Choose your wedding photographer wisely
The wedding day will come and go, and all that’ll remain will be the memories, and the photographs.
How to know if your photographer is a good match for you?
As a seasoned Nashville wedding photographer (who also loves to travel to photograph amazing couples getting married like you) I have collected some wisdom in the topic of finding a photographer that fits your wedding style, budget and personality. You can learn more about me HERE, but let’s talk about wedding photographers and how to find the best for you.
Your photographer will be next to you for most of the day, so you need to make sure that you like not only their work, but their personality as well. Have a conversation with them, follow them on social media, get a feel for their personality on a discovery call. Pay attention to how you feel when you’re having a conversation, or reading their emails/text. See if your vision of the photography you’re dreaming about aligns with how they work. Believe me, we (the photographers) are also checking during those discovery calls to see if you are an ideal client to work with. That’s why communication is key for both you and the photographer to make a wise decision and see if you’re a good match.
When I was looking for a photographer for my wedding with Miller, I made the mistake that many people make. I went for the more affordable option (and not even by much!) instead of the one whose work and communication I liked better. I still liked my photos, but I was not thrilled by the lack of communication from my photographers. I feel like I could have had a better experience if I had chosen the one I really wanted. After that, I’ve given so much attention to my own clients, and have learned to value the overall experience much more.
Wedding photography is all over the spectrum from free (if you have a friend with a camera) to many $$$ if you choose a seasoned photographer, who values their work and gives you a great experience. It is all about perspective, value for your money and how much you have in your budget for those priceless, once in a lifetime memories.
If you are about to say to the photographer you dream to work with: “we love your work, but we can’t afford you”, here are some things to keep in mind while shopping for a photographer, as well as some creative ways to help you afford the wedding photography you really want.
First, make sure you love your photographer’s work.
There are many styles in wedding photography, so check their websites and ask for a full gallery if you want to see an example of how they deliver their images, not just the ones in social media/websites.
My style is timeless, with a mix of color and black and white. I love to shoot portraits with editorial quality and details, as well as photojournalistic-style images that tell the story and bring back the emotions of the day. I believe that wedding photos deserve to be printed and displayed on your walls and printed in fine-art books. The collection of your wedding images will be the beginning of your visual legacy, an instant heirloom.
Some photographers work is light and airy, some is dark and moody, some like to direct into poses, some concentrate on candid photos. Know what you want.
Make a list of what you value in photography services, other than the price, some examples below:
Good + timely communication
Attention to detail
overall experience
timeless (natural colors, real, uncluttered, mix of color and black and white) vs trendy images (lots of filters, orange skin tones, dark and moody, light and airy)
Do you want more posed images, images that capture emotion, or both?
How will you display them? Prints for your walls? fine-art albums you and generations to come will treasure?
Keep in mind that people who charge bargain prices are either beginners (which is OK, we all started there, but you get what you pay for), or do not value their work enough, so they end up overbooking and worn-out. You deserve a photographer that not only has the experience to handle your wedding, but someone who will actually enjoy working on your images as an artful expression, other than one more in the queue.
Wedding photography is an investment, find creative ways to help you with the cost instead of compromising quality over price.
Ask for longterm payment plans. The industry standard is to pay for your photography services in full before the wedding date. Since most people have many months from the time they book to the wedding date, it is easy to spread the amount into payments. But, for those people that may hire me with only a few months in advance, I offer them the option to stretch the payments even after the wedding. That helps couples to afford the photography services they want with easy to their budget monthly payments.
You can add your wedding photography to your wedding registry. Ask me how.
Don’t be afraid to ask for a proposal based on what your budget might be. I offer partial coverage and customize proposals according to my clients needs/budget.
Let me know if I can answer any questions, or if you need any referrals for wedding vendors. I’ll be happy to help, even if I end up not being your photographer.
