For most couples , choosing a wedding photographer is one of the first tasks that springs to mind when planning their perfect wedding.
To say that your wedding photographer will spend lots of time with you on your wedding day is an understatement. Prepare to get acquainted, because you just booked someone to spend your wedding day with.
The pictures your photographer captures will go on and tell your marriage story to your friends and family for generations. That is why it is important to choose a professional photographer that you trust, and that is is right for you and your partner.
So, how do you choose the best wedding photographer for you?
Here is our list of 10 Tips on Choosing a Wedding Photographer:
1. Pick out the professionals from the weekend hobbyists
Choosing professional wedding photographers to capture your wedding is so important. There are a lot of people out there with a good camera who enjoy photography. They may have a website and photograph a wedding or two, but this may not classify them as professionals.
A professional will have years of trusted experience working in the industry, client testimonials, not to mention liability insurance and contracts for you to sign. When you hire a professional, you can sit back, relax and trust they will do a great job.
2. Check out their website
There a few ways to sift out the professionals from the hobbyists is by doing your initial web search. When choosing a wedding photographer check if they have a website. If their email is yahoo, gmail, or masn, or if they rely just a Facebook page, it probably means they don’t take photography seriously enough to pay for a domain name.
3. Search for their online presence
Searching online for social presence is a great way to start when choosing a wedding photographer. Do they have a Google business account? A professional will know how important it is to be registered with Google and be found on Google searches. Do they have real online reviews? Google and Facebook reviews are great places to start, as before submitting reviews you have to be logged in with these pages so you know the reviews come from real people.
Also check to see how many social media pages they use? Do they use a business account or a personal account? Connecting with clients on multiple social media platforms takes time and dedication. Choose a professional wedding photographer with a good social media presence that is updated frequently, this usually indicates how active they are.
4. Does their photography suit your wedding style?
Every wedding is unique, as is every photographer. Each wedding photographer will have a different style to the next and will see your wedding story with individual artistic eyes. Some photographers favour a bright and playful style, others may have a contrasting dramatic style, some will photograph in mainly in colour, others mainly in black and white. Some photographers do minimal editing, while others love to use photoshop and filters. Look through their photographs and see if their style will suit you and your wedding.
If the photography company has a staff of multiple photographers, see if they all have different photographic styles. Find out if they work alone or do they work in pairs? There are many factors which may affect your choice of photographer.
5. Choosing a wedding photographer that is available on your wedding day.
There is no point getting your heart set on a photographer only to find out that they are already fully booked on your day. Find out the photographer’s availability as early as possible. There is no harm in making multiple enquiries. Keep your options open so if you first choice is unavailable, you can be happy that your second choice is. Just like a venue, wedding photographers book up fast. So, get planning, make your choice and contact them early to avoid disappointment.
6. Look through their wedding albums options.
Every professional wedding photographer should have wedding albums on offer. Having your photography professionally printed in a high-quality album is the best way to preserve and appreciate your wedding memories. USB’s and hard drives can easily fail and computer files can become corrupted. Having digital files is a great way to back up your photographs but they are no replacement for the printed image.
Check to see if your choice of photographer offers wedding albums, maybe they don’t because they are not dedicated wedding professionals? Do they offer them as part of a package or do you have to purchase them separately?
7. Contact, consultations, and personality
Once you have chosen a couple of wedding photographers it is time to contact them. Chat to them on the phone – or even better, in person – and get to know their personality. The wedding photographer you choose will be with you from morning to night. They will spend more time with you on your wedding day than anyone else. So, you need to get along!
8. Ask them the right questions
When choosing a wedding photographer go to a consultation be prepared. Have your research done so you know their style, location, and packages. Most people feel overwhelmed in a consultation and resort to the standard, ‘what gear do you use’ question. Instead, look out our list of 11 questions to ask your wedding photographer, to give you some inspiration and help you feel prepared.
9. Industry knowledge and connections
Some wedding industry professionals have close ties to others. If your wedding photographer knows the industry well they can help recommend other vendors and venues would also suit your wedding. At Wilson and Lewis Photography, we have free wedding resources designed to help you select quality Adelaide wedding vendors.
10. Pricing and Extra Costs
Like everything in life, you get what you pay for. As with any luxury service, high quality, professional wedding photography can seem expensive so it is important to know exactly what you are getting for your money. Each wedding photographer will include different things in their packages. The wedding photography prices will also include the time taken for them to process your images, design albums, generate quotes, and consult with you during the planning of your wedding.
Compare package pricing from different photographers and check what is included in the package. Be aware that some items such as photo albums or prints may be sold separately, so remember to budget for these too.
Remember, when comparing quotes from any wedding vendor, if you come across a cheap one that is too good to be true. Chances are, it is!
If you have any further questions or would like to check our availability please contact us today.
