Hello beautiful bride! So you are planning a wedding, eh? Congratulations! You are in such a magical time of your life and there is so much to celebrate. Wonderful as it may be, it sure comes with a ton of stress and the planning can feel endless (amiright?). After booking your venue and securing the date for the big day, most couples start looking for the rest of their vendors.

Arguably, one of the most important vendors you will book for your special occasion is your photographer. This is the person you are trusting to capture and literally freeze your memories so that you can relive them and share them with your loved ones for all of the years to come. Just think, someday 50 years from now, you could be popping open the photo album to tell your grandbabies about your wedding day…

Your photographer is the keeper of your precious memories. And since you are reading this blog post, I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how important that role is. So that begs the question, what should you look for when choosing the right photog for the gig? Here are 4 things that you should ask before you go on the hunt…

1.What is Your Budget?

Every couple has a different budget when it comes to their wedding day. Not everyone can afford to spend a fortune on their wedding photos and that is absolutely A-OKAY! You can find amazing photographers that are more budget-friendly, but you need to do your research. Do NOT hire someone for the sole fact that they are cheap. You need to make sure that the person you hire is a legitimate company, has experience with weddings, has insurance and is being transparent in answering your questions. And, if you fall in love with a certain photographer’s style but they are out of budget, maybe consider cutting back in other areas so that you can afford the photographer you want. Again, this person is capturing your memories and you will be looking at these photos long after the guests have gone home and the dress is back on the hanger.

2. What Editing Style Speaks to You?

Photography editing styles are as endless as the sea. The two that are most often spoken about are “light and airy” or “dark and moody” but there are SO many more styles than that. There’s natural, bold, warm-toned, retro, HDR, clean, matte, high contrast and the list goes on….

The easiest way to figure it out? Hop on good ol’ Pinterest and type in “wedding photography”. What look makes your heart swoon? Your gut never lies to you.

3. What Photography Style are you Looking For?

You’re probably thinking, woah Kell… didn’t we just discuss that in the last paragraph? No my friend, we did not. Editing style and photography style are two different things. An edit is the way a photo is manipulated during post-processing. When I say photography style, I am referring to the way someone shoots. Are you drawn more towards a photo-journalistic approach or do you prefer to be guided and posed more? Many wedding photographers offer a combination of these styles, but it is something to keep in mind nonetheless. Another recommendation is to ask to see full galleries from your potential photographers so that you can get an idea of exactly what you’ll be getting and the shots they typically provide.

4. What is Your Personality Type and What are Your Friends Like?

As a photographer, I LOVE working with clients who I can see myself being friends with. This makes the day relaxed and allows my couples to be comfortable in front of my lens. You can totally adore someone’s style and not necessarily gel with them as a person. Maybe for you this isn’t a deal breaker, but you will be spending an awful lot of time with your chosen photog on your wedding day. You’ll have a lot more fun and feel a lot better (which tends to show in photos) if you choose someone who feels like a friend.

The biggest bit of advice I can offer up is to take your time. Book consultations (at minimum a good photographer will offer to chat with you on the phone), spend time checking out someone’s website, ask to view full galleries, maybe even schedule a mini session with them before you officially book (if this is in your budget). And most of all, listen to your intuition.

Wishing you the most magical of wedding days!!

XO– Kellie

Sweet Pea Images