When my eldest daughter got married a few years ago, I had it easy. She planned every detail of her wedding. I just had to show up as the beaming mother-of-the-bride. For my younger daughter: Well, not so much. I was assigned the role of finding the wedding photographer.
I learned several obvious, but basic facts about wedding photographers: Some are good/some awful; they can cost a fortune; and you have to shop around. Oh, and I also learned: DO NOT use your cousin’s son who took a photo class in high school and swears he’ll do a “good job.”
Here are a couple of quick tips:
- Seek Recommendations - Contact friends, family and recent brides. Check with wedding reception venues; they have observed the best and worst in photographers and may advise you.
- Costs - Wedding photographers are expensive (which does not mean you consider your cousin’s son!) Establish a budget, but anticipate that you may need some flexibility. It’s okay to negotiate. There are a lot of photographers and some may be willing to drop their price a bit.
- Consider Photographic Styles - Your wedding reception at a grand hotel? Obviously you would want a different type of photographer than if the wedding will be held in a field of daisies behind your house. Check out websites and portfolios.
- The Wedding Package - Know what the wedding package includes - from photo albums (for not only the couple but the parents) to DVD of images and so on.
- Photographer’s Personality - Personally I hate a wedding photographer who steals the wedding by demanding that the entire event goes on hold while he or she “gets the shot.” If you have a bad feeling about the photographer’s personality - your guests will get a worse feeling. For me, it also matters how the photographer dresses. At a wedding with all the guests dressed to the “9s”, you don’t want a photographer who looks like he just rolled out of bed.
- And the legal stuff - Read the contract carefully - very carefully. What if: the wedding is canceled (eek), there’s a bad snowstorm, the camera fails or the photos are unacceptable?
In my mind, my daughters’ weddings were two of the best parties ever. Everyone was happy and beautiful and having a great time. Capture that time with the right photographer.
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