Imagine this: It’s your wedding day. You’re about to read your vows, and your photographer hasn’t shown up yet. But, you’re so focused on your soon-to-be spouse that you look past this fact until you walk into your reception and realize that they never showed up at all.
Fast forward a decade, and with the only shots of your special day located on your guests’ cell phones, you still regret not spending more time vetting photographers. Avoid this fate by doing plenty of research, starting here with this wedding photographer guide. Keep reading to learn more about how to find and hire the best wedding photographers.
Money Matters
When compiling a list of potential wedding photographers, the first step is to set your budget. While it’s totally okay to peruse the offerings on Instagram for inspiration, it’s best not to get too attached to anyone photographer until you know for sure they won’t break your piggy bank.
But, be warned: if you set your budget too far below fair market pricing, you’ll either end up with a less-than-professional photographer or none at all. Hence, before you pick your price, do some research to learn the average service fee in your area.
This is a necessary step even for smaller weddings. So, if you’re planning a micro-wedding or an elopement, be sure to include those parameters in your search. Doing so will yield results of the best wedding photographers you didn’t even know existed.
For example, this site specializes in elopement photography and even has packages created with the needs of a smaller party in mind.
Find Your Preferred Style of Photography
For this phase of the search, it’s simply your job to pick what you like. Unfortunately, while this might be the most fun part of finding a wedding photographer, it can also be the most overwhelming. For many, it comes down to not being able to narrow their vision to one or two of the eight styles of wedding photography.
In other words, they like everything.
However, don’t stress if you find yourself in this position. The fix is simple: after you’ve gone on your Pinterest-ing spree, take a metaphorical step back and see if you spot any patterns. Perhaps many of the shots you liked were in black and white, or maybe a large portion was candid.
These patterns will help guide you in setting your style and choosing a wedding photographer to match.
Use Recommendations to Narrow Your List of Best Wedding Photographers
For the last of these wedding photographer tips, it’s time to whittle down your search.
At this stage, keep in mind that the best wedding photographers are the ones who will be able to execute your unique vision. And who knows you better than those closest to you? So, mine your friends and relatives for recommendations and see if any overlap with those already on your list.
If any do, they should make your final cut. Once your list is complete, reach out to your chosen photographers for portfolio samples and to arrange interviews. Then, make your final choice, knowing that you did your due diligence and the professional you hired will not disappoint.
Did you find this guide helpful? If so, be sure to check out other entertaining reads in our Lifestyle section.
