When you start planning your wedding, you may be worried about the date, the venue, the food… and while all of those are important, there is one decision that is arguably the most important (after choosing the perfect partner of course!).

Your photographer!

Now, I might sound biased because I am a photographer, but hear me out.

I chose the wrong photographer for my wedding, years before I ever picked up a camera. How did I choose the wrong photographer?

I price shopped. I didn’t pay attention the photographer’s style. I didn’t ask what the photographer focused on- candid versus posed pictures or events throughout the day. I didn’t know how many images I would receive…. Seriously. The list goes on for all the things I didn’t pay attention to.

My wedding was thrown together quickly, a few months after our son was born. Because my son was a preemie and we had spent extra time in the hospital and I was a new mom, wedding planning was not high on my list of priorities. We had a life to live! I figured any yahoo with a good camera could capture our day. We even toyed with the idea of purchasing a half-way decent camera to hand off to a relative. Yikes!

When my photographer showed up on the day of my wedding, I was meeting him for the first time. I told him a little about the images I wanted, but I figured, “He’s a wedding photographer! He should know what he’s doing!” Unfortunately, I assumed he would know what I wanted… and you know what happens when you assume!

When you look at your wedding images, you won’t just remember the day, you’ll also remember the way you felt.

When I see at the first look images with my husband, I don’t remember being excited to see the man I was about to profess my undying love to… I remember being annoyed that my photographer completely ignored where I wanted to take the pictures, and instead of having a beautiful backdrop of sailboats behind us as we shared a private moment… there’s people frolfing in the background and the ugly gray hotel behind us. Ugh. Your wedding might only be one day, but your photographs will be there forever. You want to think about the amazing day you and your partner shared when you look through your photos, not all the hiccups and stress.

Here are a few red flags to watch out for when you’re looking for a wedding photographer:

1. They badger you repeatedly to make a decision. A photographer may give you a deadline to decide- there may be other people looking at that date or other reasons why they need a decision. Generally, you need a signed contract and a deposit or retainer to book your photographer. But they shouldn’t be emailing, calling, or texting over and over again pressuring you to book them.

2. You don’t love their style. You should take a look at their social media and website to get a feel for the work they produce. If you love a certain look, make sure those are the type of images you see consistently on their photographs. Generally, photographers have a certain look they hope to achieve, and they have to use the correct settings on their camera to get those results, and then edit them in a certain way. If you hire a photographer with a bright, airy look and then tell them you want dark and moody edits, they may not be able to accommodate that style.

3. You don’t know (or don’t like) how they will deliver your images. Some photographers give you all of the images, some only give you a set number with an option to purchase more. Some include prints or albums, and some photographers mail you a USB with your gallery on it. You definitely want to make sure you know what to expect when your gallery is delivered, and not be surprised after your wedding is over with fewer images or a bigger price tag.

And here are a few green flags for choosing the right photographer for you!

1. They reach out to see if you have any questions after the initial inquiry, answer any questions you have openly and honestly, but aren’t being aggressive in trying to get you to book.

2. You love their style. Whether it’s bright or moody, or somewhere in between, you can picture their work hanging on your walls. If you’re not sure what their style is, go ahead and ask! The photographer should be able to tell you what look they like to achieve.

3. You understand approximately how many images you’ll receive- all weddings are different but in general a photographer will deliver about the same number of images per hour of shooting. You also know how you’ll receive your pictures, any add-on options and what’s included.

4. You’ve met with them in person- many photographers include an engagement session in their packages, and you trust their ability to capture your wedding day.

Now that you know what to look for in a wedding photographer, you can feel confident that you’ll choose the perfect photographer for you!

Interested in booking? Click that Plan your Session button at the top of the page and let’s chat!

Happy planning!

~Carissa