The two vendors that you will be spending the most time with on your wedding day are your wedding coordinator and photographer. So, you want to make sure that you form a great relationship and are absolutely positive in your decision before booking them. “How can we be sure?” you ask? Well, let us tell you! Read below on how to find a photographer that is right for you!

Style

Before you begin researching wedding photographers, you will need to first decide on what style of photography you prefer. Do you like more of the light and airy photos or more bright and bold? Take a look at Pinterest, Instagram, or Google search “wedding photos” and take note of what photos you gravitate towards. Below are a couple of the most popular wedding photography styles to help you decide!

Classic/Traditional

Traditional photographers shine with posed, formal shots. The composition will be more clean cut and classic. These photographers will know exactly how to pose you during your family formals, bridal party photos, and couple portraits, so they look natural and beautiful.

Light and Airy

This editing style uses as much natural light as possible to create soft, classic, and romantic looking photos. Since this style is very dependent on the environment, it works best with May-August weddings, but it is definitely still achievable with a winter wedding!

Dark and Moody

Dark and moody photos are just like they sound; they will be dark and moody! This style works best with outdoor weddings (think mountains or woodsy weddings!) and weddings taking place in the Fall. The dark and moody style loves warm, rich colors and will have a sense of intimacy and drama.

Editorial

If you are planning a wedding that is a little avant-garde, you will probably want an editorial photographer! These photos are like what you would see on the cover of a magazine and have a lot of drama and movement to them.

Photojournalistic

Photojournalistic photographers specialize in capturing genuine, candid moments. While they will most likely take some formal portraits, the poses won’t be too directed or forced. Photojournalistic photos are all about capturing those special, in-between moments!

Meet With Your Photographer

Grab a coffee with your photographer or chat over the phone to make sure you click! Since you will be spending a lot of time with this person throughout the whole process, as well as, on your big day, you will want to ensure you both are on the same page and get along well to get genuine, beautiful photos.

Packages

Look at the different packages that photographers offer and make a list of items that are important for you to have included. Below are a few good questions to ask yourself when looking at different photographer’s packages:

• Is it important to you to have a lot of separate getting ready photos of the bridesmaids and groomsmen? Then you will want to make sure your package includes a second shooter or try to hire a wife and husband duo, so one can be with the ladies and the other one can be getting photos of the gents.
• Are you wanting to have a wedding album professionally done and have prints available?
• Do you want your photographer to be there from getting ready to the sparkler exit or do you want him/her to be there just for a portion of the time? Most packages include 6-10 hours of time with the option of adding on more time.
• How many photos will you receive from the day?
• Is there an engagement session or bridal portrait session included?
• Will your photographer need to travel a long distance to your venue? If so, you will want to factor that into your budget because most will charge up to $2 per mile if it is a certain distance away.
• Are you wanting a videographer? If so, try to choose a photographer that has the capability of doing videography in addition to photos or ask who they like to work with. It is important your photographer and videographer work well together on the day-of!

Test Run

Make sure you try your photographer out before your wedding with either engagement photos or bridal portraits. You will be able to get to know your photographer a little bit better and ensure you feel comfortable with him or her.

Venue

Take into consideration your venue. If you have a mostly indoor venue and you want to go with a light and airy photographer then you might want to go with a different style of photography or ask the photographer to show you some of their work when they have shot indoors to make sure you like how it looks. Also, ask your photographer if he/she has photographed at your venue before or check with your venue if they have a preferred list of photographers. It can be helpful to hire a photographer that has photographed weddings at your venue before because they will know the best spot for your first look, where best to take photos if it rains, or which spot has the best lighting.

We hope this helps you find your perfect photographer for your beautiful wedding day!