How to Book a Wedding Photographer
Photo Comes First
Now you're probably saying, aren't you a videographer? Why didn't you list yourself on the list of your top three things to book first? Well, simply put, video is great, but photos come first. I have a photographer as the number one thing you should book. I don't like to tell people how to spend their money, but if you had to splurge on one thing, it should be your photographer. My wife and I knew we wanted a specific photographer and that we wanted to get married in October. So Jane was the first thing we booked!
From there, everything else was booked around her. The same principle works if you have a specific date in mind. The issue with this, as you can imagine, is finding a venue or vendors available on that exact date can be tough. In the end, we made it work, but issues with that method are there.
Here's why I, and many others, say a photographer is the number one thing to book:
Timelines: They are the timekeeper of the day. They build you a timeline and make sure you stick to it throughout the day.
Magic: Photo locations aren't as big a deal as you think. Ideally, you'd like a beautiful place for your photos, but I've seen photos from the parking lot of a hotel look just as magical. This is perfect for smaller budgets. If they can make your locations work, trying to fit in time to go to extra locations isn't as needed. Don't let me talk you out of doing park photos, but what if it rains like my wedding day? The inside of your venue can be your backdrop, and a good photographer will make it work and deliver an amazing product.
Posing: Let’s face it: we're not all models (and if you're reading this and you are a model, I'm proud of you), so posing and being in front of a camera all day might be a shock. If you're tense all day, your photos will show it. Having a good photographer who can keep you loose and flowing through your portrait session will get you photos that showcase who you naturally are.
As you can see, I have nothing but good things to say about photographers. I work with them all day, so I see the ins and outs of everything they do (on top of starting my career as a photographer). Now, you're probably thinking: great! I'll book my photographer first! But what should I look for when I book them? Well, you're in luck!
Here are some tips when looking for a photographer:
Style: Make sure to find one with the style you're looking for. It's even easier now than ever to look on Instagram and find what you like. The two main styles are light and airy or dark and moody. However, everyone has their spin on it. Then, take into account things like composition, and use of flash, and no two photographers are the same. So, find a style you like, and see who has that style you like the best.
Personality: Your photographer will be with you for the entire day, so you want to enjoy being with them. I highly recommend jumping on a call with any potential photographers to get a feel for their personality.
Number of photographers: I'm not going to talk about the actual pricing of photographers because each one is different, but I will talk about the usual things to look at when choosing a package. The first is the number of photographers. Your basic options are either one or two. I almost always recommend two. The obvious reason is the ability to capture both partners getting ready, but there's more to it. The addition of a second shooter gives you both a variety of shots and a bit of insurance to make sure no moment is missed. Throughout the day most of the shots the lead shooter gets will be head-on, but a second shooter will be able to get more candid or close-up shots that you otherwise wouldn't get. When it comes to moments like speeches and your first dance, the lead shooter can make sure they capture you, while the second shooter can capture reactions from your friends and family. Now, if you can't afford it, or are having a smaller, more intimate wedding, one photographer will get the job done. But if you are having a bigger, more elaborate wedding, and it fits into your budget, I always recommend a second shooter.
Time: The other major component is time. The usual packages are 8 or 10 hours. This decision is purely based on your wedding. The average wedding falls within that 8-10 hour range (from a vendor standpoint) so there isn't a right or wrong answer. The things you have to consider are: do you have a long ceremony, such as a full mass? How much dancing or getting ready footage do you want? Do you have something happening at the end like a sparkler exit that you want to capture, or are all of your planned reception things all together at the beginning of it? Only you can answer these questions. So my recommendation is to talk it through with your photographer and see what they recommend. If I had to choose your package for you, I'd say opt for more time upfront, rather than asking your photographer to stay later day-of because not everything has happened yet. Aside from that, the decision can only be made by considering your whole wedding day, and what you want captured.