So you’ve set your date and booked your wedding venue. The next thing on the to-do list is to find your wedding photographer. But there are so many options out there, it’s overwhelming. You type “wedding photographer” into Google and 900 results pop up. How the heck do you choose?
As a Colorado wedding photographer, and former bride myself, I believe these are the top 7 things to consider when searching for your wedding photographer:
Do you like their style?
This is really a two-part question, because there are a couple different elements to a photographer’s style. First and foremost, what is your first impression upon looking at their portfolio? Are you drawn to their images? Do they seem to have a vibe that appeals to you? These sound like vague questions, but I actually think this initial reaction to a photographer’s work is so important. You don’t have to be able to explain what it is about a portfolio that particularly interests you or turns you off. The fact that you feel one way or another is something you can’t ignore.
To break that feeling down a bit though, there are a few terms we use in the photography world to define one’s style. There is shooting style, where a photographer will either lean more towards a documentary or candid style, or keep things more formal and posed. Think about which approach appeals to you more. Do you like for things to feel more natural and loose, or would you rather have someone pose you in very specific ways?
Also, there is the matter of editing style. You’ll see portfolios anywhere on a scale from light and airy to dark and moody. My own particular style falls on the lighter side, but maintains contrast and true-to-life color. The best way to get a feel for what editing style appeals to you most is to look at a bunch of different photographers’ Instagram feeds, take screenshots, and compare the sets of tones and colors. They can all look vastly different! I find this is the quickest way to figuring out what suits your own taste best.
Do you like their personality?
Just as important as liking a photographer’s style, I believe, is liking them as a person in general. Your photographer is going to be the one person who is there by your side throughout your entire wedding day. You’re going to want to like your third wheel, trust me!!
My best advice is to find someone you feel you can be totally comfortable with, which usually means you have at least a few things in common on a personal level. Read the About Me pages on each photographer’s websites. Get a sense of who they are. Chat with them not just about their photography, but personal details as well. You want to fully trust the person you hire to document your wedding day, and I wholeheartedly believe that the best way to develop that trust is to feel like they are one of your real friends.
Do they answer all of your questions?
I have gotten a handful of clients who have apologized to me after sending me a long line of questions. I want all you brides out there to know that you are doing the RIGHT thing asking your wedding vendors many questions! You are getting ready to make a big investment and you deserve to know all the details and have your concerns answered. If you find a wedding photographer (or any vendor, for that matter) who does not seem willing to answer all of your questions, run. Find a wedding photographer who not only answers all of the questions you ask, but also answers other questions you haven’t even thought to ask yet.
Have you checked their reviews?
This is a really basic point, but be sure to read through all the reviews of any photographer you are considering hiring. Look at the highlighted reviews on their website, look them up on WeddingWire and The Knot and Google and view their reviews posted in all these places. Make sure not only that they have good reviews, but that the specific things their previous clients say about them resonate with you. Are you concerned about feeling comfortable in front of the camera? Don’t just take their word for it—see if they have reviews that delve into just how comfortable their clients feel in front of their camera.
How long have they been a wedding photographer?
There are so many photographers trying to get into shooting weddings these days Do yourself a favor and hire someone with previous experience shooting weddings, because there is nothing else quite like it. Someone with less practice shooting weddings may fit into your budget better, and that’s okay as long as you understand the level of experience you’re paying for. More experienced wedding photographers are going to charge more because, well, they’ve got the years of practice to back them up. You’re paying for their expertise. A photographer with 50-100+ weddings under their belt knows how to help you with your timeline for the wedding day, how to gather and arrange all of your wild family for portraits and make that process as painless as possible, how to help you pin your boutonniere or bustle your dress. It’s all the little things even beyond photography that make an experienced wedding photographer worth the investment.
Are they licensed, insured, and do they have a contract?
This ties back in to the important note that you should be hiring a professional, and this goes for any wedding vendor you hire. There are horror stories about vendors not showing up to weddings, not fulfilling their end of the bargain, and leaving their couples in the lurch. DON’T be one of those couples!! Make sure not only your photographer knows what they are doing, but is professionally licensed and insured, and has you sign a contract that is there for your own protection as much as theirs. Trust me, contracts are super important when it comes to hiring people for your wedding day. I even have my friends and family sign contracts whenever I do photos for them.
Are they in (or near) your budget?
I 100% understand that every wedding comes with a budget. You may have a big budget to work with, but you may not. This is something I could write an entire other blog post about. For now, I want you to consider this.
When it comes to your wedding day, you don’t have any re-dos. There won’t be another time you wear the fanciest clothes of your life, gather with your family and friends, and say your wedding vows. The photos you get from your wedding day are the one tangible thing you’ll have to remind you of all the emotions and events and details of that day. I have heard so many stories of brides hiring a friend with a camera, or some other cheap and/or inexperienced photographer, to save on their wedding budget. Every single one of them regrets it.
Your photographer is the next largest and most important investment you are going to make for your wedding day, following only the venue itself. (And for elopements, the photographer is often the largest investment by far!) Colorado wedding photographers, for example, average anywhere from $2.5-4.5k for their full-day services.
There are so many factors that go into an overall wedding budget, but be sure to leave room for you to get the photographer you won’t regret spending on.
I know that is a lot of information to consider, but I do hope that it helps as you continue your search for the best wedding photographer for you!
Here are some other blog posts you may find helpful:
5 Reasons to Have a First Look
How to Deal with Rain on Your Wedding Day
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So you’ve set your date and booked your wedding venue. The next thing on the to-do list is to find your wedding photographer. But there are so many options out there, it’s overwhelming. You type “wedding photographer” into Google and 900 results pop up. How the heck do you choose?
As a Colorado wedding photographer, and former bride myself, I believe these are the top 7 things to consider when searching for your wedding photographer:
Do you like their style?
This is really a two-part question, because there are a couple different elements to a photographer’s style. First and foremost, what is your first impression upon looking at their portfolio? Are you drawn to their images? Do they seem to have a vibe that appeals to you? These sound like vague questions, but I actually think this initial reaction to a photographer’s work is so important. You don’t have to be able to explain what it is about a portfolio that particularly interests you or turns you off. The fact that you feel one way or another is something you can’t ignore.
To break that feeling down a bit though, there are a few terms we use in the photography world to define one’s style. There is shooting style, where a photographer will either lean more towards a documentary or candid style, or keep things more formal and posed. Think about which approach appeals to you more. Do you like for things to feel more natural and loose, or would you rather have someone pose you in very specific ways?
Also, there is the matter of editing style. You’ll see portfolios anywhere on a scale from light and airy to dark and moody. My own particular style falls on the lighter side, but maintains contrast and true-to-life color. The best way to get a feel for what editing style appeals to you most is to look at a bunch of different photographers’ Instagram feeds, take screenshots, and compare the sets of tones and colors. They can all look vastly different! I find this is the quickest way to figuring out what suits your own taste best.
Do you like their personality?
Just as important as liking a photographer’s style, I believe, is liking them as a person in general. Your photographer is going to be the one person who is there by your side throughout your entire wedding day. You’re going to want to like your third wheel, trust me!!
My best advice is to find someone you feel you can be totally comfortable with, which usually means you have at least a few things in common on a personal level. Read the About Me pages on each photographer’s websites. Get a sense of who they are. Chat with them not just about their photography, but personal details as well. You want to fully trust the person you hire to document your wedding day, and I wholeheartedly believe that the best way to develop that trust is to feel like they are one of your real friends.
Do they answer all of your questions?
I have gotten a handful of clients who have apologized to me after sending me a long line of questions. I want all you brides out there to know that you are doing the RIGHT thing asking your wedding vendors many questions! You are getting ready to make a big investment and you deserve to know all the details and have your concerns answered. If you find a wedding photographer (or any vendor, for that matter) who does not seem willing to answer all of your questions, run. Find a wedding photographer who not only answers all of the questions you ask, but also answers other questions you haven’t even thought to ask yet.
Have you checked their reviews?
This is a really basic point, but be sure to read through all the reviews of any photographer you are considering hiring. Look at the highlighted reviews on their website, look them up on WeddingWire and The Knot and Google and view their reviews posted in all these places. Make sure not only that they have good reviews, but that the specific things their previous clients say about them resonate with you. Are you concerned about feeling comfortable in front of the camera? Don’t just take their word for it—see if they have reviews that delve into just how comfortable their clients feel in front of their camera.
How long have they been a wedding photographer?
There are so many photographers trying to get into shooting weddings these days Do yourself a favor and hire someone with previous experience shooting weddings, because there is nothing else quite like it. Someone with less practice shooting weddings may fit into your budget better, and that’s okay as long as you understand the level of experience you’re paying for. More experienced wedding photographers are going to charge more because, well, they’ve got the years of practice to back them up. You’re paying for their expertise. A photographer with 50-100+ weddings under their belt knows how to help you with your timeline for the wedding day, how to gather and arrange all of your wild family for portraits and make that process as painless as possible, how to help you pin your boutonniere or bustle your dress. It’s all the little things even beyond photography that make an experienced wedding photographer worth the investment.
Are they licensed, insured, and do they have a contract?
This ties back in to the important note that you should be hiring a professional, and this goes for any wedding vendor you hire. There are horror stories about vendors not showing up to weddings, not fulfilling their end of the bargain, and leaving their couples in the lurch. DON’T be one of those couples!! Make sure not only your photographer knows what they are doing, but is professionally licensed and insured, and has you sign a contract that is there for your own protection as much as theirs. Trust me, contracts are super important when it comes to hiring people for your wedding day. I even have my friends and family sign contracts whenever I do photos for them.
Are they in (or near) your budget?
I 100% understand that every wedding comes with a budget. You may have a big budget to work with, but you may not. This is something I could write an entire other blog post about. For now, I want you to consider this.
When it comes to your wedding day, you don’t have any re-dos. There won’t be another time you wear the fanciest clothes of your life, gather with your family and friends, and say your wedding vows. The photos you get from your wedding day are the one tangible thing you’ll have to remind you of all the emotions and events and details of that day. I have heard so many stories of brides hiring a friend with a camera, or some other cheap and/or inexperienced photographer, to save on their wedding budget. Every single one of them regrets it.
Your photographer is the next largest and most important investment you are going to make for your wedding day, following only the venue itself. (And for elopements, the photographer is often the largest investment by far!) Colorado wedding photographers, for example, average anywhere from $2.5-4.5k for their full-day services.
There are so many factors that go into an overall wedding budget, but be sure to leave room for you to get the photographer you won’t regret spending on.
I know that is a lot of information to consider, but I do hope that it helps as you continue your search for the best wedding photographer for you!
Here are some other blog posts you may find helpful:
5 Reasons to Have a First Look
How to Deal with Rain on Your Wedding Day