Booking a wedding photographer can be confusing and overwhelming for some, which is why i want to provide you with as much information as I can give to educate you and hopefully help you make the best decision for you!
HERE WE GO...
BOOKING YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
A FULL Guide
STARTING YOUR SEARCH.
Consider the following questions...
"What are my priorities when it comes to wedding photography?"
"Which style of photography/editing do I gravitate towards?"
i.e. light/airy vs. dark/moody, traditional vs. photo-journalistic
Say you find a handful of photographers whose overall work you enjoy. Look for these three things BEFORE sending an inquiry:
- Website. Do they have one? If so, is it helpful and how much information can you gather from it?
- Reviews. Are they readily available to view? Do they have multiple positive reviews?
- Portfolio. Do you see REAL weddings with REAL couples? Styled shoots are nice, but they are typically shot in ideal locations/conditions and put together by a dream team of vendors. Can this person perform well under the stresses of a full wedding day?
Bonus tip: If you can find their prices EARLY, this is ideal. If their prices do NOT match your budget, you might want to move on to the next photographer.
Now that you have your TOP picks you're ready to send your inquiry!
What should your inquiry include?
- Yours & your significant other's full names
- Your wedding date
- Your venue
- If they have packages listed, name the package you're interested in OR mention your budget
Other things that could be helpful are...
- How many guests will be attending?
- Do you have a wedding theme/style/vision?
- Are you working with a planner or coordinator?
- How much coverage do you suspect you'll need? 6, 8, or 10 hours?
If a particular photographer does not have their packages/pricing publicly available, state your budget regardless and request a pricing sheet in your initial inquiry. It is important that you have an idea of what this person might cost you before you're in too deep!
You do not want to get your hopes up to THEN realize they might not fit your budget after all.
what should you look out for after sending your inquiry?
My biggest tip on choosing your photographer is to watch how they move after you've shot your inquiry. What does that mean? Well... here we go with another list :)
Watch out for...
- Response time. Are they quick, or are you waiting for multiple days to hear back? Give them at least 2 business days to reply before writing them off, though! We have lives too lol.
- Enthusiasm. Do you feel like they're excited for your business? Are they eager to set up a call with you? They should!
- Transparency. Do they have answers to your questions? Do they have a system in place and are they walking you through it? If you still feel in the dark after you've spoken to them, reconsider.
- Vibes & Personality. Again... is this person excited to potentially work with you? If they don't offer to schedule a call/video chat with you PLEASE request one!
IN CONCLUSION:
COMMUNICATION IS KEY
CREATING AND STICKING TO A BUDGET IS KEY
GENUINE CONNECTION IS KEY
HONESTY AND GOOD BUSINESS PRACTICES ARE KEY
