Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life, so of course you want to memorialize it with beautiful photos. However, finding the right wedding portrait photographer can be a difficult decision: you want to find someone with a style that appeals to you, who is also interested and willing to work with your specific ideas for wedding photos. But if you follow these tips and tricks, you should not only find a high end wedding photographer who meets your needs, but also the best wedding photographer for you and your wedding!
First, consider your needs.
When you start to think about hiring a wedding photographer, you will probably already have decided on a number of details for your wedding. This means that you’ll probably have set the date, decided on a location, and laid out a budget. Because of this, you should look for a photographer who charges a fee you can fit in your budget, and is also available on the date of your wedding. Also, you should look for a photographer with experience photographing weddings in similar conditions as yours: you don’t want washed-out outdoor wedding photos because you hired someone who was used to taking photos indoors!
Second, consider your wants.
Everyone has different ideas for their wedding portraits, ranging from traditional to unusual wedding photos. So consider the type of photos you and your fiance want to take: perhaps you want to get a group shot of the wedding party in a specific location, or maybe your know your mother (or future mother-in-law) would love if you recreated a family wedding photo. Be prepared to talk about these ideas when you start talking to potential photographers. If you’re still unsure of the type of photos you want to take, do your research: talk to family, friends, and your fiance, and look online for pictures taken by famous wedding photographers to jog your creativity.
Third, research wedding photographers in your area.
Thanks to the internet, it can be easy to find photographers: many people offer their services on social media. I even know one woman who shows off her work on her wedding photographer blog! To simplify your search, look specifically for a wedding photographer instead of, say, a family portrait photographer. After all, you want professional wedding photos, taken by someone who is used to the stresses and demands of a wedding. Additionally, someone who specializes in photographing weddings is more likely to have wedding photographer packages and deals, which can help your budget.
Fourth, contact potential photographers.
After looking at wedding photographers in your area and their work, make appointments with a few who fit both your budget and have an appealing style. Ask to see their portfolios and evaluate them as people: do you feel comfortable having this person around your friends, family, and special day? Look for a photographer you consider to be a high end wedding photographer, who seems willing to bring your ideas to life and won’t bring more problems to an already hectic process.
When you find someone who fits all of your criteria, hire them. Take your engagement phots, mail out your save-the-date cards, and relax, just a little. Wedding planning is stressful, but you’ve successfully hired a high end wedding photographer who will preserve your memories of your special day for years to come.
