For todays post, I thought we could have a little chat...
Thats it, grab a cuppa, get comfy and let's talk a little about the Key Considerations for Selecting Your Ideal Wedding Photographer - pretty obvious given i'm a photographer, but there you go.
I get a lot of couples coming to me who have never planned a wedding before, other than their own - it isn't something most of us do often is it?
So im hoping that advice from someone who has been involved in hundreds of wedding days will hopefully help you a little.
Don't worry this isn't going to turn into a speech about 'CHOOSE MEEEEEEEE' - instead I want it to be a bit more general advice, which will hopefully help a few of you meet the one thats right for you.
This week I thought id keep it easy and talk to you all about Wedding Photographers and where to start with booking one. I want all you lovely engaged people to ask yourself a few questions before deciding on who it is you really want for your day...
I know im going to be bias on this, but choosing the right photographer for you is one of the big parts of a wedding day. Cakes get eaten, flowers die off, guests go home, dresses get packed away.. Whats left? The Photographs - and (hopefully) they will be something you treasure for the rest of your life.
What kind of wedding photographer do you want? Bit of a simple question I guess, but an important one. what do YOU like? is it the dark moody look? do you love colour? do you prefer film over digital?
Every single photographer that I know (and I know a lot) is completely different, some of us may have similar styles or ways of shooting, but we are never exactly the same, find a photographer whose style really resonates with you and shows how you wish to portray yourselves as a couple, Are you looking for a photographer who will photograph your wedding day naturally do you prefer a more traditional posed look? Every photographer will specialise in different ways, and importantly, never ask a photographer to copy another photographers style - Its never going to end well.
Are they experienced? I hate to say it, but anyone can buy a camera and tell you they are a professional photographer and once the days gone it's to too late to realise that they really aren't. Ive had some horror stories told to me from couples who have really found this out the hard way. It's (annoyingly) not an industry that is regulated. Make sure you do plenty of research into someone you like. Examples, previous client reviews and answering your questions easily and fully will always show a professional over someone who isn't ready. Feel free to ask to see a full wedding album so you can gauge what kind of thing your likely to expect, not just the perfectly manicured portfolio photographs that you will see pride of place on every website you come across.
Listen to your friends and family. There really is no better recommendation than word of mouth. If you know people who have got married in the last few years, talk to them about who they used and if they would recommend them.
Do they cover your area? Many photographers don't just work in their local area For instance the areas I primarily cover are Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Cambridgeshire but I'm happy to travel anywhere and Ive covered weddings allover the UK. Don't be afraid to search further a field than your local area and make sure that you take the time to look at everyone who is willing to travel to your venue. Somebody that you haven't even heard of may be the perfect photographer for you, also importantly, don't just stick solely to photographers who have photographed that venue before - we are a creative bunch and go into artistic overdrive when we get new places to explore! List everyone who ticks your boxes and whittle it down into a short list of people that you want to contact and speak to as a couple. .
What do you want including? Are you someone who loves prints and books or do you prefer everything digital? Make sure your photographer is able to offer what you want as an end result and ask to see samples of what they can offer you.
Your Budget. Ok this is a big one and i'm a firm believer in cheap work ain't good and good work ain't cheap, but everyone has their limitations.
This doesn't just go for photographers. - find someone you love and see if they can work with what you have. Most photographers are very upfront about their charges and what they can or can't include for that budget - don't be afraid to tell us your budget - we may be able to make suggestions or recommend someone who can help, even if it isn't us.
Its never too early... We get booked up very quickly, I already have bride and grooms contacting me for 2026/7, so never think that you're too early to book if you're 100% sure they are who you want don't risk them getting booked before you ask.
Recommending others: If a photographer is booked for your date ask them if they can recommend others. Believe it or not but a lot of us are friends within the industry, and talk to each other often, we recommend others that we know are amazing when we are already booked. This doesn't just go for photographers either - we often recommend some the other industry professionals that we've worked with previously to our brides and grooms. Never be afraid to ask if you need help with finding suppliers.
Most importantly, choose someone that you connect with. Photographers will be with you for most of your wedding day, through the emotions, the preparations, the party afterwards... you need to feel relaxed around them and if you are this will show through on your wedding photos.
So there we have it.. some of the things I would class as being important before making your choice on who is the photographer for you... I hope you find it useful!