Wedding Photography: How to Choose a Great Wedding Photographer

I would argue that choosing the right wedding photographer is the hardest and most important aspect of your wedding planning. The time that should be put into making a decision is often wasted on other aspects of the wedding like not wanting to punch your fiancé in the face, or dodging calls from your very opinionated mother. Relax, I’m kidding (okay, half kidding) but if you’re in the middle of planning a wedding, you know exactly what I mean.

That being said, don’t stress out! Choosing your photographer can be a fun process as long as you know what you’re looking for. My advice is based on retrospect. I wasn’t blown away by the photos I received after my wedding but when I thought about why I was disappointed, it occurred to me that not all of the blame should be placed on my wedding photographer. While I think wedding photographers should be experienced enough to know some of what you want, some of the blame had to be placed on me for not clearly defining expectations or putting in the effort to list what shots I wanted to walk away with after the big day. I can’t beat myself up too much though, I had never planned my own wedding before, and as they say, hindsight is 20/20. I’ll admit, I’m also missing a little bit of the bride gene but I think the following things to consider might help in your search and ensure that you leave for your honeymoon confident that you will receive the pictures you were hoping for.

For the most part, there is a direct correlation between experience, results, and cost.

In this economy, I know most weddings are planned on a budget but I will say this from experience – had I known how important the wedding photos would be, I would have made my guests unfold paper napkins and drink from plastic cups if it meant I had more money to spend of a photographer. I’m of course, exaggerating, but it’s now been 2 years since the wedding and I couldn’t tell you exactly what color the napkins or table cloths were, or exactly what we had to eat and drink. I wanted my guests to have a great experience, but on the other hand, I can almost guarantee you that not one of my guests remembers those things either. My point being, if you can stand going with the standard linens, cutting down on one appetizer, etc. in order to spend more on the photographer, do it! Usually, the more expensive a photographer is, the more experience a photographer has, and you will walk away with better pictures.

Take note of pictures you like from other “real” weddings.

Flipping through bridal magazines and looking at those pictures might help, but that’s not really what I’m going for with this tip. I’m talking about looking through pictures of real weddings and not only thinking about what style and composition you like, but printing out the picture and writing down why you like it. Flickr.com and TheKnot.com are excellent sources to find real wedding photos by a number of different photographers with different styles. Once you land on a style that you like, you can start searching for photographers in your area that match that style. For example, you may like the photojournalistic photographers but might want some arranged shots as well. Write it down and take that feedback to the photographers you meet with.

List important family members and moments you’d like to capture. Give that list to your photographer well before the wedding day.

I have not one picture of just me and my mom at my wedding. It’s sad, but there’s nothing I can do about it now. I hired a photojournalist wedding photographer, so most of the day was spent on capturing candid moments. While I liked the photojournalistic feel of the pictures, I wish I had made it a point to ask for a picture with just my mom. Sometimes it’s best to not only think about what pictures you want to walk away with, but think about what missing pictures would disappoint you the most if your photographer doesn’t get them.

Remember the details of your day, and don’t be afraid to ask the photographer to capture them.

I don’t have ton of pictures of the detail of my wedding dress, and although my wedding planning experience was mostly stressful and I remember it as a negative experience, I remember I LOVED my dress. Yet, today, I struggle to remember exactly what it looks like as it was professionally cleaned and boxed up in my closet. Your wedding day will probably be one of the busiest days of your life, but if at any moment you think about shot that you want, such as dress detail, rings (I don’t have this shot either), ask your wedding photographer to take shots of the details you hope to capture.

Don’t forget about YOU (and your fiancé).

It may sound vain, but ask for shots of just you in your dress. I am convinced that I will never look better than I did on my wedding day, because I never again want to put in as much effort as it took to make me look good that day. I had been waxed, plucked, exfoliated, and painted. The effort started weeks before the wedding and didn’t seem to end until I was walking down the aisle. I wish I had gotten more evidence of that effort but I never asked for a picture of just me in my dress. My wedding day was a one-time excuse for it to be all about me, and I didn’t take advantage of it. Take advantage of it! (Just don’t be a Bridezilla.) Same goes for your fiancé. My husband was wearing a tux. A tux! He’s normally in sweatpants and a t-shirt. You’ll want a picture of him on his big day too.

The weather might not cooperate.

I hate throwing chance of crappy weather out there, but it rained on my wedding day. In fact, there was a hurricane…in Massachusetts. I know you’re thinking, “that’s not possible in Massachusetts.” I assure you, according to the weather experts and the guests at our wedding, it is possible to have a hurricane…in September…in Massachusetts. Think of alternate locations for your photo shoot. I was not prepared. We made a last second decision to just take pictures in one of the Boston hotel lobbies, but it was not what I had pictured and was not ideal. It was only a few months ago when I thought to myself – the Boston Public Library! That would have been the perfect alternate location for what kind of funky pictures we wanted, but I thought of it too late. Have a few other photo locations in mind for your wedding day.

Consider hiring a second shooter.

This is where having some extra budget comes in handy. Think of all of the things that go on at a wedding that one photographer could not possibly get. A family member’s face as you walk down the aisle could make for a great picture, but the photographer will most likely be focused on you and your fiancé. A second shooter is really beneficial and will ensure that most every moment is captured.

Plan an engagement photo shoot.

I have to admit that when I got married, there was no way in hell someone could have signed me up for an engagement photo session. However, engagement sessions are great for save the date cards, and they allow you to become comfortable with your photographer. Also, since the engagement session is booked separately from your wedding photography, if you don’t like the results, then you don’t have to hire that photographer to do your wedding. It really lets you get a sense of the photographer’s style and how the photographer will direct you and your guests for arranged shots.

Plan a “trash the dress” shoot.

The pictures that I have seen come out of “trash the dress” sessions are amazing. For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about, some brides are buying a cheap wedding dress, in addition to their actual wedding dress, in order to “trash” it after the wedding. The most common setups I’ve seen are at the beach. The bride and groom actually get in the water and the photographer snaps away. It just looks plain fun and the pictures that come out of it range from silly to beautiful. These shoots seem to capture a wide range of emotions.

Define expectations for deliverables.

Photography packages are all very different. Read the fine print. Most brides are expecting to get a CD with all photos by the time they get back from their honeymoon. This rarely happens and understandably so. After the photographer shoots your wedding, they have weeks of editing to do. Most photographers will give you a preview of ten to fifteen pictures on their website blog. Your CD most likely will not be delivered for a year after your wedding. In the meantime, photographers normally host your pictures on a website where you can purchase individual prints. Asking lots of questions about a timeline and deliverables will ensure that you aren’t disappointed after your wedding.

In short, figuring out what kind of style suits you and asking a lot of questions will help you to pick a great photographer. Visit the photographer’s website to see galleries of weddings and as stated before visit Flickr.com and TheKnot.com. You will soon find what kind of style you want to capture on your wedding day. Happy searching! Here are some books on Amazon that might be helpful to you as well: