How to Choose Your Wedding Photographer | Wedding Tips

If you’re recently engaged you realize there are a LOT of photographers in 2020 of ALL different styles & price points! How do you choose the photographer that is right for YOUR wedding?!

I will be the first to say that not every photographer & every bride is a good match. Photography is very personal and will set the tone of your wedding experience and wedding memories, so it is so important to choose the photographer that is the best fit for your wedding!

8 Questions to Ask Yourself as You Choose YOUR Photographer

1.  Is their style / photographs how you envision your wedding day photographs?

If the answer is YESSS! then move to the next question! If you find yourself wishing they were different go ahead and move to the next photographer. While the look of each wedding we shoot changes depending on season & style, our overall editing style does not!

At the same time, an indoor ceremony won’t have the same look as an outdoor ceremony and spring photos won’t look the same as a winter wedding! Unless you are in Hawaii. In that case stop reading this & book me now! 😉 

If you are having a wedding that is unlike what you seeing on their instagram or galleries, you can ask to see a gallery of photos that is from your season so expectations are set!

2.  How much experience do they have with photographing real weddings?

Being a wedding photographer is NOT easy! And it’s not as glamorous as it looks on social media. Having an experienced photographer who not only creates beautiful photographs but ALSO knows what to do when a challenge arises makes a huge difference!

Do all their online photos ONLY come from a styled shoot? This is SO IMPORTANT! While I love styled shoots and have photographed a few of my own – they have few things in common with a real wedding! Usually styled shoots are collaborative so who knows what that photographer was actually responsible for. And professional models, well, they make things easy 😉

3. Do you want that photographer around on your wedding day? Do you like them as a person?

You will be spending almost your entire wedding day with them so this can’t be overlooked! You don’t have to be best friends, but if their personality/vibe bothers you or causes you to feel stressed, SKIP!

You can get to know a bit about a photographer through their About page/website & instagram. I also love in-person meetings for local clients! For my out of town clients we usually do a phone call!

4-  Does the photographer have collections including high quality albums & prints? 

This is a lot of extra work & expense for the photographer but I think it is SO important! Why have beautiful photos when they are lost somewhere in the cloud?

5- What kind of client experience do they offer?

Do they go through the process with you, create photography timelines, and guide the wedding day photography? or simply show up on the wedding day and follow your lead without a clue of what is going on?

6- Do you need 1 or 2 photographers, and how many are included in their collections?

This one is specific to YOUR wedding, but something to consider! While I always like having my second photographer I offer both options.

Short answer: If you are NOT having a first glance OR if you are having a large wedding – you need 2 photographers!

7- Are they a hybrid photographer? Meaning, do they shoot film and/or digital?

If you have gotten to this point in the vetting process then you like their overall style, service, and personality! Film could help distinguish between the finalists on your list!

• You have to have a LOT of skill & experience to shoot film! The cost of shooting film is high, so film photographers usually charge more (or need to lol!), but you really can’t match the look of film!!

• At the same time, make sure the photographer can produce both beautiful outdoor film photos AND beautiful indoor reception photos! They are completely different types of photography but both are essential. (I am proud to say I can do both well, which is more rare than you would think 😉 While receptions are not my go-to feature on instagram, you can go to individual wedding galleries on my weddings page.

8- Did their past brides or other vendors like them? 

If you don’t personally know a past client or someone who has worked with them before, read their reviews and look them up online! Wedding Wire and the Knot are two good sources!

I hope these questions are helpful to you! Best of luck to you as you search for the photographer that is the perfect fit for your weddings!

With joy,

Ashley