Picking the Right Photographer for Your Wedding

First of all, welcome to my brand new website and thus, new blog!

The photography business, like many others, goes through peak seasons and what I call "behind the scenes" seasons. The fall is by far the busiest time of year, so it's fitting that it's followed by the calmer winter months where I can cosily work from my home office, and be productive in a totally different way.

My "behind the scenes" projects for this winter were redesigning my website, rebranding with a new logo, and pulling the trigger on some new technology to make the experience even better for this year. I love being able to constantly grow, not only for my personal development, but most importantly, for my clients! It's a great feeling to be able to build upon last year's successes and make things even better. The winter is peak "engagement season", which means I get to have lots of consultations with newly engaged, prospective clients. I love doing this, as it's awesome to get to know the couples that I'll be working with down the road! So all of this got me thinking about the photographer selection process from the client perspective, and what the most important things for you to consider are. So...

How do you pick the right photographer for your wedding?

Photography style: This is the most obvious, and initial thing to check off! Do you like the photographer's images? What emotions do they evoke when you look at them? Are these emotions that are important for you to feel when you relive your wedding through photos (in 10, 20, 50 years)? Photography style is completely subjective, which makes it so fun to pick! My style can be described as natural, timeless, artistic, emotion-filled, and romantic.

Personality: This one is huge! Do you click with the photographer? Will they make you comfortable on camera? Would you like having them around your closest family & friends? These are really important to consider, as the photographer will be there for some of your biggest moments (think of the first look, the ceremony, the first hour as husband & wife during portraits). Feeling comfortable with the person behind the camera goes a long way towards allowing you to feel comfortable in front of the lens (and therefore, most importantly… getting really natural images)!

Process: This is the business side of things, but it's equally as important! What is the photographer's booking and preparation process? Are consultations to finalize your wedding details included in your photography package? When will you receive your images? I believe in making the booking process simple and easy-- I know how many other checklist items you have while wedding planning. Preparation is really important, as we only get one chance to make the wedding day go as smoothly as possible! The more we prep, the more efficiently we can take all of the photos that you want, which means the more time there is for celebrating! After all, that's why everyone's there, right? :) We'll review all of these details during our initial consultation, including the turnaround time for getting your images. I know we live in a digital era where we all want to share photos with family & friends, so I know you'll be pleasantly surprised with my delivery schedule!

I hope I've given you some helpful things to consider as you make your wedding photographer selection. I know that photography is often a huge part of the day, so it's an honor that you're considering me to be a part of everything!