Let me point out the obvious. We say it all the time, but planning a wedding is HARD. And stressful. And overwhelming.. It’s all of the above. You spend hours planning for just one day that goes by way too fast. Once the day is over all you have left from your day are your pictures.

In our opinions, the photographer you choose to be with you during your wedding is one of the most important decisions. You want to make sure before your wedding day comes that you hire someone who sets the right expectations, shows excitement and interest in your wedding day, who you can trust to capture all of your precious moments, and finally, someone who you can relate to or get along with.

Let’s get down to the HOW part. How do you find the perfect photographer? Especially when there are so many photographers in your area. You first need to start with taking the time do to some research.

1. RESEARCH PHOTOGRAPHERS IN YOUR AREA

Are you a light and airy bride or a dark and moody bride? These are the main two photography styles, and choosing your style will help narrow down your search.

Decide on your photography budget. This will also help narrow down your search as you look for a photographer. Most photographers should have a base price listed on their site. If not and you like their style, you can send them a quick email to find out what the investment is.

Ask friends for recommendations. Your friends are the people you trust the most, right? Find out who they used, and if they liked the person. Also, take a look at how your friends wedding pictures turned out. Sometimes, it makes the process of finding a wedding photographer even easier if you ask the people closest to you.

2. MEET WITH THE PHOTOGRAPHER IN PERSON OR BY FACETIME/ SKYPE

The initial meeting is everything! Make sure to meet with the photographer you have in mind BEFORE your wedding day. Don’t hire someone without ever meeting them in person. We say this for many reasons. First, the photographer should walk you through their entire wedding experience. What will the day look like from start to finish? You want to know how they typically run a wedding day, how many photos they will deliver, how they will deliver the photos after the wedding, etc. Does their plan for the day go along with your vision? Will it ensure they capture the moments that are most special to you?

Chelsea and I always say that we are our clients extra set of eyes on their wedding day. The entire day goes by so fast. There are so many moments they don’t get to see while they are focused on each other. (as they should be) However, we get to capture all the moments they miss, so when they get their pictures back, they will get to see the moment of their mom crying on the first row during the ceremony as they exchange vows. It gives me chills just thinking about it!

3. MAKE SURE THE PHOTOGRAPHER’S PERSONALITY IS SIMILAR TO YOURS

The third point ties into the client meeting, which goes to show how important the meeting actually is. However, with that being said, the meeting also gives you the opportunity to make sure the photographer’s personality is similar to your own.

You will be with your photographer ALL day. Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life. You will be with your photographer more than you will be with your fiance. It is so important to make sure the photographer is someone you could see yourself being friends with.

The last thing you will want to happen is a photographer showing up on your wedding day who is the complete opposite of you and has a completely different vision for your day! You do not want to have to worry our stress about your pictures on your wedding day. Your photographer should do their best to make the day as stress free as possible. Your photograph should add more fun to your day! Not less fun!

Finally….

Chelsea and I know firsthand how much goes into planning a wedding. You have so many decision to make from invitations to music to photography.. There are thousands of choices out there for just invitations alone! It is so overwhelming! We hope our posts make things a little less stress for you. We try to put content out into the world that makes planning a wedding a little easier for brides.

If there is anything you need help with our have questions about that we haven’t answered, then please comment below! Whether you book with us or not, we would love to help!

Please remember that no matter what you choose, your wedding will be beautiful! Not everything will go as planned. Something always happens on a wedding day that you don’t expect. But your wedding day will be perfect because it is yours.

We tell every one of our clients that their wedding day will be beautiful, but it is their marriage that is the most important part.