Greetings friends, today I am shaking things up a bit by writing about a subject I haven’t experienced for 9 years. Yep, that is how long I have had the privilege of being married to my wonderful wife, my best friend, Lindsay. Soulmatesdress.com would have been a great place to find that cherished dress my mother wore back in 2004, so you ought to check it out. While you are there, enter to win the give-away!
The importance of selecting the right wedding photographer is almost as important as the choice of your mate. It is imperative that the right wedding photographer have a personality which gels with the bride and groom. They need to make you feel at ease or your photos will make you appear stiff and un-photogenic. The right photographer doesn’t necessarily need to be a stand up comedian, unless that works well with your personality, they just need to make you smile and it appear natural. Wedding pictures are such a integral part of the process, I mean, do you really want to have an emotional attachment to your wedding day memories, or would you rather have a bunch of photos sitting in a box, gathering dust. For those of us not trying to erase the memory of a wedding day from a failed marriage, we would say, yes! Of course those pictures need to be of the best quality, and I expect nothing less!
So how do we find that perfect match
Outside of your normal means of selecting a wedding photographer; like bridal magazines, local advertising, wedding consultants, or word of mouth, there are some great ways to expand your reach. For example, try Angie’s list for Wedding Photographers, there is a wealth of information available here and could really assist you in making this very important choice. In doing your Angie’s List search, don’t limit it to photographers within a 10 mile radius of where you live. It is now commonplace for photographers to be flying all over the country, heck, even around the world to shoot weddings for people they’ve never met. You may spend the same or even less if you hire someone from California and you are in New York, than if you had hired a photographer from New York. Not to mention, the photographer from California may use a unique photography technique which is only known in the West Coast market.
How important is my budget?
This is not the place to scrimp and save, I repeat, this is not the place to SCRIMP, leave that to the list of high end alcohol or custom made doilies. Looking to find savings on your wedding photographer is only hurting yourself, and especially your memories. Trying to save a few hundred dollars, maybe even a thousand dollars is the most flawed advice a wedding couple receives as they begin the process of planning for a wedding. Especially, if your expectations are on the higher end of the spectrum. Why? Your wedding photos are the only thing you’ll have left when your world-wind introduction to Mr. and Mrs. comes to an end. So, do not go el-cheapo on your wedding photographer, you will be the one to pay the price!
Demand to see examples of past work
First of all, examine the basics of the pictures; how vibrant are the colors and the clarity, are the exposure grainy and dull? If so, you may want to eliminate that photographer from your short list. Then determine the photographer’s style; does he or she shoot photos which are adventurous and unique, or are they boring and ordinary? This will also help you determine which style you prefer, because lets face it, you may not know. This goes back to that particular technique which may not be offered by a photographer in your neighborhood. Lastly, pay particular attention to the photographer’s ability to capture the emotion of the day. How are the pictures of the wedding attendees? How are the photos of the ceremony? The reception?
Following these simple steps will provide the answers you need to make an informed decision about your wedding photographer. Hopefully you will choose a photographer who will be able to provide those once-in-a-lifetime images, then you will be armed with the information to make a recommendation to someone else who attempts to go through the same selection process.