Tips for Hiring the Perfect Wedding Photographer

Your photos are one of the few things you’ll have after your wedding that become more valuable as time passes.

This value is so important for you, your family and future generations. Because of this, you don’t want to have any regrets. Be sure the person you’re hiring is the perfect fit to capture and preserve something so important!

• RESPONSIVENESS. Make sure they quickly and professionally address any concerns you have from budget to timeline to feeling comfortable in front of the camera. No question is to small and they should be SUPER responsive and helpful! In short, you should never feel like your wedding is a number and you should never have to follow-up due to a slow or lack of response.
• LOVE ALL OF THEIR PHOTOS. A pretty portrait is lovely, a nice image of a bouquet is great, but be sure emotion is captured, lighting is great and that you love literally the majority if not all of their photos.
• LOVE THEM. You’ll spend more time with your photographer on your wedding day than anyone else, so hiring the perfect wedding photographer means you’re hiring someone that you’d want to grab coffee or drinks with. You should consider them a friend, they’re photographing your wedding, which is so personal and  important. You should love the human that they are and totally jive with them.
• TRUST THEM. They’re preserving your memories and should guide you to make choices (getting ready locations, family photo times, portrait locations, the package you need that will fit your day the best, etc) that will make those memories the best they can be.
• TIMING IS EVERYTHING. Make sure you know how they plan out a wedding day. Ask for sample timelines of how your day might look with them as your photographer. Portraits should not take an hour of your day (unless you want them to). You should absolutely have some time alone, but you also should have lots of time with your friends and family! A skilled photographer should be able to capture amazing, intimate, emotional portraits in 20 minutes (or less) allowing you to enjoy more moments at your wedding!  
• 2ND PHOTOGRAPHERS. Make sure you get the details on who they use as their 2nd photographers. Are they interns? Assistants? Professionals? Do they even know them? How much experience do they have? Will they be learning skills at your wedding? (that’s a big no-no IMHO).
• WHEN WILL YOU GET YOUR PHOTOS? Consider if you want your photos to be delivered in 2-4 months or just a couples of weeks. Loving someones work is great, loving them is even better, but waiting months and months for the photos from your most important day is no fun. You’ll be so excited and sharing those moments with friends and family ASAP is super important!

Experienced photographers should have the following attributes:

• A lengthy portfolio of work for you to see from many weddings.
• Their work will be consistent. VERY consistent.
• They should be experts at timing and planning.
• Have experience handling any lighting situation and making it look amazing!
• Knowing how to deal with a rainy day and always having a plan-b.
• Being responsive and helpful through the entire planning process.
• Are able to address your concerns quickly and make you feel completely comfortable with every aspect of your day (including the photo taking process itself).
• Offer advice that will make your day flow well and ensure the best light and locations for all parts of your day.
• Have a professional and respectful demeanor with all other vendors who are part of your wedding.

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