How to choose a great wedding photographer
When it comes to choosing a wedding photographer, there are many factors to consider. It can be an absolute minefield. Below are some tips on how to choose a wedding photographer that will be right for you and your big day.
Determine your style
Do you want traditional posed photos, or are you looking for something more creative and unique? Knowing your own personal style will help you narrow down your search for the perfect photographer.
Some photographers do traditional really well. Others excel at out of the ordinary, beautiful shots that would blow your socks off.
Set a budget
Wedding photographers can be expensive, so it’s important to set a budget early on in the process. This will help you avoid any financial surprises later on down the road. There is a huge range in prices, that roughly correlates with the quality and level of service required. You could be looking at anything as low as £600, right up to a whopping £10,000 or more.
Some photographers will do discounts for certain things – Elliot from PhotoForrester for example, offers 10% off for anyone in the military or getting married Monday – Thursday.
Do some research
Once you have an idea of what you’re looking for, start doing some research on different photographers in your area. Read reviews, look at portfolios, and see if their style matches up with what you’re envisioning for your wedding photos. Portfolios are the best example of their work. Therefore if you find yourself unimpressed looking at the example photos, they probably aren’t the photographer for you. Remember to look at examples of photos taken during the build up too, often some of the nicest photos can be the candid ones taken when you are having fun during the day. This is where you will get some of the best shots of you and your closest friends and family in a non posed environment.
Schedule a consultation
Once you’ve found a few photographers you like, set up a time to chat with them on the telephone or on a zoom call. This will give you a chance to get to know them better and see if they’re someone you would be comfortable working with on your big day. If you have time, you could even go and meet them in person if they are exhibiting at a local wedding fayre. Sometimes personality of a photographer is just as important as how good their camera is. Photographers like Bruce Middlemiss for example, will instantly make you feel at home and he keeps you laughing throughout the day. This leads to lots of happy, smiley shots all day.
Ask for recommendations
If you know anyone who has recently gotten married, ask them for recommendations on who they used for their own wedding photography. They may have some great insights that you didn’t even think to consider. I would also speak to your other vendors such as your DJ for recommendations, as nobody meets more wedding photographers than other wedding vendors.
If I was to recommend my top 3 wedding photographers that I have worked with in the last two years I would suggest the following:
