Choosing the Perfect Wedding Photographer

It’s your honeymoon, and you get notified that your wedding pictures have finally been prepared. Instead of gazing into the moments of love captured between you and your new spouse, you see blurry screenshots of the back of your wedding cake—which you spent months deciding on—and the wooden panels of your venue dance floor. You have regrettably chosen the wrong photographer. Maybe now spending that extra few hundred dollars seems a little more appealing than cutting the deal with “that one guy.” After investing thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours organizing the day of your dreams, you want it to be memorable—the way you experienced it. Some say choosing a photographer is equally as important as choosing the right gown: you (and your dress) will be the star, but your photographer will capture the everlasting memories.

Here are some tips for choosing the perfect photographer:

• Look at your budget. In most cases, be prepared to spend anywhere from 10-12% of your wedding budget on the photographer/videographer. (Remember: the price of prints, albums and discs will cost extra, so be sure to keep that in mind when organizing your expenses.)
• Think about what style of photographer you would prefer. Would you rather have traditional posed photos or a lot of caught-in-action shots?
• Decide on the amount of prints you would like. Depending on the price and quality of photographer, the range of pictures captured could vary anywhere from 100 to a few thousand per event.
• Look at a portfolio! There is no better way to uncover a photographer’s capabilities than to see the work that he/she has already done.
• And finally, CONFIRM. Confirm your reservation at the contract signing, a few months before, and even 1-2 weeks before the final wedding date. All of your planning, budgeting and researching are useless unless your photographer shows up!