The photographer is one of the most important parts of your wedding; they will be the ones to capture memories by capturing the joy, happiness, and love you share with each other.
Choosing the right wedding photographer is an important decision to make on your big day. That's why I decided to write this guide on how to choose the right wedding photographer for your special day.
Indeed, wedding photos are what you want to keep with you for a lifetime. But, to achieve the wonderful and desired images, getting a professional photographer has no better alternative!
Well, if you have the same question, then this is the right spot where you have landed. Recently, I talked to 2 wedding photographers and checked 14+ posts to find out what you need to look for when choosing any pro photographers.
Afterward, I’ve successfully made this article where you’re going to get 14 essential things to consider; this includes booking a wedding venue, creating a budget plan, researching photographers, and many more.
So, without further ado, let’s get started!
Steps You may Follow to Choose the Right Wedding Photographer
You want a photographer who understands how much work goes into a wedding and that understands your vision before they start shooting it.
Choosing the right wedding photographer is an important decision. There are many options, and it can be really confusing to decide what works best for your special day. Here we will help you with some of the reasons behind hiring a professional wedding photographer and identify which option is the best fit for you.
1. Book Wedding Venue First
Booking your wedding venue is one of the effective techniques for finding a professional photographer. Once you’ve done securing the venue, feel free to hire the person you’re looking for. Try to aim for booking about a few months before the wedding function, especially if you’re going to hire someone who is quite popular.
2. Create a Budget Plan
It’s crucial to have a formal discussion about how much money you’re able to spend on your wedding function. The range of price varies from photographer to photographer, so you must create a budget plan to make the right deal with your desired photographer.
Spending higher might be needed if you’re planning to take heaps of pictures at once. The overall cost also depends on the type of photographer you want to choose from.
3. Find a Unique Photograph Style You Love
Next, you need to spend as much time as possible in terms of getting familiar with the photography style you’re desiring for. Let it be a washed-out vintage look, fine art, moody, or a blend of saturated colors; the photographer you’re going to hire should be familiar with them.
If you see he/she is available and able to meet your requirements in terms of giving you such a unique photograph style, feel free to make a quick deal!
4. Research on Photographers
Researching photographers is a vital part that everyone has to do before hiring any professional freelance photographer. A few things need to be considered while getting this work done, for instance:
- You shouldn’t just pay attention to the homepage images of your handpicked photographers; get into the blog section or gallery to give a bunch of wedding images a look. Along with great pictures, looking for consistency is equally important.
- Are you going to arrange the function in dark surroundings or winter season? If so, then you should look for similar wedding photography in terms of getting an idea about yours. Trust me, it really works!
- Imagine yourself in the pictures to think about how you may look. And the photographer you want to choose should definitely be able to give you the style that you find even more attractive.
5. Create a Short List
Contacting a few photographers is what you’ll do; I’d suggest looking for no more than 3 in terms of comparing them by considering their qualities. Two important things need to be considered; is he/she able to attend your wedding function and are you able to afford him/her?
Note that a pro photographer usually doesn’t add their desired rates on their own web pages. So after looking at their previous wedding pictures and projects, make sure to ask for the rate without any hesitations, especially if you love their works.
Always keep in mind that you won’t pay for the photographer’s time only; there are a few more things involved in the total cost, including the time of editing your wedding pictures, the quantity, and more importantly, the equipment he/she is going to use.
Narrowing down the shortlist is quite helpful as well in terms of making you less confused while selecting the best wedding photographer.
6. Look through the Photographer’s Portfolio
Looking at the portfolio of a photographer is a smart move, which can be found on their own web pages. Only a couple of pictures can’t help you make the right decision for choosing the right wedding photographer; that’s why you need to look for their biography, rates, experience, and welding albums.
Many of us can’t reach the actual rate of a professional photographer. In this case, a complete portfolio will definitely come in handy for giving you as much idea as needed about him/her.
7. Asking Photographers for References
Well-reputable photographers tend to get plenty of testimonials from their clients. In that case, when you’re prepared with your shortlist, feel free to ask photographers for the following things given below:
- Can he spend time on the date of your wedding?
- Is he able to give you a complete album after the function?
- Can he share his testimonials with you so that you can get an idea of his works?
Picking up a photographer for a wedding referred by either your neighbor or friend is a wise decision, without a doubt! If the photographer you want to choose has already covered a function around your friend/family circle, you’ll get a more detailed and crystal clear idea of him/her.
8. Social Media Recommendations in Photography
I’d highly suggest reaching the pro photographers who are recommended by your friends and families via social media. Believe it or not, it assists in getting you connected to them online, for which you can feel him/her as a friend on the day of the wedding, even after never meeting them before!
9. Manage Expectations
Contemporary, traditional, and reportage; these 3 are the common styles of wedding photography. And the point to be noted – your hired photographer should have plenty of knowledge about them, for which he/she can easily meet your expectations.
Furthermore, they should also have the knowledge on getting the perfect clicks on any decorations or locations, for which you can get your desired photos.
10. Compare Packages
This is where you should pay plenty of focus as the number of packages determines the average cost for a wedding photographer. You may find numerous experts who are known for doing everything possible, from taking quality pictures to editing them to making a striking album. And yes, you’ll have to pay top dollars to get this package.
On the other hand, a few photographers tend to offer small packages, where they’ll give you the service of capturing and taking pictures only.
11. Remember Photographers Also Interviewing You
The thing to keep in mind is that the photographer will spend an entire day with you on your wedding occasion, which is why it’s necessary to ask questions, know each other, and let him/her take your interview too; sound confusing? I don’t think so because they also might have some questions to ask you, and you should give them straight answers in a formal way. I think it’s better for both of you and your hired expert.
12. Schedule a Test Execution
It’s a pretty good idea to ask your hired photographer about taking snaps on your engagement function. In this way, you’ll be able to get familiar with his capabilities, and at the same time make yourself comfortable in the situation, especially if you feel a bit shy.
13. Sign Contracts
Once everything is done mentioned above, you’re a step away from signing the wedding photographer contract. Make a mutual deal between you and your hired photographer in terms of setting up the budget and all other things. Afterward, let him sign the contacts in order to get your desired tasks done.
14. Get the Details for Editing Timeline and Deliverables
Editing is the last and ultimate task to perform after getting wedding pictures from your photographer. A professionally edited picture can give you a 2x more realistic view. This is why if you aren’t convinced with the editing, feel free to take help from the Clipping Path Studio that’s trusted by 1000+ well-known companies and pro photographers.
And guess what? This photo editing company requires nothing but work orders to get your images done by editing them in the way you really want!
Why is Hiring a Professional Wedding Photographer so Important?
Hands down, expert photography is a vital part of every wedding as it allows you to hold your memories with your loving ones. So, to achieve the best pictures ever, hiring a professional wedding photographer is a must!
So let me show you why you should spend money on hiring an expert photographer:
1. Professionals Have Experience!
There is no rocket science; an expert photographer has a lot of experience in the field of taking wedding pictures, which means they’re capable of giving you some fantastic images that no other can do! They spend hours studying and practicing in terms of developing their photographic skills, which is why you can rely on their skills with your eyes closed!
2. Allows You to Capture Precious Memories
Wedding photography isn’t a “one-time snap;” they usually last for generations and decades. This way, your golden memories might be seen by your loving child, grandchild, and others.
In this case, if you hire a professional photographer for a wedding, he will make sure the images you’re going to get meet your requirements along with the choice of your future generations.
3. It’s Only about “One-time Investment!
As the day of the wedding comes only once in your entire life, it makes sense that you spent it with a pro who has the maximum ability to make your day charming and even better by surprising dozens of exquisite pictures. Nobody can keep your wedding sliver memories glorious except for the best wedding photographer; mark my words!
4. A Pro Knows What to Do
To be frank, many of us, especially girls, feel a bit shy while making any moves or poses. That’s why we sometimes look kind of funny without knowing what to really do while taking pictures. But that won’t be the case once you hire a professional photographer for a wedding.
An expert knows better what you should do, what pose you need to make for which picture, and what makes you look suitable with your desired wedding decorations. Consequently, you can stay fully relaxed and out of hesitation!
5. Experts Offer Commitment and Security
You’ll be happy to know that most professional photographers appear with specific contracts, confirming that you’ll achieve what you’re committed to! Here, the collection of pictures might be higher or can be heaps of pictures in terms of quantity.
No matter what, you can stay out of all tensions and worries, knowing that your expert friend is promised to give you what you’re waiting for.
How Much Does a Wedding Photographer Cost?
Depending on your state, location, and the services you want to choose from, the cost of wedding photography can be different. Usually, a US wedding photographer can charge around $1000 - $3000. The wedding photographer prices can decrease or even increase a little more considering your needs and demands.
According to a few reports, the average cost of a wedding photographer is $2000 or so.
You may ask, “Why does the average wedding photographer cost higher? Well, I can show you a lot of reasons behind it! From giving a lot of your time to your wedding function to editing your pictures, pro photographers need to perform several time-consuming tasks. Due to these facts, the majority of them cost you a pretty penny, still worth it!
FAQs: How Do You Find a Wedding Photographer?
Is a Wedding Photoshoot Necessary?
One of the most effective and easiest ways of immortalizing your wedding is to capture photos on your wedding day. It’s not just about taking your meal, getting all together with your friends and families, and wearing the most expensive dresses; a wedding function is also about holding your memories for a decade or a lifetime through a wedding photoshoot. So yes, it’s so important!
How do you Approach a Wedding Photographer?
A lot of things have to do when approaching a wedding photographer. Mention your identity or name briefly, give the message about your venue, including your mobile number, and email address, and try to give detail about your wedding decoration.
Besides that, you must have to mention the rate that you can afford, especially if you’re a bit tight on cash!
Do you Tip a Wedding Photographer?
Giving a tip isn’t required if your hired videographer or photographer owns their business. On the flip side, if the photographer you want to hire is involved in a company or agency, spend around 100-200$ in terms of tipping those vendors.
But how to calculate the rate? Well, the amount of tip should be about 10% of the total payment. It’s okay to spend $100 without even calculating if you really want to.
When do Wedding Photographers Get Paid?
It varies from person to person. The majority of pro photographers like to take the half payment before the function and then take the remaining once the function gets done. You can also find a couple of expert photographers who make a deal of taking the full payment prior to the function.
How Soon Should You Book a Wedding Photographer?
Although it depends on the customs and locations, you better book your desired photographer after booking the venue straight away. The ideal duration is between 12-14 months before the wedding function.
However, I’ve seen a few professional photographers who claim to get the booking before 16-18 months of your wedding function, although it is rare!
Conclusion
Now that you know how to choose a wedding photographer, nobody can’t stop you from getting the best one that you’re looking for. From booking a wedding venue to creating a budget plan and signing contracts, ensure to focus on every single point, I’ve mentioned above.
By doing so, I hope you can make the right deal with the right photographer, getting your wedding occasion full of charm, fun, and happiness!