How to find a Wedding Photographer: Making the best choice for your big day.

Finding the perfect photographer is one of the most important parts of any wedding day. Because  as we get older, it is those very photographs that will be the beautiful reminders we frequently revisit. Memories unfortunately fade but luckily photographs don’t.  That’s why having a set of beautiful photographs of your beautiful day is so important. Just as important is knowing how to find a wedding photographer, not just any photographer but the perfect one for you and your special day.

If photography is something you take an interest in anyway , you’ve probably already found a style of wedding documentation and a style of photography that you like. You’ve probably already found images of other people’s weddings that have inspired you in your own big day too. But actually tracking down a photographer who can create these beautiful images and making sure they know just what your style is and just what you’re after can prove a little trickier. So how should you start? Well here’s my guide on how to find your perfect wedding photographer.

How To Find A Wedding Photographer

•        First things first – outline what your budget is and if there is anything you would be willing to sacrifice for the perfect photographer. There is nothing worse than finding someone you love and then realizing you couldn’t afford them anyway – it can be crushing. Because of this – be sure you know your budget before you even start looking. Most photographers will have different packages available too, which might leave things a bit more open.

•         Next, ensure you’re searching for wedding photographers in your location. Whilst many photographers will travel to a job – it’s unlikely they’re going to travel too far without it somehow incurring costs onto you. While performing an online search make sure you know exactly where they are located.

•       Once you’ve found a photographer ask if they do engagement shoots. Most high quality photographers will do these for free as a sort of “test run”  to see if you’re all compatible and to see whether you’re happy with their work. If they do offer an engagement shoot definitely take them up on the offer. If they don’t offer one  ask if they’d consider it.

•        When you meet your photographer for the first time, ensure you look at samples of their previous work and previous wedding photography. It’s no good booking someone if you’ve never seen evidence of previous wedding shoots so this is crucial. If you ever read horror stories about bad weddings photographers you’ll know why.

•        Another key element for how to find a wedding photographer is determine if the chemistry is right. Remember, this person is going to be a part of your big day and they’re going to be spending a lot of time with you and your partner on that day. If you don’t like their demeanor or if you feel uncomfortable around them, then that won’t bode well for the rest of the day. Think carefully about this and consider it in depth before you book them.

•        Ensure you know what you’re paying for and all the small print involved. Some photographers will charge you per image after the big day, some will charge for prints, some will provide an album (some won’t), some will hand over full copyright to the image (some won’t). Find out what you package involves and what the end price is going to be – inclusive of prints and albums, etc.

Elle works as a wedding photographer for 365 Brides, she also works with No.1 Traveller lounges in Stansted – who are an amazing way to start any honeymoon.