What to Keep in Mind when Choosing a Wedding Photographer

A lot of excitement, anticipation, and of course, decision-making comes with wedding planning. However, when the day finally comes – it will move faster than you would have ever imagined. While you should savor and celebrate every second, one thing you will surely want to do, is relive it forever. The best way to cherish your memorable moments is through wedding photos! These are the heartwarming keepsakes you will be left with after your big day, so figuring out who to pick as your wedding photographer is so important.

With a plethora of professionals, it can be challenging to pick the right one, but that’s what I am here for! These are a few of the essential things I would recommend considering as an experienced Florida wedding photographer:

Budget

One thing you will want to discuss with your partner as you pick your wedding photographer, is how much you wish to spend on photography. Figure out a general idea of your budget and then you can research photographers in the area. You can check for their packages online to get a general starting point or contact them regarding their services. If you want your entire day covered, usually 8 to 10 hours of coverage is a good starting point.

Style

Another important factor is their style. When photographers talk about style, they are usually referring to how they document your day, in addition to the way they edit. While some photographers can adapt to various tastes, many will specialize in a certain shooting style and have different photography approaches. For example, some photographers have a documentary approach, while others prefer a more editorial approach. And, of course, some use a combination of styles! I would consider my photography style to be a combination. I really love a documentary style where it captures the day as it goes. However, there are times I love setting up editorial poses that are more moody and magazine-esque. As for editing, photographers can lean more warm, cool, true to color, orange, light and airy etc. Personally I edit very true to color, which I find is timeless.

Availability

Once you have a selection of wedding photographers aligning your vision and style preferences, get in touch to check their availability for your wedding date. Remember that good photographers can be booked well in advance, so hire your pro at least 10-12+ months in advance. Most photographers close their books after a certain amount of weddings are booked for the year. I personally do this in order to create the best experience for my couples!

How they Work with you

As weddings are major life events, an experienced and personable photographer is a must. When meeting them for the first time, ask a few important questions upfront to clearly understand how they work. Questions like how often have you been photographing weddings, what is your shooting style, have you shot at my venue, are you insured, how would people describe your personality, what is your booking process like, and etc. are great questions to ask. Keep in mind your photographer will be with you the whole day, so it goes without saying you would want to feel relaxed and comfortable. They don’t need to be your best friend! But they do need to be someone you fully trust to document your day and are enjoyable to be around. If you ask the right questions ahead of time, this will allow you to feel more at ease with your choice!

Reviews

Don’t forget to check reviews online! Often people hire wedding photographers purely on pricing, only to regret it later. Just remember your photos will be the only visual heirloom from the day, so check the reviews and portfolio equally, not just the pricing alone. Some places you can check reviews are Google, The Knot, Wedding Wire, Facebook, or Instagram.

I hope these tips help you with what to think about when it comes to picking a wedding photographer! The one who matches your style, vision, budget and meshes well personality wise, is probably the best photographer for your story.

If you are still looking for a wedding photographer based in Florida or the Tampa area, let’s connect on call! I would love to chat so we both can see if we would be a good fit for each other 🙂