There are so many Photographers out there, so choosing one can be a difficult process. Here are a few top tips (and opinions) that may help you to decide.
Below is a list of considerations but not necessarily in order of priority or preference:-
Price : Photos will be there when after the cake has been eaten, after the flowers have died, after the favours have gone and after the dancing has stopped. I always say to my couples that every year on your anniversary, set aside an hour or two and look through your wedding photos, remember the smiles and laughter, remember the dancing, remember your friends and family. A professional full time photographer knows how to capture those memories. They will be skilled in their profession, they will have back up equipment, and most importantly they will deliver what you want. The risk going with a low budget photographer is too high to contemplate.
One Photographer or Two : Many photographers offer a second shooter. A second shooter is there to capture fantastic images but also to ensure that your wedding dress is arranged to look its most stunning, to guide couples and their guests, to support the Prime Photographer with lights and gear. You may wish to ask if your Photographer offers this as an option.
Duration : Imagine a candid moment where a Maid of Honour is telling stories whilst helping the bride with her necklace and the room bursts out laughing “Click” or when the Dancefloor is bouncing after the Bride and Groom have finished their first dance “Click”. Booking a Photographer for a full day, which normally includes about at least 2 hours before the ceremony until about 30 minutes after the First Dance is highly recommended.
Delivery : Most Professional Photographers will deliver the photos via a private online password protected Client Gallery, which you can share with your friends and family. Others will send a USB and some do both, it is best to check. Prints and Albums can be included within packages and my recommendation is to get prints of all your photos even if they are just 6×4″, one day USB won’t work or the internet may crash, always get prints.
Pre-Wedding Shoot: Does your potential Photographer offer this? A Pre-Wedding shoot is about the photos, but it is more about getting to know each other better and an opportunity for a chat about your big day, the family dynamics and recommendations. Feedback that we receive is that the pre-wedding shoot meant that our couples were a lot more relaxed in front of the camera on their big day.
We hope the above information is of use.
We received an enquiry for 2023 recently! For us, 2020 is pretty full, however for 2021 is not as busy on a like-for-like basis, but there is plenty of time with a number of wedding fairs on the horizon plus our referrals have risen significantly.
We were recently accepted as a member of “Fearless Photographers”, if you haven’t heard of them then check out their Instagram or website, there are lots of amazing wedding images from all over the world. They asked us to describe our style of photographer and our answer was “We photograph laughter, smiles and happy tears”.
If you are still looking for a photographer then please let us know, it would be great to have a chat.
Laurence & Stacey
