Tips for Choosing a Wedding Photographer
Arguably one of the most important days of your life is your wedding day. On a day of such importance everything needs to click and work together perfectly. A wedding is a wonderful experience but can be such a full, exciting and energy-draining day that most of the events will be forgotten, leaving you with only a vague recollection of the highlights. This is why a wedding photographer is so important. You need someone to capture those moments and preserve the memories of that amazing day forever. To help you get the most lasting memories out of your wedding day, here are a few important tips to help you choose a photographer for your special day:Price
Weddings are generally expensive events and a photographer is generally no exception. Many photographers, especially those working out of high end studios seem to charge ridiculous prices, but they need to due to their massive overhead. Someone who works for themselves out of their own home generally has much lower overhead even though they have the same skill level. As a result they can still offer exceptional services at a lower fee. A general rule for choosing a wedding photographer is to allow for roughly ten percent of your wedding budget going towards the photography. However that is simply a rough guideline; many home based professional photographers have a wide variety of custom photography packages to fit any budget.
Experience
As when hiring anybody for an important and technical job, you want someone qualified for the task at hand. Ask your prospective photographers if they can provide you with a portfolio of their work, if they have any related certifications or degrees, and perhaps most importantly references and testimonials from past clients who you can contact. Then be sure to contact them!
Style
Photography is an art and with all art comes artistic styles and preferences. All photographers will have something about their work which makes them unique. Look for the ones whose work really stands out to you and is similar in feel to what you would like in your photos. Find somebody who gives evidence that they can really capture your wedding day in pictures. A few different styles/approaches to wedding photography to consider: Black and White, Candid, Emotional, Formal, Classic. If you are having a very unique wedding (beach, horseback, skydiving) you will want to look for photographers who have done similar work and are capable of doing what it takes to get that shot!
Delivery
Be sure to clarify ahead of time how long it will be before you can view the pictures and make your selection. Many photographers will have online viewing and purchase options for you, but even those that do not may have fairly rapid delivery time frames. Either way, get the timeline in writing as a part of the project.