November 3, 2017 Tips for Choosing Your Wedding Photographer
Choosing vendors for your wedding can be tough. Photos last forever and will always be your number one keepsake from the day (next to the dress & your hubby of course). So we've asked one of our favourite photographers, Rose Dykstra of Simply Rose Photography for her tips on how to find the right photographer for you.
Do your homework
Looking for your wedding photographer is no easy feat but a good place to start is to look at different styles of photography offered in your area. A simple Google search will likely reveal multitudes of options in your area and from here, you can narrow down which style of wedding photography you are drawn to. There are many different styles from light and airy fine art photography that may include film to documentary style photography where there is minimal posing on the wedding day.
Ask your network
One of the best ways to find your wedding photographer and perhaps even a variety of vendors, is to ask your immediate network. Chances are, you may have had friends that have gotten married recently so feel free to ask them about their experience with their wedding photographer.
Portfolio
Once you have found a few photographers whose work you really love, it’s important to review their online portfolio really closely. Check out their website, follow their Instagram — make sure you really love what you see before contacting them for further information.
Priorities + Budget
Priorities + Budget
Wedding photography can come in at a variety of price points and it’s important to determine an idea of how much of the overall budget you are aiming to spend on your wedding photos. It essentially comes down to priorities and where you are willing to put your hard-earned dollars. If photography is a big priority, but your budget is somewhat limited, perhaps some sacrifices need to be made elsewhere in order to hire the photographer that you really love. This will all depend on what is most important to you as a couple.
Meeting
Once you have narrowed your search down, now is the time to set up some in-person meetings. This is such a critical step to ensure that your personalities mesh and to learn more in detail about what kinds of services the photographer offers. The in-person meeting should feel easy and light and don’t forget to bring all your questions. Now is your chance to ask anything face to face and for the photographer to go over their process, collections and any other considerations before you commit. The meeting should be detailed and you should be walking away feeling like you have all the information you need to make a decision.
Experience
Experience
It’s important to hire someone with enough experience to be able to handle a variety of situations on the wedding day. Managing large groups of people, a change of photo location due to last minute inclement weather or challenging lighting situations… there are many different things that can happen on a wedding day and your wedding photographer needs to be able to handle it all.
Before you sign
You’ve done your homework, you’ve conducted all your meetings, and you’ve chosen your wedding photographer! There are a few final steps before sealing the deal and that includes signing a contract for services and/or agreed upon products. Make sure you go over the contract well and if there are any questions, don’t hesitate to ask your photographer. The document is aimed to protect both parties. Make sure that it includes all the agreed upon items and that the final pricing is clear before signing.
Photography by : Simply Rose Photography
