed decision. I always prefer to be honest and educate the couples that contact me, rather than book a wedding that doesn’t fit.

I will be happy to meet you and let you know more tips about photography and your wedding day in general! I will provide you with my complete bridal guide, with numerous inside tips and useful information to make sure you’ll enjoy your special day the most!

And here is where trust comes in. Knowing you can trust your wedding photographer is so important. After our meeting, you should feel confident and relaxed. The wedding day can be stressful and having a professional around you who can calm you down and make you feel beautiful is very important.

 

 

7. Don’t be afraid to ask

It’s a cliche but there are just NO stupid questions. Ask away, regardless if you feel it’s remotely related to photography. A professional photographer will help to answer all your questions, understanding how it is to get married and even so if it’s a destination wedding.

 

 

8. The next step after booking

Remember that your photographer is the pro, so—while it’s helpful—you shouldn’t spend too much time putting together a detailed shot list for them. Instead, pass along your day-of timeline, give them an idea of what images you’d like captured (like a shot with each of your bridesmaids in addition to wedding party portraits) and let them do their thing. This is also the perfect moment to give them a heads up on any familial or friendship intricacies they should be aware of, like divorced parents, a grandmother that needs to remain sitting for portraits or a groomsman and bridesmaid that don’t get along (hey, it happens!). If you’re hoping to get your wedding day published online or in a magazine down the road, be sure to relay that to your photographer. This way, they’ll put extra emphasis on snapping shots of all your amazing details and will likely come armed with gorgeous styling accessories, like ribbons, linens and more, with the goal of helping your wedding aesthetic truly stand out.

 

If you liked this post make sure you check out more of my work and please feel free to reach out and say hello