How to Select A Wedding Photographer

Selecting a Wedding Photographer is an important part of planning your wedding. Your wedding photos are precious mementos of one of the most important events of your life. You have many options from which you can choose those that are most important to you.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• time to interview photographers
• a photo budget
• a date and time for the wedding
• a deposit to reserve your date and time on the photographer's calender

1. Start early. The earlier the better. Better photographers fill their calendars months before weddings.
2. Compare prices and services for all the different parts of wedding photography.
3. Engagement photos... usually done in street clothes and include the bride and the groom. If you need photos for an announcement in the paper you need to provide the photographer with the specs from the paper for what photos they accept. A selection of these photos may be displayed on a table at the wedding reception.
4. Bridal photos.... these photos are done in the studio or at a location selected by the bride. The bride is wearing her wedding dress. Usually a large portrait is ordered from one of these photos.
5. Pre-wedding photos in the Bride's room and the Groom's room of the wedding party preparing for the wedding.
6. The wedding itself... make sure the photographer will have at least one other photographer at the wedding.. two total... as insurance.. these photos can not be missed. Go over with the photographer what parts of the ceremony you want photographed... the vows, the rings, the kiss, etc.... Make sure you know where the photographer will be placed during the ceremony. You may have to make those arrangements.
7. The reception... will you have the photographer at the reception? Again, make sure you convey to your photographer what scenes you want photographed... cutting the cake, the cake before cutting, the table settings, the groom's cake, the best man's speech, throwing the bouquet, etc...
8. Group portraits.. the photographer can bring a lighting set up to get studio quality group portraits. Make sure you cover this beforehand and that there is a place to set up and take those portraits.
9. An Album... The wedding albums that photographers order are very expensive... to the photographer... and they will pass that expense along to you. The quality is very high, and the album must be individually assembled by the photographer to include your photos. As a professional, the parts to assemble an album cost us almost $400, not including the photos. You can save a large chunk of money by ordering the photos from the photographer and assembling your own album. Know ahead of time if you are expecting to get an album from your photographer as it will make a big difference in the price you will be quoted.
10. Payment arrangements... make sure you know when you are expected to pay your bill. Most photographers expect to be paid in full before the wedding. They also require a sizable deposit to reserve the date and time.
11. Schedule a time after the wedding to meet with the photographer and look at your photos and proofs.
12. Ask the photographer if they will handle the development of disposable cameras from the wedding. Many will put that into your wedding package for you and you may be able to get some usable prints for your album from them.

Tips & Warnings

• Look carefully at the quality of work done by the photographers you are considering.
• Price is not always the best way to pick a photographer.
• Photography and videography are two different skills. Being good at one does not necessarily make you good at the other. Consider your wedding video to be a separate purchase from your wedding photos.
• Make sure you cover everything ahead of time. At the wedding is too late. Don't assume anything. Discuss and agree on all the options early in the plan.