There Are No Do-overs On Your Wedding Day 

How Choosing the Wrong Wedding Photographer Can Ruin Your Wedding

Planning a wedding can be overwhelming and expensive (Ideas on how to make your wedding less stressful here)!  Many couples have no idea where to start when it comes to hiring vendors or how much to expect to pay for their services.  Sometimes when this happens a couple will set their budget too low or prioritize the wrong things.  Taking the time to do as much research as possible before planning your budget or choosing vendors is the best way to make sure you aren’t making bad decisions.  Start out by making a list of what you feel is a priority for the both of you but don’t stop there; also look into what others make a priority.  You might find that your priorities shift when you see why others chose a different path. 

One vendor that should be high on your priority list is your photographer.  Unfortunately for some it is the lowest priority leaving many couples with huge regret after the wedding.  One thing is certain; you can’t do-over your big day to get it right!

 I cringe when I hear the following:

•          “We have a friend who is starting a photography business that is going to do it for cheap.”
•           “We just need someone for a couple of hours to take a few photos of us.”
•          “We don’t want to spend a lot; we just need someone with a good camera.”

I cringe not because it means I won’t be shooting these weddings but because I know these couples are going to have a lot of regret when the dust settles down after their wedding and they are looking at out of focus or badly positioned photos; or even worse the photographer missing out on important photo opportunities such a shot of a bride with her parents or a touching moment between a groom and his grandmother. Some couples find themselves not looking at anything because their photographer has completely stopped responding to their requests for the images.  It really does break my heart for these couples because I know it just can’t be fixed.

The thing these couples all have in common is they didn’t make photography a priority when planning their wedding.

The good news is researching and asking the right questions can help recently engaged couples avoid this nightmare!  First, find a list of photographers you would like to research.  This can easily be done by searching on Google for local wedding photographers or "photographers near me", going to a wedding vendor site or even asking on your favorite social media site for recommendations.  Next do some digging into their portfolios.  Most photographers have galleries on their websites or posts on social media.  Find photographers who have the style of photography you are looking for and have great reviews from previous couples.  Once you have your list, reach out and schedule times to meet each one.  Part of finding the right photographer for you is knowing you are going to feel comfortable around them and enjoy their personality.  At this meeting don’t be afraid to ask questions!  An experienced photographer is going to be happy you are getting all the information you need to make a decision.

Ask questions such as:

•          How long have you been shooting weddings (find out about me here!)?
•          Can we see your wedding portfolio? (Yes you can! Here's a just a few of my favorites!) (Check out one of my favorite weddings here)
•          Have you ever shot a wedding at our venue?
•          What is your photography style?
•          What fail safes do you have in place to make sure your equipment will work at our event?
•          Do you offer photography editing such as retouching and if so how experienced are you at it?
•          Can we order prints and albums from you?

At this point you should have a good idea of which photographer is going to be the best to work with on your big day.  I, of course, would love to be that photographer but the most important thing is for you to find one who you are going to love and who leaves you with no regrets after your wedding.  To set up a time to meet with me just follow this LINK! 

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