Things Every Couple Should Know When Hiring a Wedding Photographer

Wedding photographer in action, taking a picture of the bride and groom sitting on the raft. Summer, sunset.

One of the most significant decisions you will ever make before your wedding is choosing a photographer to shoot all the important events during your big day. There are a lot of factors to consider that might overwhelm you. To narrow down your options, you must decide on the style that you want to see on your wedding pictures then look for a photographer who can execute it. 

You also need to check if your potential photographers are within your budget. Before making the final decision, here is a list of things you need to know about a possible wedding photographer to see if you can work with them. 

Style Specialties

It could be the most crucial question that you need to ask any potential wedding photographer. Most photographers utilize a combination of different photography styles for their clients. But you can ask them to customize your style. You can ask them to incorporate more drama in your pictures if that is your preference. 

Other styles that you can choose from include the documentary-style if you want more candid images, lifestyle photography if you wish to see your candid shots have a styled direction, or a classic style if you want a timeless look. 

Retouching or Editing the Photos

There are wedding photographers who include photo editing in their packages. But you might prefer to see the untouched proofs first before getting the final outputs. You can clear this with your photographer so you can decide whether you want to retain the original photos or have those wholly enhanced. 

Experience

Since you only have one chance to have amazing photos taken during your very special day, you need to hire a wedding photographer who is an expert at what they are doing. You can gauge if the potential photographer can shoot you under any pressure if they already have a lot of experience doing wedding photography. Ask them to bring a portfolio during your meeting, or do some research before you meet up by checking their website.  

Inclusions of the Service Packages

If you have several wedding photographers in mind, you can compare their rates to check which one fits your budget. But remember, different photographers have different packages. Some include a certain number of edited prints and proofs in their package. Other wedding photographers also include a full album in their offers. You may also ask them if the engagement photo shoots are part of their services or if you need to pay extra for these. Also, you must ask your potential wedding photographer if their services are suitable for the entire event or if they only work for a specific time frame. 

Backup Photographers

Weddings have a lot of small moments that you want to immortalize in your memory. Because of this, having backup photographers would help a lot in capturing all the important events during the big day. You may also ask them if the second photographers or any assistants are part of their service packages or if you need to pay extra for them.  

How Long After the Wedding, Do We Get to View the Photos? 

It’s normal to get excited to see your wedding photos ASAP. However, it would be best if you waited for a while before you get your hands on those precious photographs. To keep you from getting impatient, you need to ask the possible wedding photographer for an estimated time before you can finally see the pictures.  

These are just some of the essential questions you need to ask before deciding to hire a wedding photographer. If you are satisfied with their answers during your initial meeting, you can book them right away to secure the slot. Make sure that you are comfortable with each other so you can have a good working relationship during your special day.