NAVIGATION
The first thing you need to do before you look for a wedding Photographer is ask yourself how much you value wedding photography on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 being you don’t value it at all and might not even hire a photographer, and 10 being your wedding photos are THE MOST important thing about your wedding day, and you are probably spending more on wedding photography than anything else on your wedding. Figuring out how important Wedding photography is to you and your fiancé will help you determine things like your budget, amount of coverage you want, and how much time you plan on setting aside for formal portraits.
The next thing is to find a photographer who fits your style. Most photographers know how to take really good photos, so what you are looking for when you are on a photographers website is if you can see yourself in their portfolio images. Are you more formal and want more posed portraits, or do you like more candid photos? Do you like light and airy photos or photos with more vivid colors? You probably already know what you like, but putting words to it can help you communicate with your fiancé what you like and don’t like.
Determining your budget will help you narrow down photographers that are too expensive, and photographers that might be too cheap and inexperienced. Each region is going to be priced differently for wedding photography, so make sure to do your research. The more you pay for wedding photography the more you should expect in terms of the photographer’s skill, print products, and customer service. A $1000 photographer might not have that much experience photographing weddings and might miss some moments because of it, they also might take a few months to deliver your photos. A $5000 photographer should be able to walk you through your timeline, they are going to know how long each part of the wedding is going to take, they will help you determine if you should do a first look, when the best time is to do family formals, and will have the systems in place to deliver your wedding gallery in a reasonable amount of time. They also might help you professionally design and print a high quality wedding album. A more expensive wedding photographer will be able to give you a better overall experience putting your anxiety at ease and help you sleep better at night knowing your wedding photos will turn out amazing.
Each wedding photographer is going to have different packages based on how many hours they are hired to cover. If the ceremony and the beginning of the reception are the only things you want photos of, you might be able to hire a more expensive photographer for less time. Or, if you decide you want everything from getting ready to your grand exit photographed you will have to make sure those hours are included in the package. Talking this over with your fiancé will help you determine which package to get from a wedding photographer.
Having digital files of your wedding is one thing, but printing them and displaying them in your home is what most people choose to do with their wedding photos. Digital files get deleted, CDs and usbs get lost or go out of date, printing your photos lets you enjoy them without having to worry about any of those issues. Most photographers provide full res digital files that you can get printed yourself, but if you know you want a wedding album it’s a lot easier to find a photographer that provides that for you than it is to try and design one yourself. They are going to have access to album design software and will know how to design an album that looks good and tells the story of your day in an elegant way. Or they will make sure a large wall canvas will be sharp and the right color.
Some photographers offer both photo and video coverage, and bundling them together is usually a lot cheaper than hiring separate photo and video teams. So if you are considering video coverage for your wedding day it is worth checking out photographers that provide both.
The most important thing is to find a photographer you like spending time with. This is one of the most important days of your life, the last thing you want is to be spending the majority of it with someone that rubs you the wrong way. That’s why it’s important for you and your fiancé to get on a video call or meet in person the photographers you are considering. You don’t just want a photographer that takes pretty pictures, you want a photographer that will guide you along the way and make your wedding day even more fun and special.
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