Your wedding images will provide you with precious memories of your wedding day. You should trust your wedding photos to a professional photographer to ensure that you have these lasting mementos. If you trust this task to an amateur, you may be very disappointed.

An experienced wedding photographer should be selected. Ask friends for recommendations and take a look at their wedding albums to get a sense of what you like or dislike.

When meeting with a wedding photographer, take the time to review their work and make sure you are reviewing the work of the photographer that would actually be at your wedding. Check the compositions and sharpness of the pictures. Are these pictures what you’d like to see in your own wedding album?

Choosing your wedding photographer is serious business! You want to make sure they have the experience, skill and personality that will be able to capture all of those special moments. I mean, this day is once in a lifetime, so it’s important that you choose someone who can help you create the best possible memory for years to come. That being said, it’s not easy finding the right person for this very important job! But don’t worry—we’ve got some tips from our own experience as wedding photographers (and brides) that will make it easier for you when selecting your own photographer:

Set a budget

For most people, wedding photographers are a luxury and not an absolute necessity. It is certainly possible to hire one, but you should be prepared that the experience may feel underwhelming, or that there may be some factors that you wish were different during your reception. If this is the case, then it’s better to save your money for something else; perhaps a honeymoon!

There are many things which can impact on how much a photographer will cost including: type of photography required – formal or informal; whether they need to travel/stay overnight; how many hours they need for each wedding (fees vary between photographers); whether they offer digital images on disc as well as prints and albums etc.; what sort of equipment they use (some companies hire out their own kit rather than use theirs).

It’s always worth asking potential photographers what services they provide at no extra cost – such as making sure all of your guests have been photographed and providing them with copies of their images within three weeks after the wedding day

Choose wedding photography style you like

When choosing a wedding photographer, you should consider the style of photography that you like. Many wedding photographers have a particular style and offer packages based on their particular artistic vision. For example, some photographers specialize in documentary or photojournalistic style of photography, which allows for candid moments to be captured throughout your day. Other photographers prefer to work with posed photographs or formal portraits. If you are not sure what kind of look you want from your photos, it can be helpful to look at sample albums from different photographers to get an idea of the kinds of pictures they produce.

Photographers often specialize in specific types of wedding photography — such as engagement sessions; bridal portraits; ceremony coverage (first looks and processional); reception coverage; informal family groupings during cocktail hour; etc.– but even still there will be some variation among photographers within these categories as well. The best way for you find someone who will produce exactly what YOU want is by looking at album samples: they show exactly what kind of images they shoot most frequently so that when planning yours make sure those styles match up well with yours before booking!

Personality and chemistry

After you’ve narrowed down the field of photographers, it’s time to check their personality and chemistry. Do they feel like a good fit for you? A good photographer will make you feel comfortable in front of the camera, and should be able to give off that vibe as well. Is this person fun and easy to be around? You’re going to be spending a lot of time with them on your wedding day, so it’s important that all parties involved enjoy each other’s company!

See their portfolio

Once you’ve decided to hire a photographer, the next step is to look through their portfolio. You should have a good idea of what kind of style you’re going for by now. Make sure that their work fits in with yours and that they have enough experience with your type of event before hiring them.

Next, look at the quality of their photos—is it up to par? If not, ask if they can adjust their style or offer an alternative if necessary. You also want to make sure they know how to capture moments as they happen without being disruptive or intrusive while doing so.

Check their testimonials

Testimonials are an important part of a photographer’s portfolio. They give you insight into the kinds of clients they attract and how they work with them. If you’re looking for a photographer who’ll be easy to work with, check out the reviews!

  • Ask yourself: Who are these people? Are they actual customers or family and friends? Do their testimonials sound genuine or forced? If there are multiple photos on display, do they all look like they came from the same wedding?
  • If your potential photographer has no testimonials—or only one—that should be a red flag. It could mean that he or she doesn’t have any experience working with real brides (or couples in general). On the other hand, if you’ve found someone whose portfolio is filled with beautiful images but hasn’t had any client feedback yet… well then obviously that’s okay too!

Book an Engagement Shoot

A great way to get comfortable with your photographer is to book an engagement shoot, a session you do before the wedding. It’s a perfect opportunity for you and your fiancé to feel more relaxed around each other and your photographer, which will not only make you look great in photos but also help build a relationship between all three of you that will last after the wedding day.

Make sure the photographer is a good fit for you because you guys will be spending the entire day together!

You’ll want to make sure that the photographer is a good fit for you because you guys will be spending the entire day together!

  • Do your research and read reviews. You may have already done this (and if not, shame on you). But do it again. Look at their portfolio and see how many weddings they’ve shot. You want to make sure that they’ve done enough weddings that they know what they’re doing and can help guide your wedding day into something special.
  • Ask them about their vision for the day, then ask them how they’ll make sure their vision aligns with yours – because ultimately, this is YOUR wedding day and YOU should have full control over everything from beginning to end (ehem).

Questions to Ask a Wedding Photographer

  • How many years have you been taking wedding photos?
  • Do you have a backup, in case of an emergency?
  • What does the package price include?
  • Do you have an assistant?
  • What will you be wearing?
  • How many hours of coverage will we have?
  • How long will it take for posed photos – before the reception begins?
  • Are you familiar with both our ceremony and reception sites?
  • What type of camera do you use?
  • Can we give you a list of photos we’d like?
  • When will we get the proofs?
  • Can you do retouching? If so, at what charge?
  • Do you do any special effects? If so, what?
  • What types of albums do you have?
  • How long after selecting proofs, can I expect to receive the album?

Conclusion

There are so many things to consider when choosing a wedding photographer. If you want to make sure that your day is captured perfectly and that you have someone who is as excited about your wedding as you are, then sticking to the above advice can definitely help you avoid common wedding disasters.