How to Choose A Wedding Photographer?

Soon enough, the big day arrives. One of the most special days of your life. You want to keep every moment forever. That’s why you can’t play with your wedding photographer. How to Choose A Wedding Photographer? But … how do you choose the best one for you? Here are some recommendations that will help your wedding photos to be absolutely perfect.

The Style of The Photographer

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There are many different styles in wedding photography. This is why it is important that, first of all, you find a photographer whose style you like. Look carefully at the photographer’s website and think if you like that kind of photos.

Keep in mind that the photos you see on the photographer’s website will be similar to the ones you will have from your wedding. So, the main thing is that you make sure that the style of the photographer fits perfectly with you.

My recommendation is to give some thought to what kind of photos you will still like 5, 10 or 15 years from now. Because many styles are simply trens (for example, vintage style is now in fashion, with desaturated tones and an analog photography look). But what is fashionable today will soon become tired and completely outdated. Will you still like your photos then?

In my opinion, the best photographs are those with a modern visual style and the highest quality processing that respects the original colors and maintains excellent definition. In fact, the best photographers in the world take that style of photos, they do not take boho chic or vintage photos because they know that trends quickly go out of fashion.

Ask Them to Show You A Whole Wedding

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It’s easy to get a good photo of a wedding. And if you’ve done 20 weddings, you already have 20 good photos. But you don’t want just a photo of your wedding, do you? Ask them to show you all the photos of a single wedding. An album, for example. There you can see how good that photographer is in general, not just in one good photo. You’ll be able to see if they can tell the story of a wedding in general, not just take an artistic photo without more.

The Quality of The Album

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Photo albums come in many types and qualities. You can always create an album yourself, like a Hofman or another online option. While these albums aren’t bad, I would reserve them for more everyday moments.

Your wedding album should be of enough quality to last for many, many years. And it’s not just about photo quality, it should also look special. That’s where professional albums come in. And curiously, not all photographers offer the best quality albums. Why? Very simple, many save on the album to earn a little more with the wedding. That is why it is important to always compare what each photographer offers you… in detail!

For example, a 30x25cm album does not cost the same as a 40x30cm album. Neither does it cost the same if you have 30 pages, 40, 50 or 60 pages. To give you an idea, producing a good professional album usually costs from 300 euros, so if someone offers photos, pre-wedding and album for less than 1000 euros and with VAT included, they are cutting somewhere, don’t you think? So now that you know, when you can, ask them to show you the album they offer before deciding on your photographer.

The Human Factor

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The relationship you establish with the photographer will determine the final result. Talk to him as much as you can and that way you will feel more comfortable. How to Choose A Wedding Photographer? After all, she or he is the only person who will accompany you throughout your wedding day. From the moment you start getting ready in the morning until the crazy hours of the party, your photographer will be with you. In most cases, a good photographer can become a great friend. So, if you connect with him, everything will be much better.

Have A Pre-Wedding Meeting Where You Discuss the Key Photos

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Some brides and grooms give great importance to the fact that absolutely all the guests appear in the wedding photos. Others prefer to focus on the key moments of the event, while others are looking for more couple photos. Perhaps what you want is that your parents appear in many photos. Ask your photographer if you can have a meeting in which you prepare the essential photos that you want to have in your album. This way, you can avoid potential unpleasant surprises, like realizing that the photo you expected the photographer to take wasn’t captured.

Finally, try to create a good communication flow. It will make everything easier. You also have to make sure that the chosen photographer is in tune with what you expect of him. Most photographers will send you a questionnaire asking a bit about the style you want, what kind of pictures and moments to be captured to simplify their work and to understand you better. If the meeting is not possible you can always ask for a zoom call where you can express your needs. I personally like to have a list of the photographs that my couples want and I like to check with the photographer if these photos have been taken, this way we double check so nothing is missed.

The Price Passes, The Photos Remain

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When you hire a photographer, make sure you look at what they include in their offer. The normal thing is that the prices that are offering are only for taking the photos. And then surely you will have to add the cost of the album (which will vary greatly depending on the number of pages you want it to have, if the covers are made of leather or other material, etc.).

You also have to expect a price change if you want to do a pre-wedding or post-wedding session. The same goes if you are going to make a mini-album for the parents, if you want them to pass you all the photos of the wedding (the raw) or if you only want the final photos that go in the album. A thousand options are available and all of them are valid. The important thing is that when comparing prices, make sure to consider what each option includes for the same price.

Normally you need to allocate 10% from your overall budget to this supplier, but trust me it will be worth it. Although my advice is to choose the photographer because you like his work. In the end, the photos are the only thing that remains after the wedding (along with the rings) and they are there to make sure that you can relive each moment and get excited again like in the day of the wedding. You will no longer remember the price after a few months, but the photos will be there forever.

Another important aspect is to choose someone local, let me explain why. If you decide to bring a photographer from the UK or Ireland bear in mind, they probably do not know the area, you need to pay for their flights and accommodation and the price can be super high. I always recommend suppliers from the area; they know all the venues they probably live close to them which is also important.