Oftentimes, a person’s most prized possessions aren’t material things but memories. Perhaps the most used keepers of these mementos are photographs and videos. Hence, it is essential that only the best photographer takes charge of capturing the happiest occasions of our lives.
The wedding day is one of the most important events in any individual’s life as it is one such transition and definitely life-changing. It will be the start of living your life not as one person but now with a better half and possibly, a family in the future. So, it’s understandable that you don’t want to miss any moment from it and would want to capture each part perfectly!
What to Do First?
Choosing the perfect snapper for your wedding isn’t just a spur-of-the-moment decision and really demands careful consideration of a lot of things. But before even deciding, it is recommended that you do the following steps first:
Have the Venue Secured
It will be more advantageous to hire a wedding photographer after you have already booked the venue. This way, you’ll be more certain of the exact location and date of the wedding, which can be very crucial and even a deal-breaker when hiring the pro.
I have to admit – we got married at my parents house. Even then, we needed to spruce the place up and I’m glad we planned in advance, since some things took much longer than expected. Who knew that house washing on the Sunshine Coast was so popular – we needed to book 3 months in advance!
Also, this will give you more lead time when booking an in-demand photographer. The ideal would be at least nine months before the actual date of the wedding. However, if your wedding coincides with any holidays, it is better to book at least one year ahead to secure the schedule of a sought-after photographer.
Decide on the Style
This is a once in a lifetime chance to document that special part of your life so you have to do everything to get the best quality as there’s no second take. Hence, make up your mind as to the style of photography you want to use for your wedding.
If you don’t know what you want yet, scan through some magazines and wedding catalogues or search from the internet to have an idea. Or better yet, browse through some of the works of some photographers that can easily be reached if ever.
Finding Prospects
There are a lot of resources online where you can find reputable wedding photographers. However, if you are not comfortable or not used to finding and dealing with things online, word of mouth is also a safe source of information.
Ask family members or friends who have previously had contact or have worked with wedding photographers in the past if they can recommend their past service provider. Referrals and recommendations from people you know are often the most reliable source of trust and confidence in any product or service.
How to Hire a Wedding Photographer
If you found a few that catch your fancy and if the rates are within your budget, it’s time to begin scheduling your initial meet up.
Talk to the Prospects
Regardless of the manner of communication you or the prospective photographers prefer, the aim should be very clear. That is to hire the best within your budget range.
Also, make sure to ask if they will be the one who will take photographs at the event or if they are sending a staff. If so, make sure to ask if they can provide that assistant’s portfolio to be consistent with the style and quality that you expect from the original prospect.
Trust Your Instincts
It’s unusual for professionals to show their bad traits while trying to secure a deal, so be aware that everyone is putting their best foot forward, or at least trying. This is where your gut feeling must take control. It’s important that you are surrounded by people who you trust and feel good with on your special day.
Since you are going to work with the photographer closely throughout the event, you must choose someone whom you feel comfortable with. If for some reason, you can’t read people’s actions and intentions, it doesn’t hurt to do some background checks. Check reviews online or ask people you know who have worked with them in the past, if possible.
If the Price Is Right
This is what you need a full understanding of so you’ll know what the expected output and quality are at the end of the event. The exact price quote and what deliverables are offered should be clearly laid out.
The usual inclusions in a wedding photography package are the printouts, albums, soft copies of the high-resolution images saved in a USB or disc drive, or protected Cloud, and the exact number of prints, size, and quality, among others. Please note that photographers will provide you with a price list of different packages with different inclusions and price ranges. Make sure to clarify everything with them to get the best value for money.
It should also include whether they offer a flat rate for the entire duration or if they only need to stay and take shots at a particular segment of the event.
Do a Test Run
If you have decided to go for a particular photographer, doing a test run of the service is always a good idea. This is to break the ice so to speak, especially so if you or your soon-to-be better half is uncomfortable on camera.
Comfort is crucial in making sure that genuine smiles and feelings are captured at the event. So why not try it out and do test photography on a lesser grand occasion, say an engagement photoshoot? This is also like testing the water if you will really like your chosen photographer’s output or if you need to cancel the agreement while it’s still early.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Photographer
Hiring a photographer isn’t a regular occurrence. It’s not as if you have an event or occasion every so often, much more a wedding that needs one. So, it is crucial to know the right questions to ask them to be able to know whether to hire them or not.
The questions will depend on the level of your understanding of photography and what concerns you about the upcoming event. However, these are the crucial ones to ask.
- Will you have undivided attention on the date of the wedding?
When the photographer says they are okay on your wedding date, it doesn’t automatically mean that they only have one schedule on the same day. Some photography companies can be so in demand that they can have several schedules in one day. The best possible quality only comes from focusing on one event.
- Am I the only one on your schedule within the week of my wedding?
Not that it is really a big deal if they have several schedules in a week as long as they can provide the quality service they will be paid for. However, if your wedding venue and reception are in a far-flung area or the photographer’s team is coming from a distant place, it is ideal to have their schedule for the week cleared to avoid any conflict in terms of preparation and travel time.
- Who will be the one doing the shots?
The reason you are getting the services of a particular professional is because you were impressed by their work. This is why it is important to know whether they are the one shooting at your event or will just be assigning an assistant. While you might be open to the idea of working with someone else apart from the original choice, you need to ensure that whoever will be present at your event, you will have a rapport with.
- Have you experienced shooting weddings that were similar in style and size to our wedding?
While it’s a noble thing to give a chance to newbie photographers, particularly if you are working on a budget, it can realistically be risky if you want to have perfect documentation of the wedding. If the professional fee is out of the question, get the best one who has more experience in the type of photography you want to have.
- Where can we see your whole portfolio of wedding venues and receptions, especially the recent ones?
If you have seen their works somewhere on the internet, it’s possible that they are only the cream of the crop. To see if they really fit the criteria of what you are looking for, ask if they can provide their portfolio of wedding photography that they did from start to finish to see consistency and style.
- Have you worked with our wedding planner in the past?
It’s a long shot, especially if you’ve found the wedding planner and the photographer in entirely different ways and entirely different locations. But it doesn’t hurt to ask. Besides having complete confidence in both your photographer and wedding planner, it’s another advantage to have if they have already worked in the same event in the past.